Not the first brand you'd think of when considering a waterproof jacket, but this Oxford Venture is very light but still boasts a proper 2.5 layer construction and taped seams.
Oxford Venture jacket review
It’s not specified what sort of riding Oxford Products new lightweight Venture jacket is aimed at, but looking at the cut – short at the front, long at the back – it’s more suited to road riding than mountain biking. And that’s because mountain bikers actually need a bit of extra length at the front. That said, you can totally wear this jacket off-road, and it won’t matter that it’s short, if you have a pair of water trousers underneath. But how does it stack up against the best mountain bike waterproof jackets?
To keep the weight down, this jacket is made from an in-house Dry2Dry laminate fabric. This has a 2.5-layer construction, meaning there is a nylon outer skin, a laminate and then a printed inner surface. The latter helps pickup moisture and also protects the membrane.
On the outside, the Venture gets a DWR coating, and this works really well. It also has fully taped seams to keep out the worst rain, but with a breathability rating of 10,000g, the membrane isn’t as good at moisture transfer as the best waterproof jackets, and when working hard I did get quite warm. Meaning getting the layers right is pretty critical.
Verdict
The jacket does have some decent features, like a fleecy collar, but the detachable hood lacks any sort of adjustment, so is neither under or over the helmet. But the styling is definitely road-biased and to score higher the Venture needs MTB-specific features – like a proper fitting hood and a more breathable membrane.
Details
Weight:110g
Sizes:S-XXL
Colours:Grey or red
Contact:oxfordproducts.com