Altura Race Line Windproof Jacket

Raceline is Altura's performance range and this Windproof Jacket is designed for winter and autumn use. It performs well in general, but a few little niggles let it down.

It's basically a softshell jacket that uses panels of various weight to control temperature and keep out the elements. The front is windproof using a Roubaix style material which is smooth on the outside but has a fleecy pile on the inside. This traps warm air against the body and as a bonus feels really soft against the skin.

These front panels extend from the hem to the neck and as well as being windproof are also water repellent. They stand up well to road spray and a bit of drizzle; anything heavier will get through but thanks to the fabric you do stay warm.

The front of each sleeve uses the same material, keeping your arms warm when you're riding into a headwind or if it's a bit on the chilly side. Your sides are also looked after by the same material. Basically any part of your body that's going to subjected to the winter wind is covered.

Everywhere else uses a thinner, much stretchier form of Lycra. This allows the jacket to move with you as you shift from the drops to the hoods, out of the saddle or whatever position you need to adopt. It is also there to transfer body heat away should you start to overheat and it does a decent job of that.

You get four pockets at the rear: three standard and one zipped big enough for some keys or a phone. Unfortunately they seem to be made from the same stretchy material and although nothing jettisoned out of them at any point I was constantly worrying about losing things. They are quite large and anything remotely heavy like a multi-tool just bounces about as the material stretches.

Below the pockets is a dropped tail with a silicone gripper to keep it in position. It certainly didn't move when crouched in the drops and the material proved to be a pretty good barrier against road spray.

The Raceline does a good job of keeping you warm and it's plenty thick enough to cope with freezing temperatures. If you do start to overheat it does wick okay too but I think maybe under the armpits could do with using the same material as the back panel instead of the softshell fabric. That would allow heat to escape from one of the hottest parts of your body.

Going by the size guide the Medium on test is my recommended fit but the Raceline has quite a relaxed cut for a performance jersey which does create some bunching when you're on the bike.

It may read as if I didn't like the Raceline, but that's not the case. It's a good bit of kit that is comfortable to wear and has really good build quality; it's just that there are too many little niggles for it to justify its £119.99 price tag.

The red/black and white/black colour options are good for visibility and with a size range from XS through to XXXL there should be one to fit everyone. For dry winter training miles the Altura Raceline is a good performer but its lack of breathability at the armpits and relaxed fit isn't the best choice for performance riders.

Verdict

Well made winter jacket that just struggles to justify its price tag.