If you shut your eyes and put the Core Rain Jacket on, you could be forgiven for thinking that you had imagined the whole thing. At only 124g (in size small), this is an extremely lightweight jacket. Seriously, I have underwear heavier than this jacket, but we won’t go into that.
After 12 years of development, Rapha claims their Classic Winter Jacket is their ultimate jacket. With the DNA of their first ever jacket running through it, it is an evolution of the Classic Softshell and the Hardshell, with the Classic Softshell’s trademark offset zip, shoulder patches and fit but with new fabric that is both breathable and waterproof.
When you want to be active during cold weather, it can be difficult to find the perfect balance between keeping warm without big bulky clothing restricting your movements. The Musto Snug could be the perfect answer to this problem.
The Darwin Ski Jacket produced by Faction is a durable, technical outer shell that will protect you even on the harshest of slopes. It features a 20,000mm/20,000gm Toray Dermizax three-layer fabric, Stunner Stretch material technology, sealed seams and a helmet-compatible hood, to name a few. Available in four colours - Colbalt Blue, Field Green, Rosso Red and Russet Brown - and in sizes S-XL, we received the Field Green variety to look in to in more detail.
The Arcteryx Beta SV jacket is designed for tough mountain environments. Available in a subtle black or grey, as well as bold ‘Macaw’ (blue) and ‘Magma’ (orange) options, it is made from a breathable N80p-X three-layer GORE-TEX Pro fabric that will protect you against even the harshest of weather.
The Wool Wind Jacket has been designed to be a high performing jacket that disguises itself as a regular piece of your wardrobe. It is constructed from 98% worsted wool and 2% Polyester, a strong and durable fabric that has a lightweight synthetic panel concealed in the front lining to protect your core from the wind and keep you warm in nasty head winds. A mesh lining is also concealed in the back to assist temperature regulation.
If you love to explore the great outdoors, chances are you will also be keen to preserve it as much as possible. The newest innovation from the Columbia Sportswear Company is the first high-performance, environmentally friendly rain jacket with no PFCs intentionally used (may contain trace amounts). As well as that, the fabric used is dye-free, which saves over a whopping 13 gallons of water per jacket in the manufacturing process.
The name Härkila originated from the 17th century, from a family farmhouse in the county of Västra Götaland on the west coast of Sweden. It translates from the Nordic tongue into “The field of great bulls”, in reference to the many giant moose that lived in the area. Moving from hunting to award-winning dog breeding, the family began to create hunting gear by establishing a sewing workshop and making protective clothing for all weathers.
If you are going to trust any company to know what they are doing when it comes to protection against the elements whilst out ripping up a bike trail, a Scottish one is a safe bet! The Endura MT500 shell is crammed full of tech to provide you with the ultimate trail riding protection; the breathable ExoShell60 is three-layer, fluorine-free waterproof fabric that has a breathability rating of more than >60,000gms/m²/24hr and a waterproof rating of >18,000mm.
The Core Winter Jacket from Rapha has arrived to ensure you have no excuse not to get out on the bike as the days get colder allowing you to continue your training through the winter months. The Core range focuses on getting the basics right so the Winter Jacket has a weather-resistant 3-layer laminate front section that keeps the body and front of the arms warm with wind and water resistance and it has a breathable back to let any excess heat escape.