Alpinestars Hurricane Rain Jacket

The Alpinestars Hurricane Rain Jacket is a shell built from 100% waterproof ripstop polyester, with the body and sleeves seam-sealed to stop water working through the stitching. A full front zip with a storm flap handles the main closure, backed by an adjustable collar, cuffs and hem plus an elasticated drawcord waist to cinch the fit over whatever jacket is worn underneath. At roughly 0.9 lbs it packs into an included stuff sack down to about 6 by 4 inches, small enough to live permanently in a tail bag. Reflective panels are worked into the design to help with visibility once rain and dim light reduce how visible a rider is to traffic.

Pulled on over an existing jacket, the Hurricane blocks water reliably even in sustained downpours, and the adjustable points at the collar, cuffs and hem do a reasonable job of sealing out wind-driven rain. Breathability is limited, though, and on warmer wet days condensation builds up inside the shell rather than escaping, which can leave a rider clammy even while staying dry. The relaxed cut runs large enough that sizing down is worth considering, and there are no pockets at all, so a phone or key still needs somewhere else to live during the ride. Riders have also noted that the jacket's hem sits long enough to cover the seat of a jacket worn underneath, reducing the chance of water pooling at the waist during a long downpour.

This jacket suits riders who want a compact insurance policy against sudden weather rather than a dedicated rain suit for daily wet-weather commuting, since the trade-off for its small packed size is minimal breathability and no armor or thermal liner. The stuff sack's zipper feels less durable than the jacket itself over repeated use. Riders who ride in the rain often, or who want pockets and better ventilation, would be better served by a more fully featured rain jacket, but as an emergency layer stashed away for unexpected downpours, the Hurricane earns its place in a saddlebag. Riders wanting to keep a phone accessible mid-ride will need to reach underneath the shell to an inner jacket pocket instead.