Good breathability, but the hood gets a bit annoying and a way to tie it down would be great..

The Endura GV500 is a lightweight and packable jacket.  The jacket has a simple design (no pit zips and only one chest pocket), however there are some thoughtful design choices like the elasticated hood that is easy to pull over without having to unzip the jacket. The cut of the jacket is cycle specific so higher at the front, lower back, long arms and there is even an extra long top cuff detail which is also elasticated which I absolutely love. Nothing is getting in there when layered over a glove cuff! There is no extra mesh layer as you often find in waterproof jackets, this is an over jacket, so for comfort you will always want as a minimum a long sleeve T-shirt or base layer. What this does mean however the benefit of this is that the jacket can just be a very thin membrane layer and as such can be packed into the aforementioned chest pocket meaning that this jacket can go with you everywhere. I have used this jacket for commuting and for longer weekend rides. It is great to just throw in a bar bag or to start off a ride with and remove as you warm up. Weather wise I have ridden for 45 minutes in normal English rain and 20 minutes in an insanely heavy downpour and came out of both feeling rather chuffed with myself that I was warm and dry. It’s a genuinely liberating experience knowing that I can go out in almost any weather now and be just fine. I have put a base layer and a thin merino sweater (not bike specific) under this and cycled out on brisk 4 degree mornings and felt absolutely fine too. I am 194cm, weight 87kg and I wear a size large which is perfect for me and doesn’t flap about with any excess fabric and it is not too tight across the shoulders either. I have read reviews of this jacket online that complain about the hood catching in the wind, this is honestly something that I haven’t actually noticed, it seems to pack down nicely behind and stay out of the way, but is right there and easy to grab when needed. I think if there was a zipper to hide the hood in it may not pack down so small or it may hinder the use of the hood in unexpected downpours. If I would have one gripe, it’s that I would have liked this jacket in something like a mid-dark grey, but I’m happy with the green for now. If I was to perfect this jacket, I would ask for a folding front to make the jacket longer when off the bike as it looks a little silly with my sweater hanging out when I stand up… possibly a couple of magnets or even just a split at the sides. But I’m really grasping at straws to find things wrong with this jacket. It keeps me dry, the breathability of the jacket is noticeably better than a cheap jacket for extended low-mid efforts (with high efforts, any extra layers will increase your thermal retention). Bravo to the ladies and gents at endura, you made a cracker of a jacket. P.S. big fan of your windproof gilet and the humvee plus gloves for a while now too (when the weather is nicer). Looking forward to exploring the range and seeing what else you have to make life in the saddle more civilised.

I have been looking for a waterproof for mountain biking and had checked out most of the heavier weight jackets, but this caught my eye. The breathability was way better than the MTB specific jackets and being lighter weight (but still 3 layer) makes it stashable in my bumbag. The quality is typical Endura - top notch. I am a 42 inch chest , 32 inch waist with long arms and the large fits neatly - I can layer a t shirt and a light weight fleece, or top and it's not tight, but fitted. For more layers I would need an extra large, but I run hot and appreciate the fit not being flappy. The fabric obviously isn't as thick as the MTB specific jackets, but that's a bonus for me- making the jacket packable. The breathability and waterproofing put this on a par with jackets twice the price - just check your size as it is fitted.