Hoy Vulpine Randa Softshell Jacket

The Hoy Vulpine Randa is a well-made stretchy softshell for keeping out cold air and drizzle, and it's a bit of a steal.

The Randa is made from a mix of polyester and polyurethane with four-way stretch – and a generous amount of stretch at that. I found that I could wear it over just a baselayer, or on top of both a baselayer and a jersey without it feeling tight. Either way, it fits closely but it's not uncomfortable.

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I sometimes struggle with sleeve length (gangly? me?) but found that absolutely fine here, and the same goes for length in the body. Both the cuffs and the hem are elasticated to help keep the outside world outside. I could have done with a bit more of a tail at the back for dealing with road spray when riding without mudguards (there's an obvious solution, admittedly), but that's less likely to be an issue on shorter riders.

While we're talking about fit, I found the high-cut collar to be about the right size to keep out draughts without causing asphyxiation. I have the medium sized model here and it measures 20cm in diameter, if you want to check that against anything you already own.

The fabric stops cold air completely and it's very water resistant. Road spray, mist, drizzle and light rain just bead up and roll off. The seams aren't taped, as is the way with softshells, but you have to be riding in proper rain for a lengthy period before anything gets in. I found the water first worming in at the shoulders, never through the water resistant zip with a storm flap behind it.

I wouldn't say that the fabric is the most breathable I've ever used but it still performs pretty well on that front. Vents under the arms help to keep the humidity level down and you can, of course, always open the front zip when things start hotting up.

Rather than the usual three cargo pockets in the lower back, the Randa is equipped with two that are larger than normal. It doesn't make a whole heap of difference either way, really, although you might need to adjust your usual pocket protocol (just me? Okay). You do get a third pocket back there: an outer zipped one that's waterproof. That makes a good refuge for your phone, cash, cards, or whatever.

The printed logos (chest, right arm, back) are reflective and so is the pocket zip I mentioned, which all helps to get you noticed when riding at night.

> Check out our guide to the best winter cycling jackets here

The jacket as a whole has a high-quality feel to it. The zips are from YKK with decent, easy-to-grab pullers, the collar is lined with microfleece, and all the stitching is really well done.

I've been using the Randa loads over the past few weeks and think it's an excellent piece of kit. For the majority of the British winter, you want something you can turn to for keeping out cold air, spray and unforeseen showers. This does the job really well at an excellent price.

Verdict

Stretchy, well-cut softshell with good features at a very reasonable price