The Syncline jacket is named after a mountain biking trail in the Columbia River Gorge/Showers Pass

A versatile, lightweight jacket that keeps you warm and dry (from both rain and perspiration) is critical for any outdoor enthusiast. Although the Showers Pass Syncline jacket is designed with cyclists in mind (it’s named after a mountain bike trail in the Columbia River Gorge in Washington), it also proved to be a good fit for a variety of activities.

The Syncline claims to be waterproof, windproof and breathable. In my experiences of walking, hiking and biking with the jacket for a couple weeks, it held up well in the rain, although I didn’t encounter a prolonged downpour or venture into snow. It became my jacket of choice after being provided by Showers Pass during springtime in Oregon, when conditions can go from sunny to rainy in a matter of minutes.

During one lunch break, I took a walk around my workplace’s campus and saw that many hadn’t brought a jacket, as it was mostly sunny and warm. I erred on the side of caution and brought the Syncline since it is lightweight, and when the skies opened up about halfway through my walk, I didn’t feel the need to sprint toward my building. By the time I got back to my desk, the bill of my hat and pants were wet, but the rest of me had stayed dry. A co-worker in my aisle was not as fortunate.

The Artex Hardshell 2.5 fabric is designed to wick moisture from your skin and reduce buildup of condensation, and taped seams increase wind- and waterproofness. During a bike ride around town, the jacket did a good job of cutting through the wind and keeping me warm as the sun was setting. As I built up a sweat, I unzipped the vents underneath the armpits while riding to make sure that I didn’t get too hot.

The vents are a necessity during strenuous activity, but when zipped up, the jacket does a good job of retaining heat. When taking photos for about an hour at a mountain lake in mid-30s temperatures, I felt comfortable with just the jacket over two shirts. The Syncline features water-resistant zippered front pockets, and the mesh for the front pockets serve double-duty as internal pouches to store small items like keys, a phone, or a wallet. In this case, I used them to hold a stocking cap and gloves, but I didn’t need to use them.

The hood (it can fit under a bike helmet) and hem can be adjusted via draw cord, and there is velcro at the wrists so you can adapt when wearing gloves. There is reflective trim to aid in visibility of cyclists and nighttime joggers.

For men, the Syncline is available in rust and firecracker red; the women’s jacket sells in fuchsia and powder blue. The jacket retails for $125 and is available in all colors at the Showers Pass website and in certain colors at REI.

It’s light and packable, making it easy to stuff in a daypack, and thus ideal for spring and fall conditions, and would work for summer mornings and evenings, whether riding or camping. The Syncline will definitely be among the gear I take on a camping and hiking adventure in the Canadian Rockies in early July.