Oxford Rainseal Over Jacket - Bright

I bought the Oxford Rainseal Over Jacket – Bright to replace a different, more premium flare type jacket from a different manufacturer, which had failed.

I have to say that this oxford jacket is much better and really well thought through. I am an all year round commuter, 100 miles/ 3.5 hours a day so need a good waterproof and visible jacket for those dark winter months (if you are reading this, then you may well be a commuter too!).

This fits the bill perfectly – why? :

Visibility : This jacket REALLY shows up at night, and much better than the fluorescent types as those tend to only have small reflective sections. This on the other hand really does the job, which is super important to me commuting in the dark. The nice thing also is that it just looks grey in the day, not too gaudy, so I don’t feel too conspicuous wearing it (at night, I prioritise being seen over fashion – you are defo conspicuous in the dark – that’s a good thing in my book)

Fit : I take a 2XL textile jacket and I bought the 2XL rainsuit – it fits perfectly, so I would agree that you should buy your normal size. Some people say that the arms are a bit baggy – but this is part of its brilliant design. It is easy to put on over your riding jacket (which can be an issue with some) and more importantly, when wearing it, you feel absolutely no restriction on your shoulders / arms (again, can be a problem with some jackets). For comfort and safety, I would much prefer it this way and personally (over a textile jacket) I have experienced no flappyness at all at normal road speeds.

Waterproof : this is really waterproof!! I know you would expect this from a rain jacket, but anyone who has tried a few know that this is not always the case. I have been though some pretty serious downpours for 1.5hr plus and I was surprised and very pleased to find that when I arrived and took it off, my textile jacket underneath was dry. This thing really keeps the water out (including the neck, which has a decent closure), and whilst I suspect it is not particularly breathable, I have not suffered with any sweaty issues wearing this.

Overall, I am really impressed with this jacket and its performance. Certainly for what I need it for it is a great product and great value for money.

Arms very baggy and not long enough to go over gloves. Does not look like this photo. The photo of it actually being worn on a bike is accurate but I missed that. Left handed zip was awkward for me. Looks well made. Returned.

Great value over jacket and ticks the boxes of having a Hi Viz garment whilst travelling through Europe. Handy to have in your touring luggage

The most waterproof jacket I've ever had. Sizing is plenty generous enough to fit over my winter coat if the weather turns. Has a lining so you don't get condensation and end up damp anyway like some weatherproos. Packs away for convenience. Hi Vis never hurts on the dark winter evenings either. Highly recommend.