Cimalp Storm PRO 3 H Jacket Review

Fabric, Weather Protection and Breathability

When I unwrapped the jacket, I was positively surprised by the fabric. The fabric is not only super lightweight but also very sturdy. Most lightweight rain jackets are made of very delicate materials but that’s not the case with the Cimalp Storm PRO 3 H jacket. However, I became a bit worried when I during the first inspection noticed that the fabric is also somewhat stiff. High-quality hardshells these days are often made of stretchy fabrics which feel almost like a softshell fabric. Thus, the relatively stiff fabric worried me in terms of freedom of movement and comfort. However, when I started wearing the jacket, I quickly realized that my worries had been for nothing. The jacket provides excellent freedom of movement and fits really nicely. The only real downside of the fabric is that it’s a bit noisy when you are running and causing friction by rubbing the inside of the upper arms against the torso.

In terms of weather protection, I’m very satisfied with the jacket. The jacket provides excellent protection against the wind. I’ve been wearing the jacket in extremely windy conditions with gusts of wind exceeding 40 km/h and it didn’t let any wind through. I’m also very satisfied with waterproofness of the jacket. According to Cimalp the fabric has a hydrostatic head of 20.000 millimeters and that’s also the rating I would give it based on my experience with rainwear. The jacket of course leaks after a very long period with heavy rain but I was positively surprised how long it resists rain. I wore the jacket several times in heavy rain, and I haven’t spotted any big leaks when I came back home.

Now, in terms of breathability I was satisfied but not overly impressed. I do think that the jacket provides very good breathability for the weather protection it offers but I did spot that it’s often quite wet on the inside after running in dry weather. The bottom line here is that the jacket provides better weather protection than breathability. So, in my opinion this jacket is best for those who want an outer layer for running in harsh weather conditions (strong wind, heavy rain etc.). If you only need protection against the wind and light rain, I recommend checking the Cimalp Skin 3 H jacket instead.

Features

The Cimalp Storm PRO 3 H jacket is designed with several neat features. I was very satisfied with high collar which efficiently protects the neck against the rain and wind. Now, when you are running in changing weather conditions you often want to slightly unzip the jacket for extra ventilation, which can make the collar flap around in an annoying manner. However, Cimalp solved this issue by adding a holding tab. The holding tab is placed above the chest and when you button it the jacket stays in place even if it’s unzipped. I was really happy about this feature.

The jacket also has a minimalistic hood. The hood is not adjustable, but I was satisfied with the fit in general. It could be a bit bigger, because when I’m wearing a hat under the hood, it doesn’t completely cover the front part of my head above the forehead. This of course depends on the size and shape of your head. I was a bit worried that the hood would bounce when not in use, but also here CimAlp added a neat little detail. Both the hood and back of the jacket are equipped with a small magnet, so the hood is kept in place when it’s not in use. I consider this a really thoughtful and functional feature.

The Cimalp Storm PRO 3 H jacket is also equipped with elastic cuffs, thumb holes, an elastic drop-tail hem and a single zippered chest pocket. I really like that it has elastic cuffs rather than Velcro cuffs because elastic cuffs enable you to easily access your watch while you’re running. The zippered chest pocket is perfect for storing energy bars. Another small pocket for valuables is located inside the zippered chest pocket. It works well for storing valuables such as keys. All zippers have pull loops for easy zipping and unzipping. All in all, I’m very satisfied with features of this jacket.

Fit and Sizing

The jacket is designed to fit snugly. I got the jacket in size M and it fits me perfectly. My chest diameter is 98 cm (38.5 in.) and I’m 180 cm tall (5 ft. 11 in.). I’m usually between size M and L and thus I recommend going for a size smaller if you’re in doubt which size to choose.

Washing and Drying

The Cimalp Storm PRO 3 H jacket is machine-washable at 30° C but should not be tumble-dried. As the jacket absorbs almost no water, it dries super-fast. I recommend not washing the jacket too often in a machine because this will of course decrease its lifespan (applies to all hardshell garments), and to reapply DWR to the jacket to restore its water repellency when necessary.

Verdict

All in all, I’m really happy with the Cimalp Storm PRO 3 H rain jacket. The jacket is lightweight and provides excellent protection against the wind and rain. I also really like that the jacket has a holding tab which keeps the jacket in place when it’s partially unzipped. Another feature I’m very satisfied with is the magnet which prevents the hood from bouncing around when it’s not in use. The things that annoyed me a bit are the noisy fabric and the hood which is just slightly too small for my head. Nevertheless, these are minor things. So, if you are looking for a rain jacket for running in very windy and/or rainy conditions I do recommend going for the Cimalp Storm PRO 3 H jacket.

If you have any questions about this product, drop me a line in the comments below.