Pearl Izumi Zephrr Barrier Jacket

The Pearl Izumi Men's Zephrr Barrier Jacket is made from 100 per cent recycled material and offers a more relaxed fit than many lightweight windshells at this price. It works well in terms of keeping you dry in light rain and showers, and it feels comfortable – just bear in mind that its shape will suit those who ride a little more upright rather than those who like to make the most of the drops.

The Zephrr is a lightweight windshell jacket that comes with the added bonus of a bit of water repellence thanks to Pearl Izumi's PI Dry technology. It's a hydrophobic treatment that unlike many water-repellent treatments, coats each individual fibre rather than being added as a coating to the fabric. According to Pearl Izumi, this means that it'll never wash off or lose its effectiveness, maintaining at least 90 per cent of its original performance after 100 washes. There's a bit more detail about it here, if you'd like to know more.

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In use, the treatment keeps light rain and showers at bay for around an hour or so, about 25-30 minutes in heavier stuff before it starts to seep in around the seams. It's ideal for those days when it's breezy and there is the risk of showers, its small size meaning it can easily tuck into a rear jersey pocket when not needed.

Breathability isn't bad either: the test period has been quite warm, so I've been wearing it for late evening rides when the temperature has started to drop off. Things were comfortable unless I was really hammering it, although that isn't really what this jacket is all about.

The cut is quite relaxed, with room to wear a couple of layers underneath, and if you aren't at your leanest the fit is flattering. Most noticeable is the length of the sleeves – there is a lot of material going on here, probably a bit too much unless you have a very stretched out riding position or use the drops a lot. If you do, you might notice that the rear section isn't much lower than the front, so when you do get in the drops you don't have much coverage at the rear to protect you from road spray.

To further customise the fit, the Zephrr comes with hem cords either side that you can adjust.

Overall, the quality is really good, with neat stitching throughout and tidy detailing around the cuffs and neck. There is also a two-way zip and a small zip garage at the top to protect the front of your neck.

Many packable windshell jackets don't come with pockets, but on the Zephrr you do get a single mesh one that can be closed with a horizontal zip. There is plenty of room to carry your essentials, like a phone and simple tools, tube and so on.

At £99.99 the Zephrr is just a penny less than the Specialized Deflect Jacket with SWAT, which follows a similar theme when it comes to its design and intended use.

It's cheaper than the ashmei Emergency jacket at £128, and Mike wasn't massively impressed with the fit.

> Buyer’s Guide: 13 of the best packable windproof cycling jackets

On the whole, the Zephrr does a decent job of keeping you warm and dry but works best for those rides when you aren't really pushing it. It'd be ideal for use while commuting or for stuffing into a pack when out on long distance rides.

Verdict

Relaxed-fitting jacket that does a good job of keeping the wind and light rain out