Santini Skin Windbreaker

The Skin Windbreaker from Italian brand Santini is one of the better race cape style jackets out there – not in the way it blocks the breeze but the way it lets the heat escapes. Its breathability far outweighs its water resistance, for sure.

• Pros: Breathable, windproof, light
• Cons: Not very water resistant, pricey for a windproof

The Skin is one of those jackets you tend to stuff in your back pocket until you need it, which is where its weight and packability excels. At 95g (coming up even lighter on the road.cc Scales of Truth than Santini's 140g claim), it's not one you're going to notice at all, even when taking on the steepest and longest of climbs.

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The material is so thin and soft that it packs down really neatly and quickly. Some jackets like this have a really plasticky feel to them which means they tend to slide around when you're trying to fold them up, but the Santini doesn't have that man-made feel about it. You can literally bundle it into a small square while you're still in the saddle and stuff it into your pocket.

Of course, though, it is man-made. The main structure is 100% polyester, with the side and underarm panels having 8% elastane added for a bit of stretch to create a closer fit and allow the jacket to move with you when you are changing position on the bike.

While we're mentioning the cut, it's worth pointing out that the Skin Windbreaker has quite a generous fit, more akin to a UK brand's sizing rather than whippet thin, mountain goat style usually associated with Italian manufacturers. Just follow the size guide on the website and you'll be fine, as it is spot on.

It's still more racer than relaxed, which means you don't get much flapping when travelling at speed or pushing on into the wind.

You get a slightly dropped tail to keep your lower back covered and the sleeves are a decent length too, as they should be on a jacket like this: the type of garment you'll be sticking on before hurtling down a long descent stretched out on the drops.

Both the hem and cuffs are held in place with elastic, with the former being reflective all the way around for a little bit of visibility when riding in the darkness.

The zip is full length and easy to use thanks to its plastic tab, making it easy to adjust even with winter gloves on. There's no garage to cover the zip at the top, which means at times it can just catch your neck.

The fabric is great at keeping the wind out, even those really biting cold northerlies, especially when paired with a jersey and baselayer. With this setup I found the Skin Windbreaker breathable up until about 10°C; any higher than that and it gets a little overwhelmed and you'll get damp, but to be honest you only really realise when you stop. Unzip it for a bit and let the breeze through and you'll dry quickly.

Santini mentions a resistance to light rain, but after testing in various conditions I'd say don't rely on it. Drizzle, a bit of fog maybe, will be kept beaded on the outside for a while, but anything resembling actual precipitation will be through the material pretty much straight away.

Saying that, though, it does keep you warm.

With regard to value, we've seen lots of these jackets around the £35 mark from the likes of Boardman and B'twin although I would say the Santini does have some of the best breathability I've known from a race cape.

> Buyer's Guide: 10 of the best windproof cycling jackets

It does sound very similar to the Giro cape we tested a while back at £79.99, and I'd agree with Dave that 80 quid is pretty pricey for what is basically a wind barrier.

Verdict

Excellent against the wind but take the 'resistant to light rain' with a pinch of salt