Sportful

Hot Pack Norain Ultralight Jacket - Men's

Shoulder seasons are some of the most rewarding times to ride. Leaves are changing in fall, greenery is blooming in spring, and all of it is best viewed from the saddle. Unfortunately, those seasons are also often unpredictable, so lightweight, packable rain protection like Sportful's Hot Pack NoRain Ultralight Jacket is one of the most basic spring/fall necessities. We should stress spring and fall here, as the jacket lacks insulation and its slim fit impedes layering unless you sacrifice a race-worthy silhouette by sizing up.

It owes its anti-weather properties to Sportful's own RainLite fabric, which is the most waterproof in Sportful's line but is still more breathable than Hot Pack tops without the NoRain designation. The seams are also fully sealed, which eliminates any points of watery ingress in all but the most torrential spring deluge—and frankly, if it's raining that hard, we're not riding.

Finally, "Hot Pack" isn't just a clever marketing gimmick. The jacket stuffs down into its own stuff sack, so fits in about half a jersey pocket—common for many lightweight rain jackets—but it doesn't constantly try to expend because it's contained—a decidedly uncommon trait. Regardless of whether it's on or stowed, the NoRain Ultralight shaves off nearly 1/3 of the standard NoRain model's claimed weight.