When I set out to find a waterproof textile jacket for riding through the UK and Europe, I needed something that balanced comfort, practicality and proper weather protection — without breaking the bank. The Oxford Ladies Mondial 2.0 jacket caught my eye as a laminated option at a mid-range price, promising year-round usability and a female-specific fit.
Over 2000 miles later, through British spring weather and warmer continental riding days, I’ve been able to put the Mondial through a thorough real-world test. Here’s how it performed
Fit & comfort
From the moment I first zipped into this jacket, I knew it suited me — not just in size, but in how it worked with my body shape. I’m a UK size 12 with a pear-shaped figure and this jacket fits true to size, offering a slightly roomier fit in the top half and useful flex around the hips thanks to zipped pleats. The waist cinches in nicely with adjustment straps, and the arm fasteners helped me tighten things up when I removed the thermal liner.
The collar is soft neoprene, with a deeper section at the front that avoids any rubbing — though I usually wear a neck tube when riding anyway. The collar fastens with a five-position adjustable button, which offers more flexibility than most. I wear it on the widest setting to suit my broader neck and I find it works well.
Cuffs are generous, with large Velcro tabs that let me tailor the seal depending on conditions. I had no problem wearing short-cuffed gloves, and even managed to fit my winter gloves inside. Heated gloves with bulky battery cuffs didn’t tuck in, but that’s to be expected.
The short and long connection zips pair well with the matching Oxford Ladies Mondial 2.0 trousers and do a great job of sealing out draughts around the waist. I’ve also worn the jacket with a Dainese airbag vest underneath — leaving it unzipped from the trousers to give the vest room to deploy. It fits fine that way in warmer months, but I wouldn’t get an airbag under it as well as my usual winter layers.
On and off the bike, the Mondial 2.0 has been a reliably comfortable companion. It feels like it was made to fit me, and that alone makes a big difference — especially on longer rides.
Cold & wet weather performance
The jacket’s thermal liner is full-sleeved and zips securely inside the laminated outer, but I don't find it warm enough by itself — though that’s a common issue for me with most liners. I tend to feel the cold quickly and have little tolerance for low temperatures.
In conditions around 12°C and below, I swap out the standard liner for a down jacket, worn over a warm base layer and a windproof mid-layer. That combo works better for me and still fits comfortably inside the jacket.
As the temperature rises into the mid-teens, I refit the original thermal liner to lose the bulk of the down liner. By the high teens, I’m comfortable with just the thermal liner and a decent base layer.
The jacket does a good job of sealing out wind thanks to the laminated construction and snug fit. The longer connection zip to the trousers helps insulate the lower back. I’d say it’s a solid three-season option, with enough flexibility to extend either way depending on your personal tolerance to cold.
When it comes to wet weather, this has been a good waterproof jacket. I've worn it in lengthy showers and short downpours in Wales, the Lake District and in Europe. It has kept me dry on all these occasions.
I've never been in a sustained downpour lasting over an hour, so I can't comment on the performance in sustained rain.
The jacket dried out quickly after a recent heavy shower whilst riding in southern England. Luckily the rain has stopped while I've been riding, so the wind helps blow the moisture off and the jacket dries out before I've arrived at my destination.
Warm weather performance
While the Mondial 2.0 offers several vents, airflow isn’t its strongest feature as the vertical chest vents sit close to the main zip, which limits how far they can open.
Upper arm vents feed a bit of air into the armpit area, especially when my arms are bent into a riding position.
There’s also an exhaust vent across the shoulder blades, but I didn’t notice much change with it open.
One effective trick I discovered was to leave the cuffs open; the wide sleeve openings let air flow up the arms and help a lot with cooling. A collar hook keeps the neck open to let more air in at the top.
In the low to mid-20s, I stayed reasonably comfortable with a simple base layer and no liner. At around 25°C, I was still okay. I wouldn’t want to wear this in much hotter weather, particularly off the bike when there's no movement to get air flowing.
Protection
The jacket comes with CE Level 2 armour at the shoulders and elbows, and holds an overall CE rating of A. There’s no chest or back protector fitted as standard, but I wore mine with an Oxford back protector or an airbag vest depending on the ride. I wouldn’t wear it without one or the other.
The soft armour sits comfortably for me, especially around my elbow where I have a sensitive spot that often gets aggravated. The Mondial’s protectors warmed up quickly and didn’t cause any discomfort. There’s no adjustability in the elbow armour pockets, but that didn't matter for me as they were perfectly positioned.
I haven’t given the protection side much thought while riding — and I take that as a sign of confidence in what I’m wearing.
Conclusion
For a laminated jacket in this price range, the Oxford Ladies Mondial 2.0 has impressed me.
It’s kept me dry in everything from light showers to sustained downpours across the UK and Europe. With over 2000 miles on the clock, it still looks good — just in need of a wash thanks to the light colour I chose.
It fits me brilliantly, suits my body shape, and I’ve grown to trust it. The weather protection is excellent, and while the thermal liner isn’t the warmest, that’s a fixable issue with a better mid-layer.
Ventilation is less effective, so it’s not ideal for high summer or hotter climates.
But if you're after a dependable, comfortable laminated jacket and don’t want to spend big money, this one should be high on your list — especially if you're doing UK miles or three-season riding. Pair it with the matching trousers and you’ve got a waterproof outfit that punches well above its pricetag.
