Castelli Entrata Jacket

The Castelli Entrata is a comfortable, warm and weather-resistant jacket that's ideal for spring and autumn. And I found that with a bit of layering it was also effective below the recommended 6-14°C temperature range, even wearing it down to 0°C when paired with a base layer.

Our best cycling jackets buyer's guide covers our favourite winter tops at a wide range of prices. Want a waterproof jacket? Our best waterproof cycling jackets is the place to go. 

Castelli has long been at the top of its game when it comes to producing cycling clothing for the shoulder seasons, with its Gabba jacket becoming synonymous with kit for autumn and spring.

The Entrata – the Italian for 'Entrance' – uses the same fabric as the Gabba, which considering how well thought of that jacket is, can only be a good thing.

This certainly comes across when it comes to the Entrata's excellent windproofing – and it has enough resistance to the elements generally to cope with most rides. I wore this on some rides in fairly foul conditions and found that it performed very well. Okay, it doesn't match the performance of a dedicated waterproof jacket in sustained rain, but it proved more than adequate for drizzly rides.

The windproofing, aided by the Entrata's zip guards, is such that nothing gets through.

Although this isn't a dedicated cold-weather jacket, it does have a fairly good fleece lining that helps with insulation. The jacket's non-performance fit means the Entrata is ideal for layering, so it operates very well as an outer shell when worn as part of a layering system.

I wore this with just a mesh base layer beneath it in temperatures down to around 8°C – and it was effective. And with an insulated base layer beneath it I was comfortable wearing it down to around freezing.

The jacket's fit does mean that there were more folds and wrinkles than you'd find on a race-fit jacket, but there was nothing so loose to impact on comfort, and I couldn't feel any obvious impact on aerodynamics either.

The jacket's impressive breathability also meant that when was layering it I didn't overheat, and I could use the full-length zip to let air in when required. And one of my very few gripes about this jacket is that I would have liked a bigger zip pull, which would be easier to use when wearing thick winter gloves.

And while the three rear pockets are a decent size, I would have appreciated a zipped security pocket.

Reflectives consist of a long stripe down the middle of the front of the jersey, a small stripe on the left pocket, and a little reflective logo on the central rear pocket.

Value

While the £199 RRP is a significant outlay, it's about what I'd expect to pay for a jacket of this quality, especially when you take in to account the level of windproofing and the versatility it offers.

I reviewed the excellent Assos Mille GTS Spring Fall Jacket C2 last winter. It has very similar properties, also favouring windproofing over water resistance, though at £215 it comes in dearer than the Castelli.

I found the £195 Nalini New Adventures Jacket warm and comfortable when I reviewed it, but I thought it was trying to do too many things at once without quite excelling anywhere.

Also coming in at £195 is the Albion Men's All Road jacket, that Hollis really rated for its waterproofing, packability and its low weight.

Conclusion

I liked this jacket. It offers good protection against the elements, a slightly more casual fit that makes it suitable for layering – and I think it looks good too. I would have appreciated a zipped rear pocket and a larger front zip puller that's easier to use with winter gloves, but those are my only gripes on what is another well-considered piece of Castelli kit.

Verdict

An impressive shoulder season jacket that can go colder when used as part of a layering system