Spada Enduro jacket review – full feature weather protection

Motorbike turned mountain bike brand Spada have really put some thought into the features of their Enduro waterproof MTB jacket and it really makes a difference on the trail. 

Design

The base fabric of the Spada Enduro isn’t that remarkable. 10k WVT (Water Vapour Transmission) breathability and 10k (mm of hydrostatic head) waterproofing stats are pretty standard for a mid-price jacket and generally mean things get hot quite quickly when working hard.

Despite originally being a motorbike only brand though, Spada have clearly put a lot of smart thinking into their new MTB jacket. The fabric is fully sealed and the zips are waterproofed too and the DWR (Durable Water Repellent) coating shakes off serious rain for ride after ride. There are armpit zips and an overlapped 'gill' vent across the back panel for cooling airflow and the hand pockets have mesh liners so they can work as secondary vents too.

The full hood is designed to go over your helmet and gets a volume adjuster cord to keep it in place. The cords have captured ends to stop them flying into your face and there’s a wrapover ‘tongue’ inside the tall collar for stowing the hood when it’s not needed. The sleeves get long spandex sub cuffs with thumb loops as well as broad velcro straps to adjust the opening. There’s stealth reflective detailing on the upper arm and silicon grippers for bag straps on the shoulders.

Performance

Everything we’ve tested so far in the new Spada range has a generous, baggy cut. That means plenty of room for body armor at the bike park or a thick hoodie when you’re walking the dog. The big hood and roomy hand pockets boost ride or recreational versatility too and we’ve yet to get properly wet in it even when we’ve been out for several steady hours in the rain. The effectiveness of the DWR does suggest its a less eco friendly PFC based treatment though. There’s no recycled content or information about eco manufacturing accreditation/monitoring in the website description either. The high Spandex content in the cuffs mean they soak up a lot of water and stay wet and cold while the rest of the jacket is dry too. As a result I tucked them up out of the way if it was raining, but the extra warmth is very welcome in cold, dry conditions.

Regulating heat effectively enough to not soak from within on more spirited sessions also relies on early opening of the pit/pocket zips. The stickiness of the waterproof zips means you’ll probably have to stop to do it. Even with all vents open it’ll still steam up on long climbs/extended efforts though. As a result, it’s not a fit and forget jacket for hardcore non-stop riders who are probably best off getting a high performance soft-shell. I can’t remember a waterproof I haven’t said that about though, even ones costing double the price of the Spada. Details like the fabric tunnelled and plastic guide captured hood cords, the lack of hood ‘parachuting’ when furled, bag strap grippers and rubber cuff logos mean the Enduro has a real quality feel.

Verdict

Even for an experienced bike clothing brand the Enduro would be impressive, so as a first MTB attempt from Spada it’s a belter. It’s dry and comfortable over a wider range of temperatures, weather and work rates than the basic fabric stats would suggest. Hood, vents and pockets are well thought out and the detailing gives it a top end vibe at a medium price. The fact it works fine in the dirt, down town or walking the dog is a value win too.

Tech specs: Spada Enduro Jacket

• Price: $142.42 / £139.99
• Sizes: S-XXL
• Colors: Titan blue (tested), Orion grey, Black
• Weight: 460g