Product Review: Showers Pass Transit CC Jacket

Mention the cycling brand, Showerspass and you are more than likely to think of either, yellow rain jackets for commuters or a company that’s home is in Portland.

When Showerspass told me they were sending me a new jacket for review immediately thoughts of goldenrod filled cycle lanes came to mind! – That yellowish slightly ochre hue which fills the Portland bike lanes come late September onward.

I have often drilled the staff at ShowersPass with technical questions on materials, construction and advice about care and waterproofing (which led me to a few insightful articles.) I found the staff have many years of experience and really know what they are talking about, so I was interested to see this new jacket.

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The Transit CC

Their latest jacket is called Transit CC and, it’s aimed squarely at the commuter crowd and is an upgrade to their successful Transit jacket. No, The CC doesn’t stands for Commuter Crowd 🙂 but Clean Color, a new technology / initiative that uses eco friendly material dyes in production of the jacket. The new process reduces pollution and toxic waste into water systems with companies like Bluesign. (Im currently working on a little article that goes more into the eco details for those interested)

Safety First

As you might notice the material color is slightly different from prior years of jackets. It’s more of a Cadmium Yellow and less GoldenRod / Ochre. I like this change and I found that it creates a modern high contrast on cloudy days, the photos really illustrate this.

Natty Features

Two regular front pockets (which other manufacturers often miss) is a big deal, super convenient and makes for a very usable jacket, Showerpass did good there. Then a chest pocket and two armpit vents adorn the front. The chest pocket is a good size for a mobile phone and has an internal headphone port, which I don’t think you should be using if you are urban commuting. On the rear is a upper back flap style vent, accented by a reflective trim. Then lower down is the fold away bum flap that is held up by a couple of sewn in magnets

Reflective accents have been improved on the Transit CC made larger and used in more places to increase visibility. Executed in a tasteful way the reflective hits are found as darts on the sleeves and back, surrounds on zippers and on the cuffs at the velcro straps.

The Transit CC has a fold down reflective rear flap, tucked in place by magnets. It covers your bum! And it’s made from 3M Reflective Scotchlite material for added safety. Extra protection two in one! If needed LED lights can also be attached in the grommet holes.

The outside of the collar has velcro loop attachment should you wish to add Showers Pass hood. The interior has a soft lofted black material that feels nice next to the skin.

The Fit

Given this is a commuting jacket and not a race cape, it has been designed to be worn over multiple layers of clothes and to feel comfortable and easy to move in. The arm holes are slightly lower and larger to make it easy to get on and off and the proportions are generous, enabling layers of street / work attire.

For a sizing reference I laid out the jacket and took some dimensional comparisons to a Patagonia Torrent Shell – size medium (link). I have ridden in the Torrent shell a lot and although not designed specifically for the bike, its a very good fit. For most of the time a t shirt and hoodie can go under the torrent shell fine, or a shirt and a thin puffy jacket (think nano puff) but thats about the limit without feeling stolen or restricted.

As you can see from the numbers, the Showerspass jacket is wider up top, tapers down to the waist and a little shorter in the arms. The Showerpass definitely has the ability to layer more clothes under, and might suit a rider with wider shoulders.

Technical Details

The jacket is made from a 3 Layer material called Artex. The material feels durable and weighty in the hand. The 3 Layer indicates that its a sandwich of fabrics. A rugged woven layer on the outside, a membrane in the middle and an inside layer make for a durable and sturdy material. The membrane is to stop water passing in but let vapour / body heat out. That’s where the notion of breathability comes in. The top surface is also DWR treated for that initial repellency of water.

As mentioned before the jacket is accented in reflective accents, these are made from 3M Scotchlite material and it’s top shelf, not some knock off reflective material that doesn’t work that great.

As with the other higher quality components, larger tooth nylon YKK zippers are used, to prevent snagging and also increase durability.

The Verdict

Visibility, don’t stress about it. With this color and the new reflective features it’s keeping you noticed. The jacket breathes well and there should be no concerns on a commute, unless you are smashing up hills like a time trial monster, which you are probably not. As far as weatherproofing, you don’t need to second guess it. Downpours no problem, this thing is stormproof. In the worst conditions the top surface of the material will soak, but the water will not pass to the inside. I really liked was the collar, it’s nice and high, designed well not to chafe and keeps water and wind out.

I tested a size medium. Im 6ft 3 and 165lbs, so I’m on the skinny side. With that said I can appreciate the cut and proportion for more normal body types. As always go by Showerspass recommendations on sizing. My only concern here is arm length, for me I found the sleeves a little too short, this might also be because 90% of the time I’m wearing a backpack which has the tendency to pull shoulder length in.

As far as fit and finish – the garment is great, it has some heft to it and that has to do with the heavier duty zippers and linings used.

Transit CC $199 from Showerspass – Link Here

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Other products shown : Showerpass Transit Pants, Raleigh bike, Ottolock
Photo Credit : Jacob Olsen – ajacobolsen@gmail.com