The Q36.5 Rain Shell Jacket is a very light, smartly tailored performance outer layer made of a highly effective proprietary waterproof membrane.
Smart elastication of the cuffs, waist and neckline offers additional protection from the elements, while vents and a breathable membrane help to regulate temperature.
There is a high price to go with the high performance, but as a stash-away rain layer, it’s one of the best.
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Q36.5 Rain Shell Jacket design and specs
Like many of the new-generation jackets we’ve tested this year, the Q36.5 Rain Shell is made from a three-layer material – a proprietary fabric called UF 75Shell – that is said to be windproof with a 15k waterproof rating. Q36.5 says its hydrophobic polyamide membrane is also highly breathable. To supplement this there are two open vents – not pockets – cut into the jacket’s rear panels for added airflow.
This jacket leverages its design and cut to improve water tightness further with a snug-fitting and elasticated raised collar, a fully elasticated hip seam, a long, elasticated cuff and a water-repellent zip cover. It’s light and packable with a size Medium weighing 120g.
Q36.5 Rain Shell Jacket performance
With both ‘shell’ and ‘jacket’ in its name, the light weight and slightness of the Q36.5 Rain Shell Jacket’s material points to shell as the most accurate description. It’s best used as a pack-away layer, ready to be pulled out when the weather turns. It provides decent windproofing and can block out a fair amount of cold gusts, but offers no insulation.
The weatherproof material is similar to that used on the Le Col Arc jacket, in that it is papery and crushable, without being at all translucent like the Poc Supreme.
The light texture doesn’t impact on the Q36.5 Shell’s performance. Its ability to repel rain while remaining breathable was very strong, even in persistently wet weather. There is no mention of a DWR treatment from Q36.5, but the visible beading is particularly impressive, with raindrops either bouncing or brushing off the fabric. After a quick shake to remove any lingering droplets, the jacket dries very quickly once the rain has stopped. Thanks to the taped seams, there was no leakage there either.
The vents cut into the jacket’s rear panels work reasonably well to evacuate warm air during higher-intensity riding. However, if you size down seeking a particularly performance fit, there won’t be a huge amount of overlapping fabric, creating the risk of rain entering through the vents when in a low riding position. Plus, Q36.5 has omitted a double zipper, which would have maximised on-the-fly ventilation.
Elsewhere, on the inside of the cuff is a rectangular panel of elasticated material the size of a hand palm to maximise stretch, and an extended double-layered panel on the outside of the cuff that increased coverage of my wrist and hand. This gives a pleasantly tailored feel to the wrist and means the material should form a neat clamp on most kinds of glove.
I liked the fit of the jacket and it sizes up on a par with other brands. Even in a size medium – which was ever so slightly on the small side if I wanted to layer up underneath – the sleeves overlapped with my gloves, the upper torso area had no excess volume, and the wraparound elastication at the waist ensured there was always a snug fit.
This elastication at the rear of the jacket is partially reflective, which, added to the reflective strips dotted around, make it quite visible in fading light. However, this fabric – and the elastic used at the cuff – soaks up moisture where the rest of the jacket brushes it off, and takes far longer to dry.
Q36.5 Rain Shell Jacket review verdict
Tom Pidcock should be nicely protected in the Classics this year as Q36.5’s Rain Shell Jacket works very well as a lightweight, foul weather layer to keep off even elongated spells of rain while evacuating enough warm air to maintain a comfortable rider temperature. The proprietary three-layer fabric outperforms its middling 15k waterproof rating and is comparable to offerings from more well-known membrane suppliers such as Polartec, Pertec and Gore-Tex.
The fit has been carefully thought out, and I found it hit a sensible level of performance tailoring. Care has been taken to seal the cuffs, waist and neckline, which completes the jacket’s water-repellency attributes.
The Q36.5 Rain Shell Jacket is definitely not cheap, but apart from the lack of a two-way zipper it’s hard to find many chinks in its comprehensive armour.
- Buy now from Q36.5 (£304)
