IN BRIEF
Choose a winter cycling jacket by temperature first. Between 4 and 16°C, a thin jacket that blocks the wind is enough; around 5°C, you need thicker, insulating fabrics; below freezing, a lined jacket that properly shuts out the wind. For this selection, we read the brands’ technical sheets one by one and kept seven models whose materials convinced us, from Decathlon’s Van Rysel RCR 2 (£79.99) to the Castelli Alpha Flight RoS (£290). Our pick for proper winter days: the Santini Vega+ Winter Jacket (€250, on sale at €150 at Santini as we write).
| Van Rysel RCR 2 (Decathlon) | £79.99 · 5 to 10°C stated · windproof and water-repellent · 340 g |
| Castelli Perfetto RoS 3 | €250 (€187.50 on sale) · 4 to 14°C stated · PFAS-free Polartec AirCore membrane · no insulation |
| Castelli Alpha Flight RoS | £290 · 6 to 16°C stated · Polartec Alpha insulation · water-repellent |
| Alé Klimatik K-Tornado | €199 · 6 to 12°C stated · three-layer fabric with a membrane · water-repellent |
| Assos Mille GT Winter Jacket S11 EVO | £265 · 4 to 11°C stated · windproof softshell · insulating back |
| Santini Vega+ Winter Jacket | €250 (€150 on sale) · -8 to 5°C stated · Polartec Windbloc · Polartec Alpha Direct lining |
| Endura Pro SL PrimaLoft Jacket | £170 · no temperature stated · 60 to 80 g PrimaLoft Gold insulation · windproof panels |
The prices in this winter cycling jacket comparison are the brands’ own, from their UK online stores, as of 21 October 2026; Alé and Santini prices come from their European stores, in euros, as does the Castelli Perfetto RoS 3, which Castelli does not list on its UK store. Temperatures are the ones each brand gives. Below the models, buttons lead to retailers whose price on the day may be lower.
To choose, we read the spec sheets closely. Wind first: on a bike, it is the wind that chills you, and a winter jacket must block it at the front. Rain next: a waterproof membrane stops the water, whereas a fabric that is only water-repellent makes it bead for a while, then lets it through. Then insulation, which keeps the warmth in, and vents, which let sweat out on the climbs. A jacket that skips one of these points does not make this selection, or we say why.
4 to 16°C: autumn and mild winters
At these temperatures, a jacket that is too warm makes you sweat, and the sweat chills you on the descents. You need to block the wind, keep a shower out and let your body breathe.
Castelli Perfetto RoS 3: our pick for cool, damp days
Castelli, the Italian road clothing brand, gives its Perfetto RoS 3 a 150 g Polartec AirCore membrane, free of PFAS, the so-called “forever chemicals” long used to waterproof clothing. The brand lists reflective taped seams on the shoulders, zippered chest vents, a two-way zip that opens from the bottom and three rear pockets with drain holes. Castelli calls it “Essentially waterproof yet PFAS-free”, rates its waterproofing for light rain, gives a range of 4 to 14°C and says it is not insulated: it goes over a warm jersey. It is our pick for cool, damp days: a membrane that stops the wind and light rain, and vents so you do not overheat on the climbs. There is a women’s version. Price at Castelli (European store): €250, on sale at €187.50 on the day we checked.
Castelli Alpha Flight RoS: the insulated jacket for mild days
Castelli sums up the Alpha Flight RoS as “the jacket for going fast on cold days or being perfectly dressed on cool days”. The brand lists Polartec Alpha insulation on the chest, sleeves and back, under a Nano Flex Light fabric that only partly blocks the wind, with no membrane, and a Nano Flex Extra Dry back for better ventilation. Castelli lists a water-repellent finish, a zipped side pocket and three rear pockets, and gives a range of 6 to 16°C. It is the jacket for cool rides when you push hard: insulated without overheating. It only keeps out light rain. Price at Castelli: £290. Sigma Sports currently sells it for much less.
Alé Klimatik K-Tornado: the shoulder-season jacket for fast riders
Alé, the Italian cycling clothing brand, places its Klimatik K-Tornado in its “long season” category, for intermediate conditions. The brand lists a three-layer fabric with a Klima membrane and a water-repellent treatment over the whole jacket, a thermal panel at the back of the neck, a brushed collar, three rear pockets and reflective details; it gives 380 g in size M and a range of 6 to 12°C. Alé itself warns that its water-repellent treatment “does not guarantee the garment is waterproof”. Alé says it “fits like a jersey”: a shoulder-season jacket well protected from the wind, for those who ride fast. There is a women’s version. Price at Alé (European store): €199.
Around 5°C: everyday winter riding
Around 5°C, you need a thicker fabric at the front, which takes the wind, and enough warmth for long rides, without sweating on the efforts.
Assos Mille GT Winter Jacket S11 EVO: our pick around 5°C
Assos, the Swiss road clothing brand, presents its Mille GT Winter Jacket S11 EVO as an endurance-oriented winter jacket. The brand lists its AIRBLOCK-EVO.916, “a breathable, stormproof softshell”, at the front, the stretchy AIRBLOCK-EVO.888 on the sleeves, a back panel of “highly insulating RX EVO Plus” and an RX thermal fabric on the side panels, under the arms and around the collar. Assos gives a range of 4 to 11°C, rates its wind protection 4 out of 5 and its waterproofing 2 out of 5, and gives it a “regularFit”, less tight than a race jacket. For us, it is the jacket to choose around 5°C, in dry weather: one fabric for the front, another for the back, another for the sleeves, and a cut designed for long rides. There is a women’s version. Price at Assos: £265.
Van Rysel RCR 2: the budget pick, for dry days
For the RCR 2 from its road cycling brand, Van Rysel, Decathlon lists a thin, windproof KIMA TOPLIGHT fabric, a MATRIX fabric under the arms and across the upper back to let the body breathe, and 340 g on the scales. Decathlon recommends it between 5 and 10°C, with a technical base layer, and describes it as water-repellent, not waterproof: it keeps out light drizzle. Decathlon itself writes that “in temperatures below 7°C it starts to show its limits”. At £79.99, it is a good jacket for cool, dry mornings. Below 7°C, or in the rain, a jacket from the other sections is the better choice. There is a women’s version. Price at Decathlon UK: £79.99.
Below freezing: jackets for the deep cold
Below 0°C, you feel the cold most on the descents. You need a jacket that really shuts out the wind at the front and keeps a warm layer against the body.
Santini Vega+ Winter Jacket: our pick for proper winter days
Santini, the Italian cycling clothing brand, presents its Vega+ as a winter jacket “designed to provide maximum protection in freezing conditions”. The brand lists a Polartec Windbloc fabric, which blocks the wind, a Polartec Alpha Direct lining, a waterproof double-slider front zip, a waterproof chest zip, rain drainage holes in the rear pockets and reflective details on the back and shoulders. Santini suggests it from -8 to 5°C: no other jacket in this selection gives such a low limit. It is our pick for proper winter: two Polartec fabrics, one against the wind, the other for warmth, and a slim fit that does not flap. There is a women’s version. Price at Santini (European store): €250, on sale at €150 on the day we checked.
Endura Pro SL PrimaLoft Jacket: the padded jacket
Endura, the Scottish cycling clothing brand, describes the new version of its Pro SL PrimaLoft Jacket as an “updated version” with 80 g of PrimaLoft Gold on the front torso and 60 g on the sleeves, 60 g of PrimaLoft Silver Active on the back, lightweight windproof panels and a water-repellent finish. The brand lists underarm vents, stretch panels, three rear pockets including a zipped one and subtle reflective details; it gives no temperature, only cold and windy conditions. It is the only jacket in this selection whose brand details the weight of its insulation: a true cycling puffer, to wear on its own in dry weather, or under a rain jacket when it rains. With no temperature given, it is for this insulation that we place it among the deep-cold jackets. Endura also sells a women’s Pro SL PrimaLoft of a different design (PrimaLoft Gold Active insulation). Price at Endura: £170. BikeTart currently sells it for much less.
Winter cycling jacket: frequently asked questions
Waterproof or water-repellent: what is the difference?
A water-repellent fabric is treated so that water beads on its surface: it holds out against a shower, then ends up wet. A waterproof membrane, built into the fabric, stops the water. Alé warns that the water-repellent treatment of its K-Tornado “does not guarantee the garment is waterproof”, and Decathlon describes its RCR 2 as water-repellent, not waterproof. To ride for long in the rain, you need a waterproof membrane, or a rain jacket on top.
What should you wear under a winter cycling jacket?
A technical base layer, which wicks sweat away, against the skin. Decathlon designs its RCR 2 to be worn with one. Under a non-insulated jacket, such as the Castelli Perfetto RoS 3, add a long-sleeve jersey.
Which size should you choose?
Road cycling jackets are worn close to the body, so they do not catch the wind: Decathlon, Castelli, Alé, Santini and Endura describe close or race fits, Assos a “regularFit”, a little roomier. It is better to compare your measurements with the brand’s size guide than to rely on your usual size.
Do these jackets make you visible at night?
No. Castelli, Alé, Assos, Santini and Endura list reflective details, but they are only details: seams, piping, logos. Decathlon lists none for the RCR 2. At night, you need front and rear lights.
