Marginal rain: Castelli Irdo Pro jacket

Some items of cycling kit are better value than others. They have a greater cost-per-wear depending on where you are in the world. But a rain jacket is the only garment in your kit bag that’ll see you right through all four seasons (especially if you live here in the UK). 

In the UK it can rain year round – and usually does. On average, it’ll rain 106.5 days out of possible 365. Not great odds for staying dry for the weekend ride now, is it?

Cycling brands focus much of their attention on producing better waterproof kit. And thankfully, the days of boil in a bag jackets are almost a thing of the past. Why bother keeping the rain out if the jacket has a moist microclimate going on inside?  

This is where Castelli has cracked it with the Idro Pro Jacket. It’s breathable, waterproof and windproof. It’s made from GORE-TEX Shakedry, which has made it possible to achieve all these desirables in a jacket that actually fits properly.

An aerodynamic fit on a jacket of this ilk hasn’t really happened until recently. In the past, the offset to staying dry was having vast amounts of fabric flapping around, which sort of deceives the point of deep section rims and an aero helmet (although, the lack of vents on the latter will keep the rain out). 

Desire: Over the rainbow – Pearl Izumi P.R.O Leader v4 shoes

The jacket has a long tail to prevent road spray and all the seams are taped to ensure nothing creeps in. It weighs a minuscule 158 grams and packs away easily into a jersey pocket for when the sun does eventually come out.

Here’s wishful thinking.

Read: How Milan-San Remo cemented the reputation of Castelli’s Gabba jersey

Desire: Smooth operator – Endura D2Z Aeroswitch helmet

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