Castelli Velo W Jacket

The Castelli Donna Velo W jacket is a very lightweight bit of kit. Weighing in at 89g and packing up to the size of a fist, it is portable and practical. It protects against the elements, to an extent, and offers a good additional layer of warmth on cooler days.

Made from lightweight Forcefield micro ripstop fabric, the weight is one of the first things you notice about this jacket. The fabric is claimed to be water repellent, and this theory was well tested. Water rolled off when there was a light shower and it stood up well when I held it under the tap for a better test. It only got wet through after about 30 seconds of constant hard water hitting it. Considering it isn't waterproof, it holds up to a decent shower. And the lightweight fabric dries in no time too.

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The shape is a race fit, which we expect from Castelli, so there is no annoying flapping around in the wind. It has a dropped tail to prevent any soggy rear ends as well, which is always a bonus. The Castelli logo is reflective, though it's quite minimal, and that is something it's lacking.

It is a very breathable fabric, which is brilliant. It can be used throughout autumn as something that will sit in your pocket, ready to come out if it gets a bit chilly or a shower starts. There's a mesh vent in the neck, which cleverly doubles as a stuff pocket for the jacket. You just stuff it into itself, making it easy to pack away quickly.

The fact that it's windproof is another tick in the box. It isn't getting any warmer out there, so you might actually use it a little bit more over autumn and spring than summer, which would help justify the price. It does genuinely add a lovely extra layer of warmth. I am not quite in the merino yet (Scotland), so paired it with a jersey and it made a big difference.

The price is on the high side for a windproof jacket, though shop around and you can get it up to £20 cheaper than rrp, but it is very well made, a great fit and something you can always carry with you 'just in case'. Probably better suited to the more frequent cyclist than the occasional bike user, to get your money's worth.

The only downside is the lack of storage, because it has none. But unless you go out without a jersey on, you will have other pockets so this isn't really an issue overall.

There is also a gilet version, if you don't want the full jacket.

Verdict

A packable, portable, windproof, fairly water-resistant jacket that packs a punch