All products featured on WIRED are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links.
Many afternoons in July and August, huge, beautiful thunderheads form where I live, just north of Albuquerque, New Mexico. As they move toward the city, the clouds often produce torrential rainstorms so intense that they can drop several inches of water in a short period of time. Welcome to monsoon season.
These crazy storms frequently coincide with my afternoon commute home from work, so I always make sure to carry a rain jacket. Over the years I've tested several, but my favorite is the Orion by Mission Workshop.
It's the best for a couple reasons. Most importantly, the newest iteration of the jacket is made with Polartec NeoShell, a waterproof/breathable material that's air permeable, or constantly venting, so it can pump out tons of heat and moisture while I'm pedaling. There are also pit zips for when it's really warm.
For those of you cycling in the San Francisco fog or places where it's a little cooler than here in New Mexico, the Orion can also keep you warm when it needs to. The NeoShell cuts the wind and adds several degrees of warmth when worn over a mid-layer, like a wool cycling jersey.
As you'd expect from any rain jacket made by Mission Workshop, the Orion is cut for riding a bike. The sleeves and back of the jacket are a little long so they don't ride up when you're hunched over in the saddle. Unlike some other waterproof jackets that feel like you're wearing stiff tin foil, the Orion is made from a stretchy, supple fabric that moves with you on the bike. When you're not using the jacket, it folds up to almost nothing in your bag and weighs a measly 13 ounces.
Like most high-quality waterproof jackets these days, the Orion is spendy at $440. That's a hefty investment, but you'll get your money's worth over time. If you take care of the jacket by keeping it clean, it’ll last a lifetime.
