there's foul weather and then there's foul weather. we tend to suffer from the latter. frequently. and then, not frequently. the latter state of affairs always seems to rear its ugly head on receipt of waterproofs for review. it's precisely the situation that ensued when the intriguingly named rs. sturmprinz evo arrived from assos in its attractive and appropriate packaging (the outer shell of the box featured a verisimilitude of raindrops).
those faux raindrops became more tantalising as the days and weeks passed, with a hebridean weather system that seemed oblivious to my plight, to say nothing of the reputation that i have carefully curated over the years. yes, indeed, we did experience strong winds and the occasional rain shower, but the latter had always evaporated before i had time to prepare for battle. frustratingly enough, we experienced two thunderstorms overnight; scarcely the ideal time to head out for a bike ride and definitely not the ideal situation in which to take photographs.
this is the first assos product i have reviewed for well over a decade and a half; lest they thought i had made off with the goods to pastures new, i was moved to e-mail my apologies for a complete lack of prescient review. scotland may have been voted 'the most beautiful country in the world' by the readers of rough guides, but few of those readers would have believed an entire month to have been dessicated, even if that month was august.
according to assos, the sturmprinz is the result of developments commenced four years ago in association with their in-house pro cycling team. this team is apparently often in receipt of products that rarely reach the sales rack due to the lack of financial propriety applied to such garments. this in itself, is not unusual; developing excellence without restraint is a common occurrence, the trick is in subsequently applying such restraint to a marketable product.
however, according to legend, when the sturmprinz was presented to the seamstress, they gave the accountants the day off. this has resulted in a jacket that assos freely admit is a tad demanding upon your bank balance (rrp is a not inconsiderable £315). if you're then willing to accept switzerland's statement that 'The objective was not to make a 100% waterproof jacket' the scene is set for interminable discussion.
unlike many a contemporary cycling apparel purveyor, assos are in charge of their own destiny; they not only design the product, but manufacture the constituent fabrics. the principal contributor to the sturmprinz is a recently developed assos fabric which they have aptly named triton, one that chases the holy grail of impermeability combined with an approachable level of breathability. assos have been refreshingly upbeat about admitting that 100% waterproof would more than likely result in the all-too-familiar boil-in-the-bag scenario, one in which neither you, me or assos are particularly keen.
in keeping with the majority of assos clothing, the sturmprinz is what i believe is referred to as race-fit, featuring a decently proportioned collar, a drop tail with some serious gloop to hold it in place and incredibly close-fitting cuffs. the full-length front zip is backed by a substantial storm-flap, while the rear vents have been cleverly built to allow access to the outermost two rear jersey pockets, in between which is a zipped emergency pocket. elasticated shoulder inserts prevent that coathanger still in place sensation when sat in the coffee shop, supping froth.
so far, so good and, dare i say it, rather impressive. but when i did eventually get it wet (and boy, did i get it wet), did the wet stay on the outside? to cut a longer story shorter, it most certainly did. assos purport that "...when you look out of the window and see that it's not cosy... grab your sturmprinz and have a good ride." partly due to a particular mentality and particularly because i often have no other option, i'm very much in favour of riding in galeforce wind driven rain; it's actually quite good fun. but that sense of fun is immeasurably enhanced if i figure i can get home without impersonating a drowned rat.
the admittedly minimal g.c. ristorante debbie's peloton spent close to three hours in driving rain, yet on reaching debbie's towards the end of our sunday ride, the jersey 'neath the sturmprinz was impressively dry(ish). there was a smidgeon of perspiration generated dampness on arms and upper torso, while the lower portion of the jersey had not unnaturally become damp from a soaked pair of bibshorts. aside from the arms, all seams on the sturmprinz are taped; the close-fitting cuffs fended off any unwanted draughts, but the neoprene-like cuff fabric does tend to get wet, passing that wetness to armwarmers or long-sleeves.
but i'd like to remind you that assos stated their original objective was not to create a totally waterproof jacket. it's a realisation that has occurred to several apparel providers; the ideal is to keep the rider as dry and as comfortable as possible in the face of meteorological adversity. and taking into consideration the bright 'lolly red' option, it's unlikely that you'll remain anonymous even on dark, grey days.
access to the rear pockets via those ventilation flaps is actually a bigger deal than you might think. the sturmprinz is positioned as a race quality garment and assuming that to be your modus operandi, being able to reach into a pocket for gels or energy bars without undue faff is an important consideration. for those of us inhabiting a more sedate sense of purpose, it was most convenient to grab my camera without need of unzipping. however, depending on the constitution of the jersey du jour, it was a bit more awkward to replace because gloved fingers had difficulty distinguishing between jacket and jersey.
assos promote the sturmprinz as an insulating shell, wearable for long rides in cold temperatures. that is possibly the sole point with which i'd like to take exception; those three hours in driving rain were undertaken in temperatures inhabiting the mid-teens celcius, with baselayer, ardbeg jersey and armwarmers worn underneath. while i cannot state that at any time i felt cold, neither did i feel close to overheating. however, in my opinion, that leaves considerable room to manoeuvre when the cold months appear, but it still seems worth mentioning.
it's perhaps also worth my pointing out that, despite such a robust design and substance, the sturmprinz can still be rolled up and stuffed in a rear jersey pocket, poised to take over when the climate suffers a temporary breakdown.
£315 is a not inconsiderable amount of money to pay for a waterproof jacket and though the sturmprinz is arguably more than just a waterproof jacket, ultimately it is that factor on which it's likely to be judged. at the risk of being a tad blunt, it gets my vote.
the assos rs. sturmprinz evo is available in sizes from xs to xxl (assos classify the latter as 'tir') in either national red or lolly red (as reviewed). cost is £315.
assos rs. sturmprinz evo jacket
monday 4 september 2017
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