Endura Pro SL Thermal Windproof II

The Endura Pro SL II is a warm, very slim-fitting and extremely protective winter jacket that looks built to last - and an absolute godsend on horrible winter days. A redesign of the original Endura Pro SL, it features an excellent high collar, intelligent use of panels and a sleek yet stretchy fit that will never slow you down.

Pros: Comfy aero fit, totally windproof, warm, doesn't have to be black

Cons: Not cheap, sleeves could be tiny bit longer

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That well-judged high collar is a good place to start. Inside the twin-layer windproof neck is a separate lower collar designed to stretch across the back of your neck, while on top there's a soft-lined draft/drip deflector as a further seal. Combined with a fit that's well-judged for both neck circumference and height (ie, the main jacket is skin tight on me, while the collar is snug but not tight) it works brilliantly at keeping unwanted elements out. There's still room for a neckwarmer inside too.

That thoughtful design extends throughout. The panels under the arms and down the sides of the torso are finely perforated for breathability and very stretchy, while everything else – three rear pockets included – is a heavier solid fabric that's fully windproof (even freezing 25mph gusts did nothing).

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The soft thermal lining is limited to the front, the top of your arms and most of the width of your back, and rounded overlocked seams seal those patches without issues (I couldn't even feel them). Pick the jacket up and it feels almost wetsuit-like, especially around the chest, but once on its well-shaped stretch fit feels as much like a thick jersey as a jacket. There's nothing to flap or rustle, and up to 7-8 degrees C it breathes perfectly well. Get to around 10-12C and it gets a little clammy, but not horribly so.

Endura recommend this as an outer layer on dry days between -5 and 12C, and a mid-layer beneath a waterproof once it worsens. That seems accurate, though you won't find much room beneath it for baselayers unless you size up. I didn't want to fit more than two (one tee, one long sleeve), and that combo was warm enough down to around zero. Any lower and I'd recommend an outer layer, however.

The tail is good and long, and kept in place with elastic boosted with silicone gripper. It's not dropped, though, so the front is the same length – ideally it would be shorter as this can lead to it folding once you're tucked in on the bike, but it truth it caused me no actual problems.

The three pockets are wide and secure, though only the central one is particularly deep. There's a zipped section on the outside of one that can take phones, cards or keys, plus reflective detailing in the centre for safety.

Naturally the zip has a heavy windproof flap behind to truly seal out drafts, plus a large zip garage to keep if from snagging your neck. It's so deep it can be awkward to grasp the zip in gloves, however, despite the long plastic pull.

That only leaves the cuffs as a place cold air might enter, and happily they're narrow-ended with well-judged elastic – again snug but not tight – keeping them sealed and in place. Personally I'd have liked another 10-15mm sleeve length as, although they never separated from any of the winter gloves I tried it with, sealing was better if I pulled my baselayer sleeves out as extensions.

I appreciated the light blue option alongside the traditional black. It might not be quite the 'Hi-Viz Blue' of the name, but it's both noticeable and (to my eyes) very attractive. The subtle stripes and logos, allied to the shiny gunmetal zip, give the Pro SL II a stylish look of quality it entirely deserves.

It even copes quite well with rain, despite not being waterproof. Riding through truly awful rain and wind for 90 minutes at 4C, I couldn't seriously tell if I was sweating or it was leaking or not (though it's possible my brain had just frozen up). Checking the jacket once back indoors, the thermal sections felt considerably drier than my baselayers, but nothing was drenched (unlike my socks and bibs). It must have leaked, but it still kept me warm (not toasty, but not chilled) despite conditions far past its designed intent. I wouldn't want to rely on that, but I was still impressed.

Buy this and you still need a waterproof jacket, but what you gain is impressive versatility and good breathability that'll keep you happy through more than just winter. And while £150 is a fair investment, it's less than similar jackets that are waterproof too. Castelli's excellent Alpha Ros will keep you both warm and dry, for instance, but is £275. Assos' similarly great Mille GT Ultraz is £260.

There are other windproof options though, and while many are £110+, one notable exception is the Galibier Mistral Pro [/url]. While it's less breathable and handles heavy rain poorly, it's DWR-treated for showerproofing – and just £80. For versatility, performance, comfort and style, however, the Endura Pro SL II is absolutely worth the money.

Verdict

Excellent windproof that's warm, comfy and very aero – pack a separate waterproof and enjoy the breathability