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review

Attacus Cold Weather Jacket

7
£180.00

VERDICT:

7
10
A fun and strong performing winter jacket from the London-based newcomers
Weight: 
457g
Contact: 

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 Attacus Cold Weather Jacket lives up to its name, keeping out the worst of the elements, though it could do with taped seams to add more waterproofing for when the heavens really open. It looks good and fits well, but it is expensive.

  • Pros: Really fun design, warm, breathable
  • Cons: Expensive, no taped seams for added waterproofing

Attacus is an 18-month-old London-based cycling brand looking to bring a more 'punk' vibe to cycling clothing. Ash tested the Thermal Bib Tights and was impressed, and I was keen to try the Cold Weather Jacket to see how it compared to others on the market.

> Buy this online here

The first thing you notice about the jacket is that it does not take the monochromatic aesthetic that many British based manufacturers have adopted, the vibrant indigo being a colour that really pops. Inside it's even better! The lining is a peacock pattern, which sets it aside from most other cycling kit and definitely lends a degree of fun to the jacket.

Attacus Cold Weather Jacket - lining.jpg

Attacus has used an Italian-made, water-resistant 'storm shield' for the outer, with an insulated, breathable membrane, and it does a really good job of keeping you warm on cold rides. I tested this during the Beast from the East and was more than happy with the insulation despite it not being classic softshell material.

Attacus Cold Weather Jacket - riding.jpg

The material itself is also pretty waterproof and generally nothing really comes through, although when the skies really open water does seep through the untaped seams; it's not anything close to a deluge, but still noticeable. This was only during really heavy rain for an extended period – for showers or drizzle it was more than adequate. This leakage only happens on the seams – one of the nice touches of the jacket is that Attacus has included taped seams on the front zip and on the chest pocket zip.

Attacus Cold Weather Jacket - logo.jpg

Windproofing is really good, and despite riding in strong winds at about -4°C I didn't have any complaints about the elements getting through. It also manages to maintain a good degree of breathability: I never found myself getting particularly clammy while using it, even on top of a jersey and thermal underlayer.

Attacus Cold Weather Jacket - hem.jpg

The cut of the jacket is relatively close compared to others I have used, although it's certainly not designed to be an aero garment. Attacus describes it as 'the luxury of a tailored suit jacket', which might be slightly hyperbolic but is probably relatively accurate in terms of fit – it's more fitted than aero. It's helped by the silicone gripper that runs across the bottom of the jacket – throughout the review period there was no point at which I noticed the jacket riding up.

Attacus Cold Weather Jacket - back.jpg

It also has some good practical elements, such as the three pockets on the back and the zipped pocket on the chest, which means you can fit in everything you might need for a winter ride. It also has some reflective elements, with the logo on the pockets and hemming around the top and bottom, which is a nice touch for low-light riding conditions. Soft elasticated cuffs keep out the elements while also helping to maintain comfort and reduce chafing on the wrist.

Attacus Cold Weather Jacket - chest pocket.jpg

With an RRP of £180 it's an expensive jacket, and comes up against strong competition, such as some of the insulated jackets in Rapha's Pro-Team collection (the Training Jacket is £160 and the Softshell Jacket £200). It is a unique and exciting design, and performs well, but does that justify the price tag? It offers more rainproofing than Sportful's Giara Softshell – but that's £120... Even Gore's Power 2.0 Windstopper Soft Shell is 'only' £150.

> Buyer's Guide: 14 of the best winter cycling jackets 

Overall, though, I really liked this jacket; it combines a fun design with practical elements and a good performance. Taped seams would be good to stop water seeping in, especially at this price, but on the whole I was impressed. Whether you'd be happy to shell out £180 I'll leave up to you…

Verdict

A fun and strong performing winter jacket from the London-based newcomers

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Attacus Cold Weather Jacket

Size tested: Medium

Tell us what the jacket is for

Keeping you warm and dry during cold and foul weather riding in winter. In the words of Attacus: "Winter may be cold, dreary and miserable, you don't have to be."

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

From Attacus:

Windproof, showerproof, stretch fabric that'll keep you warm in strong wind and dry in light showers

Insulated materials that can withstand the coldest days

Soft, breathable lining for added warmth and comfort

Waterproof zips

3 back pockets big enough for your phone

100% waterproof, zipped chest pocket

Two reflective logos, plus reflective pocket and wrist strips for extra visibility in the road

Tailor-cut for cyclists so you're comfortable and have full protection against the elements when you're in a riding position

Silicone gripper waist band - because the only thing riding up should be you

Rate the jacket for quality of construction:
 
7/10

Well made with a good material choice and strong stitching, although it would be nice to have taped seams throughout to keep out the worst of the rain.

Rate the jacket for performance:
 
8/10

It performed very well throughout; it's well insulated and keeps the worst of the rain out.

Rate the jacket for durability:
 
7/10

Seems well made with good material choice and strong stitching throughout.

Rate the jacket for waterproofing
 
6/10

The material itself does a good job of keeping out everything but the most torrential rain, although it would be nice to have taped seams for better waterproofing.

Rate the jacket for breathability
 
8/10

Very good: at no point did I feel like I was boiling in a bag.

Rate the jacket for fit:
 
8/10

A good balance between comfort and fitted.

Rate the jacket for sizing:
 
8/10

The medium I tested fitted as I would expect a British brand to fit.

Rate the jacket for weight:
 
8/10

Much lighter than the equivalent softshell alternative with comparable performance.

Rate the jacket for comfort:
 
8/10

Very comfortable thanks to the breathability and soft lining.

Rate the jacket for value:
 
5/10

Expensive, but about where I would expect a jacket of this quality to sit.

How easy is the jacket to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

Just stuck it in a wash at 30 with no issues at all.

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

Very well: it kept me warm, looked good and kept out the worst of the weather, even if a little came through at the seams.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the jacket

The aesthetic design really sets this jacket apart and is much more fun than almost any other I have tried out.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the jacket

No taped seams to stop the rain when it's really hammering down.

Did you enjoy using the jacket? Yes

Would you consider buying the jacket? Yes

Would you recommend the jacket to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

Performs very well on cold, drier days but it's expensive compared with some long-established brands, especially as it isn't fully waterproof, and loses a point for that.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 29  Height: 6 ft  Weight:

I usually ride: Mercian King of Mercia or Cinelli Gazzetta  My best bike is: Cannondale Supersix Evo

I've been riding for: 5-10 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mountain biking

George is the host of the road.cc podcast and has been writing for road.cc since 2014. He has reviewed everything from a saddle with a shark fin through to a set of glasses with a HUD and everything in between. 

Although, ironically, spending more time writing and talking about cycling than on the bike nowadays, he still manages to do a couple of decent rides every week on his ever changing number of bikes.

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1 comments

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Freddy56 | 5 years ago
0 likes

Looks like my dhb softshell with a wedding waistcoat stitched inside

 

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/dhb-aeron-hybrid-softshell/

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