This winter has been a particularly wet one in the UK, so it was serendipitous that Endura sent me its new SingleTrack II jacket in December to review (in its latest Harvest colorway) as it turned out to be a waterproof I could really rely on. To see some of the competition take a look at our best MTB jackets round-up.
Endura’s know-how in developing technical apparel – alongside input from the Athertons (Rachel, Gee and Dan of downhill, freeride, Dyfi Bike Park and Hardline fame, who live in wet and wild Wales) and the Atherton Racing team – means its riding kit is designed to stand up to the worst British weather. Happily, it certainly meets that remit in the case of the SingleTrack II jacket.
This is the women's version, with a female-specific cut that's tailored at the waist. The men's version is the same apart from the fit, and comes in different colors, some with a cool embossed pattern in the center-front panel.
Design and specifications
The SingleTrack II jacket is made from ExoShell20 ECO three-layer fabric, with a silky-feeling, non-rustly outer face fabric and a smooth, soft inner layer sandwiching the thin PU membrane boasting a 10,000mm waterproof rating and high 20,000g/m2 breathability rating. To repel rain, the outer is treated with a PFC-free, non-toxic DWR and this is backed up by neatly taped seams inside and a tidy, well-finished construction throughout the garment.
Attention to detail is excellent too. For ease of use with gloves, all the pocket and underarm zippers have usefully long tags attached to their metal zip pulls, as well as storm flaps covering the zips, while the main zipper has a chunky plastic tag to grab and a wide internal storm flap that folds over into a zip garage at the top so your chin doesn’t get irritated by the zipper. The main zip and chest pocket zip are both coated to make them water repellent.
The hood fits easily over a helmet and can be adjusted via a drawcord each side of the neck, with their toggles neatly tucked away in a little open ‘pocket’. There’s also a drawcord in the rear hem, although I found no need to use this as the long back with its slightly dropped hem sat in the ideal position on me. Last but not least, there’s a hanging loop inside the collar, something you only notice you really need when a jacket doesn’t have one.
Performance
A good winter (and fall/spring) waterproof jacket should keep you warm and dry, and the SingleTrack II does just that. The ExoShell20 ECO fabric works very well, as does its DWR finish, which makes water roll off like mercury. When the material eventually wetted out at the shoulders, no rain penetrated and the fabric dried out again quickly. Often I find that if a jacket keeps the rain out it gets damp inside from perspiration, especially the sleeves, but the breathability here is very good so I stayed dry inside too. The long pit zips no doubt helped here – they’re a great way to regulate your temperature and I always opened them up for the climbs. I could even unzip them on the fly, mostly.
Going back to the fabric, I was very impressed by its ripstop quality – when my sleeve caught on a big bramble, rather than the material tearing it pulled the thorns off the bramble! Once I’d plucked them out I’d a job to see where they had snagged. For a sturdy piece of kit its weight is not at all bad at 437g – in comparison to similar jackets.
Aside from the quality of the fabric, fit is key – there’s nothing worse than cuffs that ride up above your wrists or rain dripping down your neck. No such annoyances here – Endura has nailed the design. The sleeves are plenty long enough, even for my gorilla-esque arms, and their shaped cuffs slide easily over most gloves. (Although, to nitpick, they are quite a snug fit with Endura’s thick MT500 Freezing Point winter gloves – and the elasticated cuffs seem unnecessary seeing as the sleeve cuffs have Velcro tab adjusters too.)
The hood is easy to pull up over your lid as you’re riding, and it stayed in place even in pretty windy conditions. Being picky again, if the peak could be extended for a bit more coverage that would make the hood spot-on. The jacket's cut is fairly roomy through the body but I needed a size medium for freedom of movement at the shoulders because the arm holes aren’t overly big.
The hand pockets are usefully large and can easily fit a smartphone, while the chest pocket is designed for valuables but is still a generous size. Its horizontal zip makes it secure as you can’t access it that easily compared to a chest pocket with a vertical zip – which is a good thing if it contains your credit card and car keys!
Verdict
This is a really impressive bit of kit, especially considering its modest price – you can easily pay double for a winter biking jacket. It does its job very well and looks good enough to transition off the bike into the bar even, and can certainly do double duty as a hiking waterproof (the hood cinches in and looks fine sans helmet). It has all the features you need, such as decent pockets and pit zips for ventilation, and is very well made from hardwearing fabric so should last you a good few seasons.
Tech specs – Endura SingleTrack Jacket II (women’s)
- Price: $199.99 / £169.99
- Sizes: XS-2XL (women’s) XS-3XL (men’s)
- Weight: 437g (M)
- Colors: Harvest (tested), Black, Paprika, Spruce Green
- Materials: 100% polyester (80% recycled): ExoShell20 ECO
