Rapha Core Winter Jacket

It's time to wrap up warm, and helping you to do just that is the new Rapha Core Winter Jacket, part of the UK company's burgeoning price-conscious range of clothing.

• Pros: Price (relatively speaking), fit, performance
• Cons: It still isn't cheap...

Here's a carefully considered jacket that gets the basics right, with great fit and good insulation and protection against the elements. It's a top pick for winter cycling, and while it's not exactly cheap, it doesn't make the eyes water like the prices elsewhere in Rapha's range.

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First things first, Rapha has really nailed the sizing and fit. I tested a size small and it was well proportioned around the shoulders and torso, and the sleeves are long enough to prevent exposed wrists. There's no restriction when you're in the drops or standing at the coffee bar.

To protect against the wind and rain, the front-facing panels have a three-layer water-resistant laminate, while the back panel is made from a breathable and stretchy polyester fabric. The front-facing material works well, standing up to short showers well and a complete barrier to cold air, while the back panel adequately copes when you're producing a lot of heat.

The jacket isn't described as waterproof but it's able to shelter you from short showers adequately, sufficient to put off unrolling that emergency waterproof jacket you might have stuffed in one of the three rear pockets.

A generous dropped tail protects your lower back and bum from rear wheel spray, and the high collar ensures you feel suitably wrapped up against the cold when you first set off down the road. The waist band is elasticated and silicone lined, and forms a snug seal around your body.

It's a warm jacket that is versatile enough to handle mild autumn days as well as bitterly cold winter rides, provided you layer up. Worn over a lightweight short-sleeve baselayer is good for warmer days, a thicker long-sleeve base ups the ante for chillier rides.

Breathability is a real challenge for cycling clothing at this year. We demand that clothing keeps us warm and dry but also lets heat escape. The materials used by Rapha ensure the Core Winter Jacket provides suitable breathability, coping when the road tilts upwards or following an injection of pace from your riding buddies. I never got excessively sweaty on the inside, as can be the Achilles heel of some winter jackets.

You get three main pockets capacious enough for everything you'll need for a long winter training ride. I've found the pockets on some previous Rapha tops too high for easy access when riding, but I'm happy to report these are perfectly positioned and easy to get into when on the bike. There's also a vertical zipped pocket for storing money and house keys.

Other nicely thought out details include the soft chin guard, generous silicone gripper lining the waist band, and reflective details. The cuffs are particularly well finished: an angled ribbed material providing a flush fit around the wrist. The main zip is central rather than off-set like it is on the Classic Winter jacket, and works well when you need to dump some excess heat.

It's not as feature-laden as the Classic, but the fit, comfort and performance are every bit as good, at less than half the price. It doesn't feel like Rapha has cut any corners to hit this lower price point, with the quality as good as I've come to expect from the company over the years. It's a solid rival to other jackets in this price range like Madison's RoadRace Apex Softshell, as well as more expensive ones such as Sportful's Fiandre NoRain, Castelli's Mortirolo 4, and Alé's CP 2.0 Combi Jacket.  (dhb's Aeron Hybrid Softshell is worth a look if you want a cheaper option.)

> Buyer's Guide: 14 of the best winter cycling jackets

On top of all this, it's a smart looking jacket, whether in this red or the black or navy. Unfortunately, all those colours are currently sold out (except XS in black), so at the moment you can have any colour so long as it's pink. The size range extends from XS to XXL.

Verdict

A really good winter jacket that is warm and breathable with great fit