Winter cycling jackets are an important kit item in any cyclist’s wardrobe. When the temperatures drop, the rain starts falling and the weather gets all the more wintery, they can really make the difference between a cold and miserable ride, and a far more enjoyable one.
Generally used once the temperature drops below 10˚C, they often consist of a structure very similar to a long sleeve jersey with pockets at the rear. The main differences are that winter jackets often include thicker insulating material in the fabric, and also use weatherproofing technologies such as durable water repellent (DWR) treatments. Some take this further with full waterproofing and internally taped seams.
Key factors to look out for in the best winter cycling jackets are the aforementioned DWR treatments, as well as long elastic cuffs and necks for added insulation. It’s also good to have more breathable rear fabric panels to prevent excessive heat buildup, while two-way zips can help with breathability as well.
Read on for our pick of the best winter cycling jackets that we’ve ridden and rated or head further down for advice on how to choose.
Reviews of the best winter cycling jackets
- Rapha Core Winter Jacket — read our full review
- Santini Adapt Multi Jacket — read our full review
- Endura Pro SL 3-Season Jacket — Read our full review
- Castelli Espresso Air Jacket — read our full review
- Sportful Fiandre Pro II Jacket — read our full review
- Le Col Pro Insulated Jacket — read our full review
- Assos Mille GT Hashoogi Winter Jacket S11 — Read our full review
- Gore Wear Spinshift Thermo Jacket — read our full review
- Q36.5 Gregarius Winter Jacket — read our full review
- Pas Normal Studios Essential Thermal Jacket — Read our full review
- Velocio Alpha Zero Jacket — Read our full review
Related questions you can explore with Ask Cyclist, our new AI search engine.
How do we test and why trust our advice?
Our reviewers are all massively experienced cyclists and they don’t stop riding when the weather turns cold, wet and miserable. In fact, we actively seek it out to make sure we’re testing these products across any and all weather conditions.
All of these jackets were tested in milder 10-16˚C, and far more wintery -6-5˚C to make sure that all bases were covered. Testing was also conducted rain or shine, with even the odd snowstorm thrown in for good measure. Our testing is comprehensive to make sure we bring you the best buying advice we can.
Best winter cycling jackets 2025 reviewed
Rapha Core Winter Jacket
RRP £150 | View offer
- Brilliant value
- Great performance in cold weather
- Nicely breathable
- Storm cuffs are superb
The Rapha Core Winter Jacket is an impressively good winter jacket that is excellent value for money. Front-facing panels on the body and arms are more weather-resistant and insulated with DWR coating, while the rear facing panels are more breathable without impacting the weatherproofing. This combination results in a jacket that is warm even in freezing conditions, but breathable enough for milder temperatures and higher-intensity sessions.
Storm cuffs are used to brilliant effect to give a really secure fit around the cuffs and prevent cold air travelling up the sleeves. Thick zipper pulls are another great practical feature as they can be operated while wearing thick gloves. A two-way zip is lacking, but the fit of the jacket is close yet allows for good airflow with a small amount of unzipping, meaning I didn’t miss said two-way zip.
Add to this deep pockets that are easily accessible, and the Rapha Core Winter jacket performs exceptionally across the board, all while being nicely practical and incredibly good value. A broad range of colour options is appreciated as well.
- Read our full Rapha Core Winter Jacket review
- Buy now from Sigma Sports (£140)
Santini Adapt Multi Jacket
RRP £240 | View offer
- Genuinely waterproof
- Thin material doesn’t impair insulation
- Highly practical features
- Great size range
Using Polartec’s Power Shield Pro, the Santini Adapt Multi jacket has been able to achieve hardshell levels of waterproofing, while still being as flexible and comfortable as a softshell jacket. The addition of internally taped seams means that there is virtually no water ingress to the jacket through the material even in heavier rain, which helps maintain a good temperature across most conditions.
Thermosealing appears to have worked well to boost insulation levels in colder temperatures, even with the relatively thin fabric material and lack of fleece lining. This thin fabric does however lend itself to a very jersey-like fit and feel, making this jacket very comfortable even with a lighter base layer worn underneath.
Additional practical features such as the two-way zip, large well-placed pockets and the zipped valuables pocket make the Santini Adapt Multi a truly superb jacket. The neck could be a little looser, but this is nitpicking for my personal fit. For a winter cycling jacket, it is near enough faultless for me, making that £240 both justifiable, and reasonably good value.
- Read our full Santini Adapt Multi Jacket review
Endura Pro SL 3-Season Jacket
RRP £199.99 | View offer
- Highly versatile
- Heaps of additional features
- Dual-layered system is clever
- Can be awkward to put on
The Endura Pro SL 3-Season Jacket certainly does what it says on the tin when it comes to three-season performance. For milder conditions in autumn and spring, the main body of the jacket does a great job. The windproof material with DWR treatment keeps the elements at bay well, while copious zip vents and rear exhaust do a great job as dispersing excess heat during higher-intensity sessions.
For colder winter weather, the detachable PrimaLoft fleece makes the insulation levels incredible. Even in snowy weather and -6˚C the jacket kept me nicely toasty. Add to that long sleeve cuffs, high neck and a fit that allows additional layers underneath without being too loose, and it’s a mightily impressive jacket across autumn through to winter into spring.
Add to this large pockets at the rear, plus side pockets for stashing rubbish and the Endura is a very practical jacket to use both on and off-road. The use of large reflective features all across the jacket makes for great visibility when riding in poor conditions as well. All this for sub-£200 makes this jacket pretty good value to boot.
- Read our full Endura Pro SL 3-Season Jacket review
Castelli Espresso Air Jacket
RRP £225 | View offer
- Great breathability
- Well insulated in low temperatures
- Great colour range
- Not the best in heavier rain
The Castelli Espresso Air Jacket does what it is designed to do very well thanks in part to the new Ristretto fabric. Castelli has intentionally forgone waterproofing and instead focussed on insulation and breathability with this new material. To the breathability end, this jacket is a great performer in milder conditions and while doing higher intensity rides. Moisture wicking and temperature management are impressive.
There is still a DWR treatment for shower protection, which works well, but not to the detriment of the main targets. This jacket is both impressively insulated and highly breathable, making it comfortable across a good range of temperatures, from freezing up to mid-teens, and varying riding intensities.
It also features a close yet comfortable fit, great colour options and good sized pockets that are easy to access even with thicker gloves. This really is a fantastic winter jacket, and while a valuables pocket and dual zip are things I like, they are not necessary for performance. £225 is not cheap, but it’s worth the price from my perspective.
- Read our full Castelli Espresso Air Jacket review
Sportful Fiandre Pro II Jacket
RRP £230 | View offer
- Close race fit
- Solid weatherproofing
- Reasonable insulation for thin fabric
- Sleeves a touch short
The Sportful Fiandre Pro 2 jacket uses a Polartec membrane to great effect to create a jacket that is impressively insulated and weather resistant, while being a relatively lightweight and race fit garment. Being designed for racing in the spring classics has clearly paid off, as in low single figure temperatures paired with a decent base layer, the Fiandre Pro 2 is well insulated while maintaining a good level of breathability.
The race fit is close but not uncomfortable and maintains a good fit in both a more relaxed riding position and a hunched over aggressive one. Slightly shorter sleeves are the only slight downside to the jacket, which can lead to cold wrists if gloves do not cover that area of exposed skin.
Aside from that issue though, this jacket packs a huge amount of performance for the £230 pricetag, and might just be the perfect option for those looking to do more fast-paced winter rides, or even racing in wintery conditions.
- Read our full Sportful Fiandre Pro 2 Jacket review
Le Col Pro Insulated Jacket
RRP £180 | View offer
- Incredibly lightweight and packable
- Good water resistance
- No pockets
- Lower core can get chilly
The Le Col Pro Insulated Jacket is a very different offering to most winter jackets. The Pertex Quantum Air fabric's windproofing and water resistance work really well in showery conditions and against road spray, while the Polartec Alpha insulation makes it nicely warm even in low single-figure temperatures. However, the insulation material covers only the top two thirds at the front and top third at the rear. This results in reasonable breathability, but a potentially chilly lower core.
Where this jacket differs is that it’s fully packable into a pocket, super lightweight, and features no pockets. It’s instead a packable layer of insulation or weatherproofing. This makes it far more versatile than most winter jackets, but does reduce protection. It’s also questionable how often you will get a ride where the temperature change will require removing or adding this layer.
As a winter jacket, it performs very well. The fit is maybe not as race fit as other Pro line offerings from Le Col, but it aids insulation and usability more. The price also makes it better value than a lot of other full winter jacket offerings. There are pros and cons to the more packable and lightweight approach, but individual use and requirements will dictate if that’s a net positive or not. Personally, I see a place for this jacket, as it’s well insulated and weatherproof for a decent price.
- Read our full Le Col Pro Insulated Jacket review
Assos Mille GT Hashoogi Winter Jacket S11
RRP £265 | View offer
- Clever use of different materials
- Fit works well when riding
- Slightly muted colour options
- Dual zip would be appreciated
The Assos Mille GT Hashoogi S11 jacket follows Assos’s trend of featuring many different proprietary fabrics with intriguing names. The main Airblock-Evo.916 provides a great level of weatherproofing and breathability, while the NEOS softshell material provides additional protection on the arms. Insulation comes from the RX thermal inner while breathability at the rear is impressive with the RX Evo Plus panel on the back. All these different fabrics and technologies marry together to create a jacket that does feature an impressive level of insulation and breathability.
Even the fit has a special name: bodySleeve AEPD. This results in a fit that is a bit uncomfortable and restrictive when standing, but once you move your arms forward and lean over more is impressively comfortable. For more upright positions it’s not the best, but for a more racy road position it works very well.
Pockets-wise the three rear ones are large and allow for a good level of packing, plus they’re easy to access. A valuables pocket is missing, as is a two-way zip, which would aid insulation further in milder conditions. I’m personally not a fan of the muted colour offerings either, as it’s not ideal for riding in darker conditions. The price is also on the high side at £265, but for a more race or high intensity focussed jacket for foul weather, this is an impressive offering.
- Read our full Assos Mille GT Hashoogi S11 Jacket review
Gore Wear Spinshift Thermo Jacket
RRP £179.99 | View offer
- Great cold weather performance
- Very good value
- 360˚ reflectivity is superb
- Lacks breathability
The Gore Wear Spinshift Thermo Jacket builds upon the new Spinshift line from Gore Wear as its deep winter jacket offering. The single-layer thermo-stretch fabric with fleece backing is used front and rear and provides brilliant levels of insulation in temperatures around and below freezing. Add to that a DWR treatment for water resistance in showers and the jacket performs brilliantly in wintery conditions.
It does lack a bit when it comes to breathability, mainly due to the thermal material across the rear panels not letting excess heat escape. The lack of a two-way zip also limits the breathability potential. However the cold weather performance does make it ideal for foul wintery weather, if not as versatile as other offerings. The 360˚ visibility is another great feature that I really appreciate.
The fit is another element that is good, but not perfect. It’s close and comfortable, more like a jersey than a jacket, but the front is just a little too long resulting in some fabric bunching. Personally I found it better as a gravel jacket than a road one. It can’t be ignored though that at £179.99, this jacket offers pretty great value for money when it comes to thermal and weatherproofing capabilities.
- Read our full Gore Wear Spinshift Thermo Jacket review
Q36.5 Gregarius Winter Jacket
RRP £285.30 | View offer
- Great insulation
- Very comfortable to wear
- Reasonably breathable
- Quite expensive
The Q36.5 Gregarius Winter Jacket features a host of proprietary features and materials aimed to keep body temperature at 36.5˚C. Taking pride of place on this jacket is the UF 2L lightweight, laminated and weatherproof fabric. It has impressive levels of water repellency given how light and supple it feels, more a jersey than a jacket, but it’s great in wetter conditions.
Internally, the brand’s UF 3D Air insulation material lines the jacket rather than being bonded. This has the benefit of more movement of air internally, which boosts insulation further while also allowing for pretty decent levels of breathability. It’s a difficult mix to achieve but the Gregarius jacket has done it very well. A two-way zip could enhance this in warmer conditions, but for the most part isn’t really required or missed.
Large pockets and long zip tabs are also much appreciated and make this jacket really user friendly and easy to live with. The fit is a touch on the looser side, but Q36.5 recommends sizing down with this jacket. Fit-wise the jacket is long enough on the sleeves, neck and rear to provide ample protection. It is veering perilously close to the £300 mark, but great levels of performance go a good way to justifying this.
- Read our full Q36.5 Gregarius Winter Jacket review
Pas Normal Studios Essential Thermal Jacket
RRP £340 | View offer
- Brilliantly insulated
- Useful front pocket
- Cuffs a bit loose
- Very expensive
The Pas Normal Studios Essential Thermal Jacket is certainly a very warm jacket and great in colder conditions. Polartec Power Shield Pro works fantastically to give low-bulk yet highly effective insulation with its internal grid structure. This also allows for pretty decent levels of breathability while the DWR coating externally keeps showers and road spray at bay.
There are some fit elements that let the jacket down, mainly the loose storm cuffs, which don’t work as well as other jackets. The fit can also lead to a bit of fabric bunching up front, but does actually aid overall comfort and temperature management. The presence of a zip pocket at the front is a useful feature, while the rear pockets are spacious and easy to access. Both these features are easy to use while wearing thick gloves as well.
One feature I would like to see added is a two-way zip, just to enhance breathability a bit more in milder conditions. Large reflective details are a very nice addition though, while the colour options are very classy. I think the given usable temperature range is also a bit conservative, as it was effective across a wider range than stated. That £340 price tag is huge though, and makes this not the best value.
- Read our full Pas Normal Studios Essential Thermal Jacket review
- Buy now from Pas Normal Studios (£340)
Velocio Alpha Zero Jacket
RRP £256 | View offer
- Incredibly warm
- Good environmental credentials
- Windproof
- Not hugely versatile
The Velocio Alpha Zero is designed with seriously cold temperatures in mind and claims to protect riders down to -17°C. Fortunately, I didn't have to expose myself to those kinds of extremes, but the Alpha did provide ample insulation for rides around the 0° mark. The Polartec material is warm, pretty breathable, and provides decent waterproofing – and Velocio has tailored the jacket to a sensibly slim cut.
The Alpha's main selling point – its non-bulky insulation – is also its drawback, as the jacket is actually too warm to be thoroughly versatile. But for those riders who are often out in frigid temperatures, with less risk of persistently rainy conditions, it's a great option. For something so wintry, it would be handy to have a few brighter colour options, though there is a reflective logo at the rear. Handily there's a double zipper and three rear pockets, though none of them are zipped for valuables.
- Read our full Velocio Alpha Zero Jacket review
- Buy now from Velocio (£256)
Winter cycling jacket buying advice
Why do I need a winter jacket?
Winter cycling jackets tend to offer far better protection and insulation than long sleeve jerseys. Front facing panels of fabric will usually include a windproof membrane as well as DWR treatment which is effective against road spray and light showers. Internally the fabrics will often use a fleeced material or a grid mesh structure to help trap an insulating layer of air.
You can get a similar level of insulation from combining a long sleeve jersey and a winter base layer, but it will be limited in warmth and require further layers once temperatures dip below 5˚C. Additionally a waterproof jacket will be needed in wetter conditions, so a winter jacket can cover several layers and kit options all in one go.
What should I look out for in a winter jacket?
The key elements to look out for are a DWR treatment, fleece material or other insulation internally, long enough cuffs, high enough neck, and reasonable levels of breathability. That final point may seem an odd one for winter kit, but if you are kept warm enough, you will still sweat and this moisture can result in you getting either very damp or cold when you stop due to evaporation. More breathable rear panels make a big difference to overall comfort.
Other useful features are storm cuffs, or elastic cuffs so winter cycling gloves will cover the skin on your wrists. Two-way zippers are also very handy for temperature regulation while also allowing for easy access to jersey pockets underneath the jacket.
When should I be wearing a winter jacket for cycling?
A general rule of thumb is under 10˚C a winter jacket will be most effective. Between 10˚C and 15˚C, maybe higher depending on the person or humidity, a long sleeve jersey will work well with different base layer options. Some winter jackets are also good for below 0˚C when paired with a thicker base layer. Plus the additional weatherproofing means that in all but heavy rain, they should keep you at a more comfortable temperature.
Do you wear a winter cycling jacket over a jersey?
This will often come down to personal preference and weather conditions. In very cold temperatures, a long sleeve jersey and a winter jacket make for a very warm combination. However, winter jackets are designed to be able to be worn with just a base layer underneath too, given they often have pockets for storage. In milder conditions, a winter jacket with a mesh base layer can be very effective, switching out for a heavier duty layer when the temperature drops.
