Sportful R&D Light Jacket

Sportful's R&D range aims to be at the cutting-edge of cycle clothing design, and this brand new Light Jacket, with its stunningly warm but highly breathable Polartec Alpha insulation, is the perfect choice for cool and dry winter rides.

I tested (and was blown away by) the original R&D Long Sleeve Wind jersey when it was released two years ago. It has now spawned two new jackets with this new Light Jacket replacing the original. It's intended for moderate temperatures, with a recommend working range between 5 and 15°C. That's largely typical of a British winter day for most parts of the island. (The pricier R&D Zero Jacket uses a beefed-up construction to help it deal with temperatures closer to zero degrees.)

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At the heart of the R&D Light Jacket is a Polartec Alpha synthetic down used in the front, shoulder and front of sleeves panels, targeting warmth where you need it most. This limited use of the Alpha down, while it doesn't provide as much outright insulation for really cold rides compared with its more expensive version, does mean it can cope with higher temperatures and breathability is really impressive.

The outer layer of the jacket is made in the most part from WindWick LT fabric, with DualFit fabric used on the arm panels to enhance breathability. The combination provides effective protection against the wind, is water resistant and highly breathable. This is not a jacket designed for the rain, though it'll deal with a light and brief shower before you might want to start thinking about taking shelter, heading home, or pulling on a dedicated rain jacket. Sportful's Fiandre clothing (see my review of the Sportful Fiandre NoRain Cycling Jacket here) is better suited to dealing with changeable conditions and rain, but for keeping you warm on dry rides, this jacket is superb.

5 highlights from Sportful's autumn/winter clothing range

The use of the Polartec Alpha just in key places ensures the jacket treads that fine line between adequate insulation on colder rides but with sufficient breathability if it warms up during a longer ride. It's ideal for fast-paced winter training rides as it's very unlikely you'll overheat, provided you stay south of about 12-14°C – these actual figures will depend on how hot or cold you run and how slow or fast you cycle. You can, of course, use the full-length zipper, which is very effective at dumping any excess heat quickly, but I always found the breathability was such that I never had to touch the zipper during a ride.

Sportful clearly sweat the details, because this is one very nicely fitting and featured jacket. The shape is an improvement on the original: the various panels sit nicely flush with the torso, while the shaping around the shoulders and upper arms avoid any restriction of movement. Despite the Polartec insulation, it's a slim fitting jacket and the bulk and weight are both kept to a minimum. I like the large and snug wrist enclosures that ensure a good seal to prevent cold air finding its way up the sleeves and the tall collar for wrapping your neck. The waistband is a large flat elasticated band with silicone tape that keeps the jacket nicely in place.

> Buyer's guide: the best winter cycling jackets

You get three generous pockets, and quite ingeniously for a winter jacket – when you might want to take a lot of food or spare clothing – the middle pocket has a central channel of highly stretchy material that allows the pocket to expand to accommodate extra loads. There's an off-centre front zipped pocket that's an ideal place for your house keys or cake money. A smattering of reflective details, on the shoulders and rear pockets, helps you stand out in the dark.

The R&D Light Jacket is available in sizes XS to 3XL and two colours, the pictured red over black and an all-black option.

Verdict

An excellent winter jacket, with highly impressive Polartec Alpha insulation and superb breathability