The 7Mesh CoPilot jacket is a high-end trail riding jacket which provides waterproofing and breathability in equal amounts. Made from GoreTex Paclite Plus, the lightweight and minimalist jacket has a relaxed fit for maximum comfort out on the trails and includes a hood large enough to fit over a helmet.
- Best waterproof mountain bike jackets
- 5 ways to boost your bike's performance for free
- Best mountain bike pedals - the best options from XC to Enduro
The jacket proves to be breathable enough for the shoulder seasons and does a great job of keeping the water out. The zip pulls are a little fiddly with thick gloves and I would have liked a chest pocket but overall this is close to one of the best MTB jackets currently available – well, if you can stomach the price.
7Mesh CoPilot Jacket - Technical details
The 7mesh CoPilot jacket has a minimalist design with some excellent attention to detail making it a comfortable jacket with excellent performance.
Made from Gore-Tex Paclite Plus with fully taped seams, this jacket is designed to be durable, waterproof and windproof. The Paclite Plus is aimed to give a breathable jacket, good for warmer wet days in the shoulder seasons.
The rear pocket can be used to stash the coat into a packable item and features small straps which can be used to attach it to your bike – handy for bike packing and trail riding.
The full-size hood will fit a helmet inside easily and can be cinched down with drawcords to keep it in place.
The cut is a relaxed fit, aimed at comfort out on the trails with room to layer up if needed. Dropped hem at the rear for extra protection, elasticated sleeve hems and drawcords at the bottom help keep the jacket fitted where required.
The CoPilot comes in five sizes ranging from XS to XXL and five colours, some more subtle than others. There should be a jacket to suit everyone’s size and style.
7Mesh CoPilot Jacket - Performance
In terms of fit, 7Mesh’s size guide is spot on – we tested a size large with the intention of having room for layering but my usual medium would have been a better fit. The arm length gives plenty of room to move with the sleeves being slightly pre-curved to reduce bunching in the riding position. Although there is no adjustment to the cuffs, I found the range of size given by the elasticated hem did the job just so – no water ingress but still easy enough to take the jacket off. The longer rear of the coat reduces mud ingress and can be easily adjusted using the drawcords.
Waterproof qualities are excellent for such a lightweight material with heavy downpours being dealt with very well. After a long day in heavy rain, the jacket did start to wet-through but still kept most of the weather out and, in these situations, there isn’t much that’ll keep you bone dry. Ventilation was impressive considering the waterproofing properties. On warmer days, it can get a little sweaty but the effect is notably reduced compared to many other riding coats I own.
The zip pulls are on the thin side meaning they’re a little fiddly when your hands are cold or wearing thick gloves. The hood is big enough for a helmet and can be cinched up nice and tight to keep it secure.
It's a shame there are no side pockets or chest pockets but there is one large pocket on the back panel which is plenty big enough for a phone and keys. That said, I’d have felt more comfortable with my phone being in a chest pocket away from the mud spray. The option to stash the coat away in its back pocket is handy and I like the idea of being able to secure it to your bike, however, in reality, this means the inside of your coat is getting muddy which is not ideal when it comes time to put it on.
7Mesh CoPilot Jacket - Verdict
Retailing at £300, the CoPilot jacket is certainly not cheap but it does offer top-level performance in a lightweight package thanks to the Gore-Tex Paclite Plus material. For similar money (£275) the Rapha Trail Gore-Tex Infinium jacket is worth looking at. It uses Gore-Tex Infinium 3L which keeps things dry and breathable and it also has a chest pocket. The Endura’s MT500 Waterproof Jacket II is another solid competitor at £230. On the test, the MT500 scored a full five stars for its great fit, excellent ventilation, and use of environmentally friendly materials.
The 7Mesh CoPilot Jacket is a very well-constructed and high-performing jacket. The breathable and waterproof qualities are excellent with a relaxed fit, which makes for a comfortable riding jacket even with the hood up over a helmet. There could be more pockets and the zip pulls are a little fiddly when using thick gloves but these are just small niggles. It's pricey and there are other good options in the market for less but the combination of performance and lightweight packability makes the CoPilot worth considering.
