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review

Castelli Leggero gilet

8
£55.00

VERDICT:

8
10
Ultra light windproof gilet that's built to high standards – you're paying a little extra for a prestige brand, though
Weight: 
72g
Contact: 
www.saddleback.co.uk

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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This neat little polyester windproof is ideal for keeping the wind off your torso on summer morning and evening rides, or for carrying with you just in case the temperature dips.

It’s made from a lightweight polyester – ForceField – that does a fine job of stopping cool air getting in and robbing you of your body heat. And when we say ‘lightweight’, the Leggero hits the scales at an incredibly feathery 72g and packs down to the size of an orange – a small orange at that (look, a ‘small orange’ is a well-known international measurement; just go with it). You get a little zipped stuff sack too, although we never felt the need to use it – you can scrunch this top up and sling it in a rear pocket without any trouble.

Don't let its diminutive size put you off – the slim-cut Leggero packs a big punch for a little 'un. The neck is tall and close-fitting so no draughts can get in up there and it’s mesh-lined so feels perfectly comfortable next to your skin. The two-way zip has a baffle behind it and you get a chinguard at the top to prevent any scratching, while an open mesh back stops the atmosphere getting too clammy inside.

Although the Leggero isn’t rainproof – that mesh section is hardly going to keep you dry – the solid panels are surprisingly water resistant. You’ll need something more hardcore if the forecast isn’t good, but it’ll shrug off road spray and a bit of light drizzle without much bother.

Also available as a long sleeve version for £75.

Verdict

Ultra light windproof gilet that's built to high standards 

road.cc test report

Make and model: Castelli Leggero gilet

Size tested: black

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
9/10
Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
9/10
Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 36  Height: 184cm  Weight: 74kg

I usually ride:   My best bike is:

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, sportives, general fitness riding, mtb,

 

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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