Rapha updates Classic Winter Jacket with Gore-Tex Infinium Windstopper fabric

What does Rapha have to do with Walmart?

Fuck all.  Makes me laugh when people think an investment firm connected to the Walmert heirs (who are big cycling supporters) IS Walmart...

joe9090 wrote:

Yeah go buy Rapha stuff... if you do not mind being complicit in exploitative child labour practices and the unfiar labour violations comitted by Walmart inc against it's 'associates'. 

Weak effort. Why don't you name some decent brands - high street stores and cycling companies - that are 'clean', wholesome and 100% legit.

Made in UK doesn't guarantee high employee welfare, just ask anyone in the rag trade or look at the recent stories about Boohoo and exploitation in the Leicester garment industry.

While some of us might find Rapha's prices steep and the marketing a bit fanciful, their products are rarely average. Lots of keen riders buy their stuff and wear it and I don't believe they all just see the name and are seduced by the hipster coffee shop vibe (or whatever is the in vogue look).

Also, I have never seen any other company invest so much time and energy into cycling - sponsoring teams and events and supporting all sorts of endeavours. I'm not talking about huge brands like Specialized driven by bean counters but ones where they are genuinely trying to make a difference.

It's easy-peasy to just knock Rapha and their investors' motives, who are the alternatives? Which 'ethically made' waterproof jacket would you choose? What other ethical criteria do you apply to your shopping? Do you shop fairtrade and avoid food grown in Almeria?

I've the previous softshell version, before the Polartec version. I don't find that too short but the pockets are very deep making it difficult to get into for some people.

Make your own jokes up about Rapha and deep pockets.

Says water-resistant in the article 

Old version was waterproof, this isn't, seems like a 'design change' to me.

I sort of get what you're saying. I have both ( I do actually have a Rapha Winter Jacket). I much prefer wearing this one over the more waterproof ones which I always find a bit 'hot'. For me the waterproofness just pushes them a bit over the edge when it comes to sweating. 

Wouldn't wearing this over the waterproof one make it even hotter?

mdavidford wrote:

Wouldn't wearing this over the waterproof one make it even hotter?

Very good! 

I think this is a successor to the old Rapha Softshell which was never fully waterproof but was highly rated as a general winter jacket?

Even the latest wonder goretex material isn't as breathable as a non waterproof jacket...and in all honestly, most people would get more use out of this (but take a proper waterproof for those horrible days!!)

To be classed as waterproof I believe it has to be made of a waterproof fabric and have taped seams which this probably doesn't have.

Interestingly, the 'Infinium' label doesn't actually denote a new or specific material in and of itself. Rather it's a rebranding exercise that allows clothing manufacturers to move outside of Gore's previously rather hidebound rules about what can be used where and how it's marketed. IIRC, you couldn't use the classic Gore-Tex 3 layer on the front of a jacket and a windstopper / DWR layer on the back and still be able to use the Gore marketing clout to claim waterproofing, etc. Now you can mix and match to your heart's content, which I think makes a lot of sense for jackets like this.

I've just bought a Galibier Mistral, which takes a very similar approach. But costs all of 70 quid.

Happy Mistral (top and bottom) owner here.  1 winter down, hopefully many to go.  Galibier price/performance ratio is hard to beat.