Bicycle Touring 101: Marmot Rain Jacket Review

Andy field testing the Marmot Precip Rain Jacket on a late October day.
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Andy Janz has offered a review of the Marmot Precip Rain Jacket. The Marmot Precip Rain Jacket is made primarily for backpacking and hiking but its features allow it to double for a highly effective rain jacket for bike touring. The Precip is made from a waterproof Gore Tex like fabric that is very breathable. The fabric is a two layer system as opposed to the typical earlier types of breathable waterproof fabric that were three layers. This makes for a very light weight jacket (12 oz). The jacket also is highly compactable and folds up to essentially the size of a small water bottle.

The breathability of the fabric appears to function well. Andy says, “I have owned a number of Gore Tex type jackets. The Marmot Precip breathes the best out of them all.” In addition the jacket has large underarm zips and also two zip vents in the front. The front zip vents also double as pockets.

The monument on top of Mt Greylock in western Massachusetts. Andy is staying warm and dry thanks to his Marmot Precip Rain Jacket.
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Other features include a hood that fits over a bike helmet and Velcro straps at the ends of the sleeves that you can cinch tight so that rain or cold air does not travel up your sleeves. The sleeves are cut long which is what one wants for the stretched out position biking requires. The jacket is also cut long enough so that is covers your back while stretched out over the bike, although a longer tail would make it even better.

Andy adds, “I have owned the Marmot Precip for about one year and have used it in all environments... cold rains, warm rains and dry cold conditions and this jacket performs admirably. Although I do get a small amount of moisture buildup when everything is zipped up, overall it wins hands down when compared to other similar Gore Tex type jackets that I have owned. I also like the hood. For cold conditions, I put the hood up, which fits over my helmet. This instantly provides warmth. When I was looking to buy a rain jacket for bike touring, breathability, low weight, visibility, compactness, and a hood were all important factors. The Precip has all these elements.”

Here's another photo of the jacket.
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Andy continues “This jacket, because of its breathability, now doubles as a windbreaker when I tour. I have essentially eliminated one clothing item by using this jacket. This jacket is definitely worth considering for anyone who is looking into buying a breathable rain jacket.“

Andy adds that he has no affiliation with Marmot Mountain Ltd and is not being compensated for this review.

Stephen Lord (at right) is wearing the jacket in this picture taken in Brittany.
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Stephen Lord also uses the Marmot Precip Rain Jacket. He had the following comments to add to this review:

"I was pleased to find the Marmot PreCip, it changed the way I think about waterproof/breathables. Why? Well, I used to pay US$300+ for a good waterproof/breathable and be disappointed with it after a year and a half. This was because no jacket works as well once the factory-applied DWR (Durable Waterproof Repellent) coating wears off. The DWR is critical for forcing rain falling in the jacket to form into beads and then drop off, rather than saturate the jacket. High priced jackets just were not so great after a year or so of hard use and I used them hard, for all trips and every day use and bike commuting. My jackets were folded a lot when I carried them in packs or panniers, which is also hard on them. But because I spent so much, I kept them for several years. They were also heavy, 3 layer jackets.

Now I use a Marmot PreCip, it's cheap at around US$100 or 100 Euros and I don't have to keep it three years to justify that cost. It works as well as any of them and though it is less hard wearing, being much thinner and lighter (about 450grams), about half the weight of 3 layer jackets, it works almost as well, in fact I don't notice a difference in water-repellency and I do think it's a touch more breathable than average. Because it is so light, I take it on trips where I would not want to take a heavier jacket, so it gets more use too. It's ideal for cycle touring when a little more breathability is useful and you will likely spend not more than a few hours in the rain."

Equipment Review - Marmot Precip Rain Jacket