Once you understand what this new jacket from Q35.6 is designed to do, the name makes perfect sense in the most uncomfortable, perfectly logical way possible.
(Photo: Q36.5)
Published November 11, 2025 12:01PM
If the goal here was to make headlines, Q36.5 has certainly done just that with its new series of rain and cold-weather jackets.
Q36.5, the Italian performance cycling apparel brand known for its uncompromising approach to kit design, has decided to break from convention. Its new foul-weather racing system includes a piece officially called the Rain Shell Aero Jersey. Internally, however – and now with you all – it’s known as “The Condom.”
The nickname emerged during the design process and never left, which tells you something about both Q36.5’s engineering obsession and their willingness to embrace the absurd when it’s technically accurate. Because once you understand what this jacket is designed to do, the name makes perfect sense in the most uncomfortable, perfectly logical way possible.
“The Condom” is made from a different material than you’d think
Xabier Mikel Azparren looks absolutely stoked out there in the Rain Shell Aero Jersey. (Photo: Q36.5)
“The Condom,” sorry, the Rain Shell Aero Jersey, isn’t your typical packable rain shell that gets shoved in a pocket until the skies open. Q36.5 says it’s a purpose-built final layer designed for the closing kilometers of a race when aerodynamics trump everything else, including staying completely dry for the entire duration.
Q36.5 founder Luigi Bergamo explains the engineering challenge that led to the nickname:
“The ‘Condom’ is engineered to be the last layer in the rider’s rain system, worn underneath either the Vampir or Rain Shell Plus, which will be removed in the last kilometers where the rider needs to be as aero as possible.”
The jersey uses a double membrane fabric with two waterproof layers rather than the typical single membrane found in most rain gear. The inner surface features a special coating designed to spread moisture across the entire interior of the garment, accelerating the wicking process.
“The Condom,” sorry, the Rain Shell Aero Jersey, in white. (Photo: Q36.5)
In other words, it’s a second skin that keeps water out while actively managing moisture inside. The parallel writes itself.
Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team riders signed off on the final version, though it’s entirely unclear how they felt about the name used internally.
The garment is designed for temperatures of 12 degrees C (53.6 degrees Fahrenheit) and above, compact enough to layer under heavier pieces early in a race, or worn without a jersey underneath if needed.
There’s an entire system past The Condom
Meet the Vampire Shell Jacket. (Photo: Q36.5)
The Rain Shell Aero Jersey doesn’t exist in isolation. Rather, Q36.5 says it’s the final piece of a three-part foul-weather system called the Capsule Collection. Q36.5 says it developed the collection over months of testing with Tom Pidcock and the Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, from wet training camps in Andorra to the frozen early-season classics.
There’s the mid-layer Vampire Shell Jacket, designed for the peculiar thermal demands of protected riders who spend hours in the peloton barely raising their heart rate. The Vampire Shell Jacket uses a lightweight three-layer fabric with enough stretch to maintain an aerodynamic shape while offering comfort in the 5 to 10 degree C (41 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit) range.
And for the coldest starts, Q36.5 offers the Rain Shell Plus Jacket. (Photo: Q36.5)
Also available is the Q36.5 Rain Shell Plus Jacket, which serves as a wet-weather shield for The Condom. The jacket features fleece lining in the chest and arms, designed to keep riders warm in the opening hours of races like Giro d’Italia, where riders face unrelenting conditions but can’t sacrifice aerodynamics entirely. And per Q36.5, you remove the jacket as the finish approaches to reveal your Vampire or Condom mid-layers underneath
Q36.5 maintains that while the entire system is designed to work best together, you don’t need to buy the complete system to benefit from the engineering.
Specs and pricing
Tom Pidcock enjoying the new collection (Photo: Q36.5)
Each piece in the Capsule Collection is identical to what the Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team uses in competition, with the only modification being the removal of professional team sponsors.
All three garments are produced in limited runs in Italy, built for riders who train and race through winter weather rather than retreating to the trainer until spring.
As Bergamo puts it: “These pieces were made for professionals, but they work just as well for any rider who refuses to stay indoors.”
And yes, that includes “The Condom.”
Unfortunately, Q36.5 hasn’t given us pricing or availability just yet for “The Condom,” much less its other layers in the capsule. We’ll be sure to update the story accordingly, but expect them to be premium-priced.