Santini Alpha Insulated Jacket

The Santini Alpha Insulated Jacket is an incredibly cosy but lightweight windproof jacket for when the temperature is in single figures, it’s dry and the breeze is biting from the north. A mix of Polartec Alpha and Power Wool fabrics keeps the windward warm and leeward breathable, and pleasingly long sleeves and a high collar keep draughts out. It’s not resilient to water though and this green colour might be of concern to those who like to be more visible in the lanes.

> Buy now: Santini Alpha Insulated Jacket for £136.49 from BikeInn

The Santini Alpha Insulated Jacket comes in eight sizes from XXS to 3XL so it should be easy to find the perfect fit. According to their size guide I was right on the border of Small and Medium and wary that Italian brands sizing has a reputation for being snug with Santini tagging this jacket as having a Slim Fit I initially opted for the latter and it was the acceptable side of baggy on me, feeling like a looser fit more casual jacket.

I am made of twigs though and have a straight up and down torso so if you have curves (especially as Santini say this a unisex garment) and muscles you should find the sizing true to guide.

That extra space inside the jacket did mean I could layer up underneath if needed, but as it’s a very warm bit of kit that should only be rarely necessary as temperature can be easily regulated with different weight undervests. Trying the Small for size it was a more fitted jacket on my skinny frame and pipe-cleaner arms, more of a roadie fit compared to the gravel and off-road intention of the jacket, but it didn’t quite have the cosy feeling of the larger size.

The Alpha Insulated Jacket is part of Santini’s Terranova range, which is less performance led and is instead a way of living cycling every day, exploring new horizons, pushing your limits, and doing it all in comfort and style. Or at least that’s what it says here. Designed for all road, adventure, gravelling and that sort of thing, the Alpha Insulated jacket fits well into that genre with a more generous cut and colours that blend into the landscape. I wore the top mostly away from asphalt where the more casual fit wasn’t a watts-sapping issue.

The jacket comes in two colours, a dark green and a bluey purpley grey tie-dye kind of pattern that Santini say stands out with its unique abstract print, featuring gradient colours that add a modern and sophisticated style to the design. Opinion was divided on this, with people commenting that the green review version reminded them of a dappled tree lined lane, looking like I’d dropped it in a puddle, or that I’d been sweating in it a lot. Hmmm. I’m no hi-vis zealot but this variegated dark green seems to be the perfect camouflage if you’re noodling along an aforementioned tree lined lane, especially in the dark and chilly months. If you do a lot of this sort of riding then maybe plump for the alternate and more visible purpley-grey colour, which itself wasn’t without comment as it reminded riders of a certain age of Global Hypercolour t-shirts. Both colours should fit into your wardrobe well if you subscribe to the muted gravel colours aesthetic.

The Alpha Insulated Jacket feels like it’s a bit of clothing that’s been designed by people who have actually spent time outdoors on a bike in the cold and paid attention to any possibly annoying details. It’s very well thought out. For a winter garment, it scores highly in having long sleeves with tightly elasticated wrists, so there’s no annoying chilly gap when your arms are stretched in the drops, and there’s a wind-cheating fluffy Alpha material lined high collar too.

A sturdy, wide and silicone decorated gripper runs round the back of the hem and there’s a decent flap hiding behind the full length of the double-ended zip. Unfortunately, while it’s a wind cheating 30mm wide, it’s a little too flappy and has an annoying habit of getting snagged in the teeth of the zip when you’re trying to do it back up whilst on the move.

The dappled green forward facing outer material, which comes with no named provenance, is resolutely windproof, and heading up the hill into a sharp north-easterly, you can absolutely feel it doing its job, by not feeling the wind get through at all. Nice that. As well as being an effective wind barrier, the outer fabric is also pretty resilient. If you’re riding fully to the Terranova brief of adventure and exploring horizons – be that whatever all-road and off-road throws at you – then it’s a jacket where you don’t have to worry about squeezing between the gaps in the hedges. It’s shrugged off British gravel, errant branch and bramble so far without nicks or tears.

When it comes to storage there’s just the standard cycling jersey three pockets out the back, with an extra small zipped security pocket which is just big enough for a chonky phone, and this flies against the norm by being on the left hand side. Controversial, huh? That trio of rear pockets are handily capacious too, being 210mm deep, so you can certainly fit in all the extra gubbins that cold weather riding might require. The small, square Santini logo in the centre of the middle pocket is reflective.

The inner face of the chest panels and the fronts of the arms and shoulders are lined with fluffy Polartec Alpha fabric, a lightweight, insulating, moisture resistant and fast drying material that’s incredibly warm for its weight. I’ve got several bits of clothing with a Polartec Alpha lining and it’s my favourite winter material for its toasty svelteness.

The black panels on the jacket, which are less bothered by the wind, are stitched together from Polartec Power Wool, a bi-component knit that’s a synthetic fabric exterior mated to an internal wool layer. The wool is there for thermoregulation, breathability and comfort while the outer layer provides resilience and aids breathability.

All that Polartec tech does actually work very well. Thanks to the vagaries of uncertain seasons and consequent day-to-day rollercoaster temperature variations, the Alpha Jacket was worn when its breathability, wickability and proficiency in dealing with excess internal heat and moisture was severely tested and it passed without even thinking that there might be an issue, with no sweat build-up or any overheating issues – although that full length zip can come in handy.

If it’s 10 degrees and above then the Alpha Insulated Jacket might be a bit much. Santini recommends the jacket for temperatures from 0°C to 10°C and I’d say that’s spot on. With intelligent use of base layers and extra layering you could extend the jacket’s use to even lower numbers. Its light weight and fit would certainly allow it, and its wind resistance certainly contributes to its ability to combat anything arctic.

But crucially, only if it’s dry, as the Santini Alpha Insulated Jacket doesn’t make any overtures to water resistance. There is initial, hopeful beading on the windproof outer layers, but it soon soaks in, and the black rear panels joyfully absorb moisture, so this is for crisp and clear days only.

Value

The Santini Alpha Insulated Jacket is very similar to the Velocio Alpha Merino Air Jacket (£190) and shares a lot of features – mainly, as the name suggests, the warm Alpha lining. The Pertex Quantum Air outer fabric is softer than the Santini, making it feel more jersey-like but less resilient to vegetation. That red is more visible too.

> Best winter cycling jackets 2026 — beat the chill with a warm winter layer

If you want windproofing at a fraction of the price then Galibier flex their wallet-friendly chops with their £79 GrandTour Pro Jacket. The ‘Pressure Block’ fabric ensures wind blocking and there’s even a moderate amount of rain protection in there too. There’s no fleece lining to the jacket but its softshell construction means Galibier recommends wearing the jacket for temperatures between 6°C and 16°C. Reviewer Ben suggests you could shift that down a bit, but this is still warmer temps than the Santini.

The Castelli Espresso Air Jacket (£230) is similar in that it’s designed to be warm on dry days only. It’s made from Ristretto fabric which Castelli developed after they found out that lots of people simply don’t ride in the rain. So this is a jacket made from a warm, fleece-backed windproof fabric that feels super cosy next to your skin and focuses on warmth and breathability without having to worry about being waterproof. Iwein said it was the most breathable jacket he’s ever worn; more like a long-sleeve jersey in terms of breathability but with the warmth and windproofness of something more jackety. That breathability helps temper the warmth of the jacket, ensuring there’s no sweat build up that would then get you chilly.

If you wanted something with a bit more wintery oomph then the Santini Vega+ Winter Jacket (£240) is designed for colder and worse conditions. The main fabric is Polartec Windbloc, a windproof breathable fabric with a modest water resistance, and that lovely Polartec Alpha Direct lines the collar and chest. Its sleek fit and tight cuffs and collar keep the weather out, and for a soft shell it’s remarkably waterproof.

Conclusion

The Santini Alpha Insulated Jacket is stunning for when temperatures slump into the single figures and the wind can’t be bothered to go round you and tries to go through you instead.

As someone who’s usually wrapped up in five layers when others are happily pedalling around in just two, it was refreshing to wear just this and a suitable base layer, and its light weight doesn’t make you feel like you’re swathed in a clunky winter top.

The outer fabric is a solid barrier against any breeze and the floofy Polartec Alpha material continues to be my favourite winter textile for cosiness. Fit could be on the loose side compared to shrink wrapped road kit, but that happily suits its adventure and exploring Terranova tag.

Verdict

Fantastic windproof and warm jacket with appreciated details for keeping cold but dry days at bay

> Buy now: Santini Alpha Insulated Jacket for £136.49 from BikeInn

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