Madison DTE Men’s Isoler Thermal Long Sleeve Jacket

The Madison DTE Men's Isoler Thermal Long Sleeve Jacket is a thin, long-sleeve top with the usual three rear pockets and a zipped one for security. But it's not the warmest option out there, which makes it a better choice for spring and autumn riding rather than winter. And while Madison says it has a DWR – durable water repellent – treatment, I found it didn't shrug off any water whatsoever.

Our best winter cycling jackets buyer's guide and best winter cycling jerseys guide have lots of alternatives.

This jacket comes in two colour options, the all-black version we tested and an all-blue top. Personally, I struggle with the concept of an all-black long-sleeve jacket, especially during winter when visibility is at its worst.

I've seen plenty of riders wearing all black and riding without lights, and I really don't get it – and while Madison has included a tiny reflective patch on the back, and some slightly reflective strips on the arms, I still think the otherwise monochrome look is just asking for trouble.

It fits well and I found it comfortable to wear, with a good amount of stretch, in a similar vein to the Madison DTE bib tights I reviewed recently. This stretch does mean that this jacket should fit a wide range of body types.

I usually take a medium and this medium fitted me well.

The pretty snug cuffs sit nicely on your wrists, but they do require a little pull to get them over your hands. I quite like this, as it means you don't have any flapping material around your wrists.

The three rear pockets are the normal size, capable of taking a rain jacket for example. And these are accompanied by a medium-sized zipped pocket for your bank card and keys.

As for the riding experience... well, Madison says this a thermal jacket. To me this means something I could wear on very cold days, one such as the Galibier Grand Tour I reviewed a few years ago.

But I'm not convinced this Madison jacket quite fulfils that criterion. The front and arms have a thin, Roubaix-like fabric on the inside, while the back is just a medium thickness Lycra-type material without any thermal additions.

When the weather is mild, around 10-15°C or so, the jacket is sufficient and offers a little wind protection, and if you pair it with a thermal base layer, going down to 5°C is doable. But I think if it was any colder you'd struggle, and certainly if it's wet.

This is down to the lack of windproofing and the thinness of the material. If it happens to rain and it's a little bit chilly, then this jacket isn't going to offer you much protection – and you're not going to be a warm.

Madison also says the jacket has a DWR treatment, but I'd never have guessed that. As with Madison's bib tights, as soon as there was any water on this jacket, it absorbed it instantly, with nothing to suggest it was repelling the water at all.

Should you get caught in a shower, or even just get sprayed by fellow riders, you're going to get cold very quickly, no matter what base layer you're wearing.

I think that you should treat this top more as a long-sleeve jersey or a Roubaix-type jacket rather than a genuine thermal jacket.

The zip is decent though, and at the rear the tail has a grippy rear section that helps to hold the jacket in place – and to keep your backside a little less mucky.

Value

While the jackets's £69.99 price puts it at the cheaper end of things, I steel feel its lack of features make it more comparable to a lighter, spring-type jacket.

I think the Santini Pure Dye Jersey that comes in at £107 is broadly speaking comparable, with a material that's a similar thickness to the Madison jacket's arms – but Santini uses it throughout. It has a good fit and is comfortable for spring and autumn rides.

The Altura Long Sleeve Jersey is warm enough to pair with a winter base layer for cold riding, thanks to its use of Polartec's fleece material. At £80, it's a slightly dearer than the Madison though you'll be able to find it for less.

Conclusion

It costs just £69.99, and if this jacket had proved more formidable against the cold and wet, I'd have been really impressed. But sadly its lack of warmth, windproofing and water resistance – all the qualities you want in a winter jacket – make it difficult to recommend for the coldest times of the year. That said, as a top for spring and autumn it's not actually that bad an option, though I'd still have preferred more reflective material.

Verdict

Thin, not particularly warm and the claimed DWR wasn't effective, but a good fit and it would work well for spring