These Showers Pass Timberline Waterproof items are designed for the more casual wearer and they’re not packed full of as many technical features as you might find elsewhere in the Showers Pass range.
- Brand: Showers Pass
- Product: Timberline Jacket and Trousers
- From: showerspass.co.uk
- Price: £195 jacket, £139 trousers
- Tested: by Hannah for 5 months
They’re made with a plant based Biosource Nylon and recycled polyester facing, avoiding some of the environmental impacts of fibres common in the waterproof world. Showers Pass aims to be ethically and environmentally conscious and they offer a 2 year guarantee on these waterproof items, so your investment has some back up should you need it. I’ve been testing the women’s fit, but they also both come in a men’s cut. Always keen to see if the greener option is effective, I’ve been wearing these out in as much weather as I can find.
The trousers are a very different fit to the Showers Pass Refuge ones I tested previously. These ones are quite shallow in the waist, perhaps a little snug around it, and much shorter in the leg. If you’re an inch or two shorter than me (I’m 5 foot 9.5) and a UK size 12 (rather than a 12 getting on for a 14) I think you’ll find these size Mediums fit perfectly.
Their cut is very ‘normal’, slightly tapered around the ankle but not significantly so, with a little articulation around the knee. Generous zips around the calf make it just about possible to squeeze them on over boots, though a bit tight to take back off again without removing your footwear. Small flashes of reflective material are there, but overall they’re a fairly straight legged, slim fit pair of waterproof trousers.
They’re quite pleasantly non-rustley, making them great for walking in. I have done plenty of wet commutes on the road in them too, but as they lack the reinforced seat of the Refuge pants I don’t think this is their forte. I am drier, but where inner thighs rub the saddle and create a stress point, I find I get to work with a damp patch.
The jacket is similarly pared down compared to some bike jackets, making it casual looking enough that you won’t feel out of place in town with it on. The front pockets double up as ventilation, but if you’re like me and have pockets full of things like phone and wallet, you probably don’t want to walk around with your pockets unzipped. The lack of ventilation is, in my view, the key downfall of this jacket. It is just too warm to be active in, even if that is a fairly moderate walk across the moors rather than anything too epic. However, its hood is excellent, and with the help of the drawstrings it cinches up well and stays in place, even into the foulest of headwinds. If you don’t like the hood, you can remove it – but I love a hood. I would be likely to wear this jacket a lot more if only it had some form of underarm or back ventilation, or indeed anything that allowed you to cool off without losing your stuff. It’s a flattering and practical cut for a multi-purpose waterproof, so I’ll be likely to keep using it for casual outings rather than the demands of physical days doing outdoor pursuits.
Both trousers and jacket have proven to be waterproof, but the outer fabric does wet out. This means that while you’re not actually wet on the inside (unless you’re putting specific pressure on it with a backpack or saddle), you do feel the cold of the outer fabric, especially in the wind. Combine this with the lack of vents on the jacket and as you peel off the outer layers you can feel like you’ve got damp and cold. A few minutes in a warm building and that sensation generally eases up, but it’s not one I’d like to have returning to a cold tent or bothy.
Overall
I’d want the Showers Pass Timberline jacket to have better vents and the Showers Pass Timberline trousers to have a reinforced bum before I’d head off into the wilds with these waterproofs, especially on a mountain bike. However, if you’re more of a casual cyclist and weekend walker in search of a more eco-friendly set of waterproofs, I think these are worth a look.
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Review Info
| Brand: | Showers Pass |
| Product: | Timberline Jacket and Trousers |
| From: | showerspass.co.uk/ |
| Price: | £195 Jacket, £139 Trousers |
| Tested: | by Hannah for 5 months |
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