Showers Pass Century CC Jacket: Getting Rolling

Showers Pass Century CC Jacket: Getting Rolling – by Guitar Ted

Showers Pass is a well known and respected name in cycling rain wear which is celebrating 25 years of business in 2022. To mark this occasion they chose to introduce the Century CC Jacket. This new model for Showers Pass is aimed at the new cyclist, e-biker, or for any cyclist looking for a great performing rain jacket at a good price.

We thought it might make for a really good option for those who just might want a rain jacket for those times when precipitation is in the forecast, and you want a great option for that, but not necessarily an all-out, feature-rich rain jacket for commuting and the like. On the other hand, you may want something a bit better than a ‘rain cape’ or those clear emergency rain jackets which have pretty much no features at all. The Century CC Jacket seems to fit the bill for that ‘just right‘ option, so we requested a sample.

The idea here was to see if the Century CC was packable at all, and if so, would it be a good option for those times when the weather catches up with you and rain begins to fall? Could the Century CC be a good option for that cold, windy descent? Or how about when you get caught out later than you had hoped, and the Sun disappears and it gets chilly? I also wanted to see if the Century CC was a versatile jacket, not just a jacket for high-performance efforts. Those tend to be ‘one-trick ponies’. Great for those times when all you need to do is ride fast. Not so great if you need pockets, lets say, or a jacket to go over layers. Could the Century CC fit the bill I have laid out? This is what this review series aims to find out.

What It Is: But before we get to my findings, let’s take a closer look at the Century CC and its features. Showers Pass says this jacket “just works” and is “designed for on-the-bike comfort and performance.” The features of the Century CC are listed on the webpage for this model as such:

• Artex™ 2.5-layer fabric for waterproof-windproof-breathable performance without bulk
• Seam taped construction for maximum wind and waterproofness
• Core vents and back vent for flow-through ventilation
• Water-resistant zippers on core vents and chest pocket
• YKK vislon zipper with storm flap
• Compatible with our Rain Hood accessory
• 360° of 3M™ reflective trim for maximum visibility
• Chest pocket and large back pocket
• Cinch cord at hem
• Clean Color dyes and 44% Recycled Nylon fabric

The Century CC comes in Hi-Viz Green only and sells for $139.00 USD. It comes in seven sizes ranging from XS – XXXL. (Size XL tested)

First Impressions: One thing that probably isn’t mentioned much in Showers Pass reviews is that their products come in a nice box and are presented well. You also get a return shipping label in case you get the wrong size, which Showers Pass goes the extra mile to help out with, by the way. There is a comprehensive sizing chart on their site, and they offer phone consultations should you need reassurance that you are getting the correct size.

On the sizing: This jacket is not a ‘race-cut’ jacket and has a generous, but not too loose, overall fit. I typically wear an XL in Showers Pass sizing, and their Elements Jacket, which I reviewed here, was a much closer fitting jacket. The Century CC would be a great option for those who have body types that are not associated with typical racer’s physiques and want a fuller cut in a jacket. This also allows for layering, which I will get to in my next update.

Ride Performance: I found this Showers Pass jacket to feel very comfortable while on or off the bike. The arms are plenty long for my wing span, which requires longer sleeves in dress shirts than normal. I had ‘room to move’ in the Century CC, and I didn’t feel like I was zipping myself into a sausage casing when I put it on. It just felt ‘right’ on me, and that translated into a more relaxed feel for myself when I wore it. On the bike I felt no restrictions to movement, and again, the sleeve length is quite generous. No issues with ‘wrist exposure’ here! The wrist closures are Velcro, by the way, so pretty much infinitely adjustable for comfort and for keeping air and rain out.

It has been cool to downright cold here this Spring so far, so I have not had the occasion to wear this jacket in warmer weather yet. That said, I have appreciated the windproofness and waterproofness of the jacket so far. I’ll have more detailed information to share in my next update on the Century CC Jacket. But suffice it to say that for now I have zero complaints about how this jacket works.

So Far: The Showers Pass Century Jacket CC is a new model with waterproof, windproof features which aim to keep anyone from a commuter cyclist to a gravel grinder dry and warm while riding a bicycle. The generous cut should appeal to anyone who has found fitting into typical ‘racer fit’ jackets to be problematic. It could also be the perfect jacket for anyone who needs a wet weather jacket and wants to layer underneath it, or just wants a nice, relaxed fit.

I’ll have an update coming in a few weeks where I will detail my thoughts on the features of the Century CC and where I will try to answer my opening questions posed above. Stay tuned for that.

More about this jacket and other Showers Pass offerings can be found at the Showers Pass website; https://www.showerspass.com/

Note: Showers Pass sent over the Century CC Jacket for test and review at no charge to Riding Gravel. We were not bribed nor paid for this review and we always strive to give our honest thoughts and views throughout.