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review

Storck Windbreaker Jacket

8
£99.00

VERDICT:

8
10
Great fit and performance in wind and spotty rain for very little weight
Weight: 
115g
Contact: 
www.storckcyclinggear.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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The Storck Windbreaker Jacket is a very high quality windproof jacket that is surprisingly breathable and keeps a good amount of rain out when you get caught short.

I'd argue that all road cyclists need a good lightweight windproof shell that can easily be stowed away, and this is the time of year when such a jacket comes into its own. The temperature, hell the weather, is all over the place at the moment and knowing what to wear can be a nightmare. Even for more experienced cyclists.

One constant at this time of year is the wind. If inadequately dressed, that wind will cut straight through your clothing and any moisture on your body will just serve to transport all your heat away. And before long you'll get cold.

This is where a jacket like Storck's Windbreaker comes in. It's made from the German company's own AA+ fabric, a 95% nylon/polymid and 5% elastane material. As wind stopping materials go, it's up there with the best fabrics used by other clothing manufacturers.

It's clear from the other Storck clothing we've tested that they go in for the fitted cut. The Windbreaker was a generous but slim shape and easily goes over a bulky winter jacket with little concern. It's ergonomically shaped so it feels good on the bike and when you're moving around.

As is customary, it's a little lower in the waist around the back, so it doesn't ride up when you're on the drops. The waist is elasticated and the waist band is lined with some sticky silicone details, for good measure. There's also no annoying flapping in the wind that I've experienced with some windshells, and it's a very quiet jacket.

What I didn't expect was for it to be as breathable as it proved to be. The considerable downside to jackets of this nature is a serious compromise in breathability. You can often get so hot in a jacket that it's actually counter-productive. Not so with the Storck. With the rear of the arms and side panels lined with mesh fabric, there's enough ventilation to prevent you overheating. As evidence, I wore it for the duration of a 6 hour ride last weekend, over two long sleeve tops. It now comes with me on every ride.

The really nice thing about the jacket is the flexibility it gives you to adapt to rapidly changing conditions. It's ideal for the first hour of an early morning ride, or for squeezing in a training ride late into the evening. It also comes in useful if the weather takes a turn for the worse when you're miles from home. And when you aren't wearing it, you can roll it up really small and at 100g, it takes up little space in a rear pocket.

It coped admirably with the occasional short downpour, enough that you don't need to seek shelter. It's not a waterproof though, and if you're looking at a fully wet ride, you'll be wanting something more substantial.

It's not cheap, but as a serious windproof it really is very good. As ever though, there are cheaper, and there are more expensive, jackets available that do a similar job. Based on performance, the Storck is highly impressive, with a great fit, effectiveness in the wind and occasional rain, and a seriously low weight.

Verdict

Great fit and performance in wind and spotty rain for very little weight.

road.cc test report

Make and model: Storck Windbreaker Jacket

Size tested: Medium, White

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Very ergonomic protection from wind. Superb function and highly breathable due to mesh side panels. AA+ Premium Material. From 100g only!

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

AA+, our most luxurious materials of choice. Quality and functionality way beyond your expectations with some added technical bling.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10

Despite it's low 100g weight, the jacket proved extremely durable with tough stitching.

Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10

It really is a very impressive windproof jacket. It stops cold wind in its tracks, it has a great slim fit which doesn't flap around or make any noise, and it packs up very small and light when you don't need it.

Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10

While the fabric is very thin between the fingers, it doesn't feel delicate at all and so far is standing up to some harsh testing conditions.

Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
8/10

It's one of the lightest windproof jackets you can buy, this is a real boon when you're not wearing it, as it'll squish down into a jersey/jacket pocket and go unnoticed.

Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
8/10

The fit is really very good, but it's on the slim side, so will suit racing cyclists. The fabric is soft and quiet, the arms are a good length and it's snug, not tight, around the waist.

Rate the product for value:
 
6/10

£99 is clearly a lot of money for a jacket with such a defined purpose, but it fulfills that role so well that you'll be hard-pressed to find one better. AS for pricing, well it's in the same league as Gore Bike Wear, Sportful, Castelli and Rapha, so while expensive, it's not overpriced.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

It has, and still is, providing perfect protection from the cold wind on my training rides, and it's always on hand just in case I need it.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

It's a simple jacket, but Storck have clearly concentrated on getting the details just right.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.

Would you consider buying the product? Yes.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.

Anything further to say about the product in conclusion?

A very good windproof shell.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 31  Height: 180  Weight: 67

I usually ride:   My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, cyclo cross, commuting, touring, mtb,

 

David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes

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