Rutland Cycling

The Endura Singletrack range has a huge following, and for good reason. It offers great tech-specs and performance to match, all at a price-point that seems too good to be true when compared to other brands. See how staff rider Tom got on with his on a torrential trip to the Trek Ride Camp at Snowdonia's Coed y Brenin trail centre.

Scottish Design

Born in Scotland, Endura are a brand who know a thing or two about how cycle clothing should perform, with their local weather being notoriously terrible and requiring peak performance to keep riders happy in the saddle. A dire forecast in the depths of Snowdonia provided a perfect testing ground for this jacket's first outing, with the rain being so heavy that visibility was nil and a majority of the trails had turned to rivers. The trails of Coed Y Brenin are natural trails that consist mostly of chunky rock sections, offering excellent drainage and wet-weather grip through the depths of Winter. Despite this, the conditions were testing, offering poor braking performance and soul-destroying stints in the saddle on the long transfer climbs. Thankfully good company and top kit kept morale levels high for a full days riding!

Fit & Design

With three colours being on offer for 2020 the Singletrack jacket offers great potential for getting matchy-matchy with your kit, especially as Endura uses the same colour palettes throughout their MTB clothing and accessory lines. The jacket comes in a regular cut with enough room to layer underneath if necessary, with an extended back to help prevent tire spray and a roomy hood that can fit over most helmets. A napoleon pocket with a headphone port is ideal for those who enjoy tunes when on a Strava seggy, and front zipped handwarmer pockets allow you to store your essentials.

The jacket itself is stylish and wouldn't look out of place on a chance mission to the pub, but packs tech specs that punch well above its casual appearance and low price point. The fabric is lightweight and comfortable even when paired with a short-sleeved jersey, with pit-zip ventilation making it ideal from Autumn through to Spring use. The fit on the arms is slightly longer than some jackets, and velcro tabbed sleeves can be cinched up to prevent the cuffs riding up your arms when pulling shapes on hairier trails. The no-nonsense approach that Endura have taken with this jacket will keep it at the front of your cycling wardrobe when faced with less than stellar weather, with there being all the features you need on the trail and no unnecessary gimmicks.

Singletrack-jacket-3

Technology

With an understated functional appearance, Endura let their performance and tech-specs do the talking with a lot of their range. Using industry leading fabrics, Endura pack waterproof & breathability ratings that would make a lot of leading outdoor apparel brands jealous, with the Singletrack jacket being rated to 10,000mm/20,000gm (10k/20k) making it suitable for heavy rain showers and general wet weather conditions. This high breathability rating is unmatched by many brands, allowing perspiration to escape without letting the rain in. The high-tech specs come in part from a 3-layer construction of outer layer, membrane and bonded inner layer. Three-layer jackets can occasionally add heft to a jacket but the Singletrack retains an overall light weight and low profile.

Waterproofing & Breathability Explained:

Waterproof ratings are taken from hydrostatic head tests measured under lab conditions. The fabric is put under the strain of 5000mm, 10,000mm, 20,000mm and so on until it allows water through the fabric, at which point the fabric would fail the test. In short, a higher number such as the 10k found on the Singletrack jacket tested is more water resistant than a lower number.

Breathability is measured in a similar format, with the number measuring grams of water that can escape the jacket and again the higher the number, the more breathable the fabric. Look for 10k waterproofing and above if you're looking to head outside no matter the weather, and if you're living in high-rainfall areas such as Wales & Scotland look at Endura's MT500 range for ratings up to 18k/60k.

Note: I may have been a little guilty of thinking all jackets were the same until I used the Singletrack jacket, but having a cycle-specific jacket has made me realised how wrong I was. No awkward bunching, a helmet compatible hood and tech fabric that allows perspiration to escape to prevent the dreaded ï¿½greenhouseï¿½ effect of some jackets Is a revelation!

On the Trail

Pouring rain was the order of the day for the Singletrack's first outing, conditions that were immediately above the paygrade of many similar products. Two rides were on the cards and by the end of the day there had been few moments where the rain had let up, yet the Singletrack pulled through with zero water ingress, leaving a dry base layer beneath. Unbelievably this is not even Endura's highest spec jacket, with the MT500 taking that accolade and being the prized possession of many a pro-cyclist/weekend warrior alike.

Although it was a cold day, the pit-zips were used to help vent on the valley's tougher climbs and temperatures were surprisingly good with just a base-layer beneath. The jackets dropped-tail was a saviour from the wet ground and the fit allowed for excellent movement on the bike when the gradient steepened, feeling just as manoeuvrable as a jersey alone. The outer layer showed some soaking by the end of the day but remarkably the membrane stopped the Welsh weather from ruining the fun. Top marks all round for the Singletrack jacket! View the Endura collection through the link below and get yourself set for a muddy Winter ahead.

Endura Singletrack Jacket

With the waterproof, breathable Single Track Jacket by Endura, you'll have one more reason to go ride in the rain. This Jacket has been designed to protect you from the elements in the colder seasons while maintaining comfort, helping you get the best out of your ride.