Altura Podium Elite Waterproof Jacket

Altura's Podium Elite Waterproof Jacket is so thin and light you wouldn't expect it to offer the levels of insulation against the wind that it does. Back that up with an excellent fit and great build quality and it's an appealing choice for a three-season jacket. As a waterproof things could be a little better, but it's not a major quibble.

Altura's Ergofit range came out a fair few years back and early products for me never quite hit the mark in terms of fit. The stuff that I tried always seemed to have a few compromises, but things have evolved, and the Podium Elite jacket has a fit that is hard to knock.

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The cut is close without feeling overly restrictive, which means while it has that racer look you don't need to be whippet thin to get along with it.

With a dropped tail and high neck it's perfect for the winter months, stopping road spray and chilly draughts from entering top and bottom. The sleeves are long too, which means when you are fully stretched out in the drops the cuffs won't pull out of your gloves.

The waist sits higher at the front so you don't get any rucking of the material when you are hunched over, and a zip garage at the top of the neck keeps things comfy here too.

At the rear there are two zipped pockets with the entrances slanted to give you easy access while in the saddle. They are pretty deep so you can carry a fair amount of stuff without them sagging.

As a windproof, the Podium Elite is hard to criticise. In chilly northerly winds you can certainly notice how different other parts of your body feel compared with your torso. It's all rather toasty. What that normally means is that the jacket isn't all that breathable, but the Altura manages to be. On the whole it's been quite a mild test period but I haven't suffered from any form of overheating in the Podium Elite – impressive considering there aren't any vents.

To classify it as a waterproof Altura has taped all the seams on the Podium Elite and it is rated at 10K on the water column, a process to see how much water passes through the fabric at a given rate in a given time. Moderate to heavy rain is the definition for 10K, which in my real world experience means a heavy shower or persistent rain for half an hour or so before the material becomes overwhelmed.

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The Podium Elite falls a little short on this. The rain beads on the outside for a while, but after 15-20 minutes or so of constant rain the fabric does get penetrated. You do stay warm, though, thanks to the insulation, so in my eyes it's not a major concern. I'd rather be warm and wet than dry and cold.

In terms of value, I think the Altura is punching a little above its weight here considering the average waterproofing; 120 quid is a lot of money. On the whole, though, it has so much going for it, it kind of balances itself out. If it shunned the rain better it would score much higher in this respect.

The Podium Elite is available in sizes between S and XXL and in two colours, the black we've tested plus a fluoro yellow/black option.

Verdict

Falls a little short on waterproofing but impressive in every other way