Alé CP 2.0 Combi Jacket

The Alé CP 2.0 Combi Jacket is an impressive water-resistant and windproof jacket. It is certainly at the high end of the price spectrum, but if you're looking for a high-performing wind jacket, it's definitely worth considering.

In Britain between September and April you could be riding in 12 degrees or -4, but one thing that is almost a constant is wind and foul weather, which the CP 2.0 Combi Jacket aims to protect you from.

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Windproofing is exceptionally good, thanks to a great fabric choice and a strong design, with an inner vest adding a second layer next to the skin. It worked well both when dealing with windy conditions and on descents, keeping everything out that was thrown at it.

However, windproofing alone is not what makes a good jacket, especially when the temperatures drop. It needs to be mixed with breathability, as you are going to be pumping out more heat and sweat on climbs than on descents, so you need this to evaporate quickly. I can safely say that this jacket is one of the most breathable I have used. This is partly down to the clever use of vents on the shoulder blades and across the sides at the back, which moves excess heat away from the body really quickly.

The inner vest helps too, as it gives you the opportunity to unzip the outer layer, while still having some wind protection at the front. Given the suggested temperature range of 6-12 degrees, this is certainly no bad thing, and anybody who has ridden for more than three hours over the past two months can verify how quickly conditions can change.

The jacket isn't really designed to provide insulation from the coldest weather, but when temperatures do drop it still performs pretty well. The inside of the vest is fleece-lined as are the inside of the vents and back pockets. This isn't the case on the back or sleeves, for the simple reason that this would reduce breathability. I used the jacket down to around 3-4 degrees with a jersey underneath without too many issues with cold, although anything lower and I would want something a bit more insulated.

It combines this impressive breathability and windproofing with decent waterproofing. It isn't 100 per cent waterproof, but I used it in some pretty appalling conditions without too much getting in. Essentially, I'd be happy to use this in changeable weather or a bit of drizzle, but if the conditions are particularly biblical I'd probably go for something with a bit more waterproofing.

> Buyer's Guide: The best waterproof cycling jackets

Alé has clearly put a lot of time into the design of the jacket, not only in terms of weatherproofing and breathability, but also in the technical aspects. It features Alé's J-Stability system, a 'double-layer fabric with a micro perforated fabric on the inside and a carbon fabric on the outside', which works well keeping the jacket in place. The fit helps too – it's closer to racer than relaxed. The medium I tested fitted as I would expect Italian brand mediums to, but given the tight fit it is certainly worth testing out beforehand, especially if you are planning on wearing a jersey underneath.

The jacker has three regular pockets on the back and a zipped waterproof pocket for valuables. There's also a fair bit of high-vis packed in, including beading around the pockets, a large high-vis logo on the back, and the version I tested has high-vis back vents and on the front a small high-vis logo, plus the zip is surrounded by a similar high-vis material. It means that, despite the main black colour, you are still very visible to motorists, something that is always welcome during the winter months.

One of the elements of the jacket I was particularly impressed with was the weight. Where you normally expect foul weather jackets to be heavy, using rip-stop materials keeps the weight down to 369g, which is very light for a coat not designed to be stored in a jersey pocket.

One thing the jacket certainly isn't is cheap, with an RRP of £220, which is perhaps its one downside. Though it should certainly be in consideration if you are in the market for a high performance autumn/spring jacket, £220 is a hefty wedge for most people.

> Buyer's Guide: The best windproof jackets

To sum up, the Alé CP 2.0 Combi Jacket does everything it's designed to, and its breathability is possibly the best I have found in a jacket. It isn't 100 per cent waterproof, but works well for all but the most biblical conditions, and the windproofing is also impressive. It is certainly at the upper-end of the price scale, which is likely to put some off, but if you can afford it it's definitely worth a look.

Verdict

Really strong performing jacket, but it comes with a hefty price tag