Theres no doubt about it: the people at Assos have been on their own private mission to create the best rain jacket on the market. Weve seen many iterations, but the Assos rS.sturmPrinz Evo Shell is by far best version, the brainchild of years of wet weather riding. It satisfies a need they have as cyclists, and a need they think other cyclists have as well.

As the crowning achievement of their ClimaX range, the sturmPrinz can be used in conjunction with the other items from that collection, or it can be included into just about any outfit for any day of the year. Made from the Triton V1 material, which is a three-layer shield against the elements, it has been developed to keep water out while allowing vapors to escape. Having that ability is a result of the fabrics ability to adapt to the conditions and sense the change in ambient temperature. It has a flexible membrane that works with you and your production of heat and moisture. As the temperature inside your jacket rises, the membranes pores expand to allow excess water vapor to escape, without allowing rainwater to penetrate.

The seams are water proofed and taped, so there is no weak point of entry for the precip. On the front, the chest-shoulder-arm juncture is united by a minutely stretchable, massively waterproof fabric, similar to what youll find on the rainBooties, but with a touch less stretch to provide rainproof structure to that important juncture area where water-collecting crevices can spell disaster for an under-designed rain jacket. The arm cuffs are ergonomically cut thin neoprene, to enclose your wrists gently, keeping everything watertight.

The rear of the jacket has been layered with three strategic openings. The upper portion, just between your shoulder blades has a slit that is protected by a v-shaped flap, and is entirely designed to let your moist heat to escape while not allowing any wet in. Then there are two equally well-protected slits to correspond with the two side pockets of your jersey underneath, providing easy access even if you have gloves on. In addition, there is a zippered pocket in the middle so that you can store any valuables within safe, easy reach. A hyper reflective stripe extends all the way across the back to keep you visible in the sort of dark weather that usually accompanies heavy rain days.

The Assos rS.sturmPrinz Evo Shell comes in two distinct colors. If you are a professional racer who will likely be taking part in a rainy Milan-San Remo or Tour of Lombardy in the next year or two, you will naturally opt for the very chic-looking black on black, classic version. For the rest of us who are concerned about being hit by inattentive drivers in a heavy rain, there is what Assos calls lollyRed. It is very bright, but decidedly less gauche-looking than the typical neon yellow that a careful cyclist is usually stuck with.