windproof cycling jacket

Sportful's Hot Pack Ultralight is an incredibly light jacket, just 50g, that is fully windproof and water resistant. It can be rolled up into it's own integrated bag and will disappear inside a jersey pocket. With jackets like this we're running out of excuses to cancel the ride when the weather is looking iffy.

The Polaris Shield windproof jacket has been my trusty companion in the turbulent weather we've been having. It's a lot more waterproof than its name suggests, and it packs down nice and small.

It's pretty minimal; my scales report a mere 125 grams for the size large tested. You don't get any pockets, but there is a drawcord at the hem and the collar. You get thumb loops on the sleeves, which seem to come on most jackets of this type. They are pointless in my opinion, but others might find them useful.

Campagnolo clothing is divided into three main types - Challenge, Tech-Motion and Heritage - and this Flame 50/50 jacket comes in the Challenge department, meaning it's designed for winter weather conditions. But for this jacket, that means winter conditions that aren't too wet and not totally freezing either.

The Howies Brenin jacket has left me somewhat torn. Objectively £100 is a lot to pay for a featherweight polyester shell that feels as if it will rip come the first skirmish with a vindictive bramble. On the flip side, it's been the most comfortable jacket I've ever used, with superb moisture management that keeps tempo with increasingly spirited efforts.

I know what youre thinking, and youre right: £230 is a big old wedge of cash to spend on a bike jacket. But then the Castelli Espresso Due is a really high-quality piece of clothing with some excellent cold-weather features behind its cool looks.

The Espresso is made from Gore Windstopper X-Fast fabric. You probably know about Windstopper, and even if you dont, the clue is in the name. This fabric blocks out cold air completely so you can build up your warmth inside. This version has the added advantage of being very stretchy too.

A lightweight windproof is an incredibly useful piece of cycling kit and the Vento from OneTen is a solid option.

The Vento is made from polyamide (nylon) and it stops the wind stone dead. That means it's handy pretty much all year round bar the height of summer. It takes up about half a jersey pocket and weighs just 86g so it's easy to carry.

Put the Vento on when the temperature drops and it makes a huge difference to your warmth. Remove cold wind from the equation and you retain much more of the heat that your body generates.

The Gironde comes from Campagnolo's Heritage range, home to clothing that has a classic look to it rather than using traditional fabrics. There is a little bit of wool in the Heritage lineup but this jersey is all synthetic - polyester, polyurethane and elastane.