Pedalled to work in a bit of rain this morning, enough to make me don the rarely used 5 year old goretex (washed in soap only!).

Am pretty damp (with sweat not rain it seems) 25m later arriving at work, route has some height gain so getting hot is inevitable.

Is this really as good as the technology gets?

ive got goretex which is fine to walk in.
ive got event that nearly copes with riding.

I think it comes down to garment design as much as fabric used.

Simpler designs with less features (pointless pockets etc) with simple cuts, leading to less seams and therefore less (unbreathable) tape makes for better performing jackets.

Of course a membrane that performs well is part of the story too, but I think that a fabric's reputation can be unfairly tarnished by it's use in inappropriate designs.

Mine is as simple as it gets, no unecessary seams.

You need a proper base layer for it to work. Mine ends up pretty damp on the inside surface of the jacket but I stay bone dry.

I have an event jacket that I walk in and it does seem to be quite a bit dryer than my previous Gore Tex job… as long as I wear a proper base layer under it.

I'd still be drenched biking in it though. (but then again i am a sweaty bugger 😳 )

i've tried all the modern designs but a freestyle goretex jacket i bought 7 years ago has always been loads better, no idea why

Is water still beading off the outer jacket, or is the fabric getting wet? A wet outer layer will transmit no water vapour.

It's worth noting that this kind of weather – 15 degrees and humid – is just about the worst thing for Goretex. However Event works differently, and moisture transmission is unaffected.

Ta molgrips, it's not really beading well to be fair.

Does this mean that event does not need frequent re-dwr'ing?

I don't reckon goretex copes that well with high aerobic activities like cycling

Event is supposed to be better, but even so, if you are giving it some up a hill, I think you will always sweat, even without waterproofs

Gortex needs a low temperature to work properly below 10 degrees C . I only wear mine when it is cold and it works well then after 5 years of use. Event for this time of year and some of winter as well.

I don't find Gore-tex breathes enough for exercise based activity.

Nikwax Analagy is much better but TBH if you want proper wicking, just wear a base layer that isn't waterproof or at the very least, have lots of old fashioned vents on a waterproof shell.

My basic North Face hiking jacket (some £90 job made of Hyvent) and Altura Reflex jackets are non Goretex and breath pretty well. Simple is best.

Ta molgrips, it's not really beading well to be fair.

Does this mean that event does not need frequent re-dwr'ing?

They both need DWRing, eVent possibly more so I'm told. It's a basic requirement for any breathable waterproof. If it's wetting out, DWR it. Or just tumble-dry it to refresh the existing DWR, but at 5 years old any DWR will be long gone I reckon.

Gore-tex does breath better than any other fabric, but only in cold dry conditions. In warm humid ones eVent is better by miles.

And Nikwax Analagy is better again. Trust me – I've tried all three many times.

I wash and reproof my stuff regularly with Nikwax Tech Wash and Tx Direct – makes a big difference.

Ta all, seems I need to dwr!

Doubt I'll blow another ton on a jacket though, unless it's going to be a LOT better.

I have a cheapy (not sure what fabric, but not overly breathable) with dirty great big 'pit zips which seems to work as well as my more expensive jackets.

Being cheap, of course I have never fallen off and ripped a hole in it either, unlike some of my more expensive kit 😳

I'd also heard what molgrips said, that Goretex will not transmit water vapour out if it's outer surface is wet. Would therefore presume pretty rubbish for a biking waterproof.

Even though not technically waterproof I'll stick with my cheap showerproof Paramo Nikwax smock and Endura Stealth Softshell for when its peeing

Captain – you misunderstand.

The Gore membrane (or any other for that matter), can't breath if the face fabric bonded to it is saturated. This only happens when the DWR coating stops working. It can either be reactivated by tumble drying (on Gore – check care instructions for others), or re-applied using a reproofer such as Grangers/Nikwax.

When the DWR coating is OK, the water beads off the face fabric, and allows the membrane to breath.

What SOM said. A film of water is not breathable. That's why they treat the outside of all jackets so water beads off like it does from a duck's feathers. This coating wears off with time though hence re-proofing.