Endura Pro SL Shell Jacket II review

Endura’s Pro SL Shell Jacket II was designed and tested in Scotland, and as such is ready for all the bad weather winter can throw at it. It was also used by Movistar Team riders when Endura worked with the pro cycling team up until the end of the 2019 season.

It's fully waterproof, highly breathable and does a top job of keeping you dry, no matter how long you’re out. Being lightweight and packable, with a close cut, the Pro SL II has all the important ingredients to make it a great-value performance rain jacket.

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The jacket uses a three-layer ExoShell40 fabric, which is brilliantly waterproof and is claimed to offer a waterproof rating of 20,000mm.

The jacket also has an impressive breathability rating of 40,000g/m²/24hr, which meant I never had an issue with the jacket getting unduly damp on the inside.

Endura combines the ExoShell40 material with stretchy waterproof fabric panels across the shoulders and sides for a close yet forgiving fit, which helped with freedom of movement on the bike.

As a true test of this jacket, I took it out on a six-hour ride in the rain and not a drop penetrated. It's also worth noting I've been using this jacket for nearly a year now and it's consistently held up. Impressive? Oh yes.

It’s true to size with a racer's cut and those thoughtfully arranged panels optimise fit and function in the riding position. The close cut meant I didn't experience any noise or flapping from loose material either.

The front is cut high and a long tail provides full rear coverage. Inside, a silicone Endura logo helps to keep the tail in place and there are small stretchy side panels with elasticated bottoms to help achieve a good fit here, too.

The tall collar is close fitting, and with the inside material being soft it remained comfortable

There’s ample length in the sleeves, and the Pro SL II uses elastic wrist cuffs that are cut wide and not overly tight, so they don’t fully seal.

While this might sound like a potential problem, I never found it to be an issue because they allow you to easily pull a longer cuffed glove over the top or fit a shorter cuffed glove easily underneath.

The tall collar is also close fitting, and with the inside material being soft it remained comfortable whatever the conditions or time in the saddle. There’s also a neat additional extension panel on the rear, which uses a softer material and is cut for the shape of the neck to help keep out drafts and wet weather, which worked well.

Up front, there’s a waterproof zip (with flaps on both sides) that does a superb job of keeping the elements out. The zip pull is small and not the easiest to use with winter cycling gloves, but a plastic tab helps to stop things getting too fiddly on the fly if you’re adjusting for temperature control.

Instead of pockets, Endura has added a vertical zip so you can reach into your jersey. There’s also a side gel/nutrition pocket for easy access on-the-go, without having to dig into your jersey pockets. The side pocket has laser-cut drain holes so it doesn’t fill up in a downpour.

I love the hi-viz blue colour, but it’s also available in a more sedate kingfisher blue finish as well as traditional black. All have neat-looking reflective details and logos front and rear to help improve visibility on the road.

Endura Pro SL Shell Jacket II bottom line

You can tell Endura has done its homework on this jacket and researched what riders need when they spend plenty of time in the saddle.

It’s a lightweight yet highly functional rain jacket that does a top job of keeping you dry inside and out, while offering comfort for long rides.

And, at this price, it also offers outstanding value. There aren’t many jackets that can compete at this price in terms of protection, usability and overall performance.