Craft Hale SubZ Jacket

The Craft Hale SubZ Jacket is designed for when the weather is really grim. The windproof and water-repellent fabric has kept me warm and dry in some pretty horrible conditions, and reflective accents aid visibility. However, the fit is a little odd, and the baggy collar lets a bit of a draught in.

At 460g the Hale SubZ is a true heavyweight, with fleece lining throughout and that water-repellent and windproof fabric. It also has to be one of the most visible jackets out there, especially in this fluoro yellow (it's also available in black). The bands around the shoulders are reflective, while the body and sleeves have a reflective fleck to provide 360-degree visibility. I have noticed that on Craft's website the yellow colour looks a little washed out, but this is not the case with the one on test which is bright and vibrant.

After a very soggy few months of testing, I'm happy to report that the jacket is up for the challenge, keeping me dry in all but the most torrential prolonged showers. The fabric also performs well on windy days, keeping me nice and toasty.

Because of the soft thermal lining I was happy to wear the jacket with just a summer baselayer underneath, and found it suitable for rides up to about 12-13 degrees; with a thicker winter baselayer and jersey I felt comfortable in the jacket on frosty mornings down to about 2 degrees.

One area that hinders the warmth of the jacket is the slightly baggy collar. I don't think I have a particularly small neck, and I have never had an issue with baggy collars on other jackets (it's not me in the photos here), but the Craft lets in draughts down the front as the spare material hangs down. Even in the photos on Craft's website you can see that the collar is roomy, and there is no improvement when in a riding position.

Unlike a hardshell jacket, the material is stretchy, aiding fit and leaving room for layering underneath, though it isn't quite as race-cut as the dhb Aeron Lab All Winter jacket that I have also been using.

Fit is an extremely subjective thing, and for me the Hale SubZ doesn't really work – though that's not to say it won't work for you. All of my measurements put me in a medium apart from the chest circumference, where I sit right in the middle of small and medium. If anything, I would expect there to be a little more room around here, but what I actually found was that the jacket was extremely tight across the front of the shoulders, with excess material across the back.

Craft says it has designed the jacket to be ergonomic when in the riding position, but as a racer with an aggressive position I found that however low I got and hunched my shoulders, the same issue was evident. Having got a few of my medium sized relatives and friends to try on the jacket it would appear I'm not alone – they all found it tight across the chest, with all but the more rotund finding excess material in the stomach area when in an on-bike position. Again, that's not to say it won't fit you fine – perhaps you struggle with other brands' offerings.

The rest of the jacket fitted well: the length is good, with ample coverage at the back, and I also found the sleeves a good length, with the elasticated cuffs providing a good seal with gloves to keep the chill out in this area.

On the rear of the Craft jacket, you will find four pockets: three segmented and one zip pocket. The three standard top-entry pockets are pretty large and deep, with plenty of storage space for long rides. They are also easy to find and access while riding thanks to a large elasticated cuff along the top. This also keeps the contents secure, but for complete peace of mind there is also a zipped pocket.

This has a large tag on it, which makes it easy to find while riding, but because the zip is diagonal across the pocket, its use is hindered. The pocket itself is big enough for today's smartphones, but actually getting one in or out is quite the challenge. After a few rides I stopped even attempting to access it while on the bike.

Value and conclusion

At £130 the SubZ jacket sits about middle ground for this sort of softshell jacket, but you can buy some excellent jackets for less, such as the dhb Softshell Roubaix jacket (£90) or Van Rysel Cold Weather Extreme Racer jacket (£79.99).

For a similar price, Stu rated the Lusso Aqua Repel V2 jacket very highly, or if you can justify spending more then the dhb Aeron Lab All Winter jacket I mentioned earlier is a good choice if you're looking for something more aero.

> Buyer’s Guide: 14 of the best high-vis cycling jackets from £30 to £200

Although the build quality and material choices are well up there with more expensive options, for me the SubZ's overall use and value is let down by the fit.

Verdict

Heavyweight, warm and weatherproof softshell jacket, but check the fit