Nukeproof Nirvana Jacket | Light, Breathable & Waterpoof

Amanda has spent more time in her Nukeproof Nirvana packable jacket than she has on a bike recently, so what’s making her wear it in all weathers?

It’s hard to define seasons these days. We’ve had weeks of torrential rain mid summer and glorious sunshine surprising us throughout the year, so it’s much harder to divide kit into wet or dry weather. With that in mind, there are plenty of packable layer options for when you’re suddenly caught out in the rain.

This year I’ve got my hands on the Nukeproof Nirvana unisex jacket. It’s a lightweight, waterproof, packable jacket offering breathability, convenience and plenty of adjustability.

Nukeproof Nirvana Jacket Features:

• 2.5l waterproof fabric
• Adjustable elasticated hood
• Welded seams
• Chest pocket with inner lanyard and carabiner for when it’s packed down to a pouch
• Mountain bike specific cut
• Adjustable hem
• Audio port

On The Trail

I rarely wear unisex clothing because I have quite a long slim torso, so I find the fit too baggy. I’m wearing a small in this jacket and although it is a looser fit around the middle, the material is so light it doesn’t get in the way or feel too bulky on the occasions where it’s gathered up (like when I’m hunched over on a long steep climb). It has also meant that I can fit my hip pack underneath when the weather is bad, because it’s not waterproof and I’m not yet ready to part with it for winter.

I got in touch with Nukeproof to ask if there were plans to bring out a women’s specific Nirvana jacket. There are not, but, they are introducing an Extra Small to the range. So they have XS up to XXL, all available in black, orange and purple.

One thing I love about Nukeproof clothing is the apparent disregard for colour trends. If you want to stand out, you can almost always rely on them to have colours you can’t find elsewhere. Yes, I know there are other orange jackets on the market, but many of them tend to be quite a bold shade. This is more of a burnt look, to fit with the overall grungy theme Nukeproof has at the moment.

I have really put the waterproofing to the test, I’ve even worn this jacket in the shower, and it hasn’t failed me. Often when you find a reliable waterproof, you have to compromise breathability but this fabric really is breathable and with the underarm vents adding further airflow I haven’t found myself baking like a potato yet.

The adjustable hood should come with instructions, because I spent weeks being slightly irritated by the fact the elastic cords didn’t appear to have any toggle to keep them at the chosen length… but cleverly this is inside the hood (thanks to Andi for finding that!). I’ve found myself using the adjustable cords quite often, too, as it’s a decent sized hood and it blows off my head if I don’t have a helmet on.

Packing the jacket down is really easy. I went through phase of neatly folding it up and then turning the folded jacket into the pocket carefully, but when I realised this material doesn’t crease I got lazy with it and just began to cram it in. My only complaint is that the chest pocket outer zip pull is really small, it needs a fabric tag on it like the others so you can get hold with gloves on.

There’s a lanyard with a small clip inside the chest pocket that obviously ends up on the outside when the jacket is packed down. The length of the lanyard seems a bit excessive, but I guess it’s better too long than too short.

Overall

The Nukeproof Nirvana jacket is really easy to pack down. They haven’t made it so it’s a really tight squeeze, which makes you more inclined to use it and also reduces creasing. It’s super breathable whilst remaining fully waterproof, there are plenty of decent sized pockets, and it dries faster than it takes me to drink a pint.

Review Info

Amanda Wishart

Art Director

Amanda is our resident pedaller, who loves the climbs as much as the descents. No genre of biking is turned down, though she is happiest when at the top of a mountain with a wild descent ahead of her. If you ever want a chat about concussion recovery, dealing with a Womb of Doom or how best to fuel an endurance XC race, she's the one to email.

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