Test Review: Vaude Valdepino Cycling Cape

www.vaude.com

Out team always wears these comfy capes on the road not just as rainwear, but also for added visibility as cyclists or pedestrians.

The Vaude Valdepino rain cape comes with a visor (beak or peak) on the large, adjustable hood. It can be folded into its own front zip pocket and thus finds space any bag. Two front openings and hand loops in the front let you keep your hands inside on the handlebar. Reflective panels on front and back increase visibility at night.

For tall people it could be a bit short in the back, may not fully cover your bum if on the bicyle. We suggest you buy a size larger so that you can carry a backpack underneath, up to 30 litres but not larger. Our team always prefers the largest size.

When we used this for the first time, it seemed to do the job well. It felt a bit like a tent on wheels, but it works.

We like it because it appears so well made. It's not just a piece of plastic. The hand loops and openings are well-spaced to allow operation of the bike and hand signalling. The hood is neat and will fit under a helmet easily.

Best of all, it's in mango and red, so there is an element of style and you don't appear in the ubiquitous yellow neon.

Features

• Attached hood
• Hand loops
• Reflective elements
• Hand openings on front
• Rolls into front pocket
• Material: 100% polyamide, polyurethane coated

Summary

Simple design. Well fitting adjustable hood. Cosy and fun to wear on your bike or around town.

Test in Thailand

by Lee Fung

As a test team member of this website, I took a Valdepino cycling cape to Thailand. It was the beginning of the warm rainy season. This means dialy heavy downpours for an hour or so, ideal weather for testing rain clothes.

In the hot and humid climate a rain cape is more useful than an anorak. It allows for good ventilation from below as you ride your bike. This also lets you use it as a sun poncho for UV protection.

Like with all rainwear, to stay dry, you have to keep the hood up at all times. It turns with your head, so you still see what's happening. The small visor keeps most rain out of your face. Pull the hood cord around the face tight to minimise water coming in.

I've tried this cape in heavy rain and it is as waterproof as the description suggests, as long as I kept the hood up. The material is thinner than I expected, yet robust. The reflective stripes and vivid colours are quite noticeable in heavy traffic during the rain.

Not just for cycling, it is also useful for walking around town. You can put it on and take off whilst moving about. The back of the cape is shorter than the front, so might not be so good for anyone wanting to wear it over a backpack.

It is not suitable for swimming as the hands come out on the lower front, not on the sides like a poncho.