After a relatively mild autumn, colder temperatures and frequent snowfall have come to the Italian Dolomites. The wide variation in weather — from a cold morning breeze with -5°C (23°F) up to 10-14°C (50s°F) around noon — has forced me to swap out my summer wardrobe with winter gear.
What takes up most space are the cycling tights, base layers and accessories. Gone, are the thermal long-sleeve jerseys and the wind membrane jackets. My fluorescent yellow Insolito Radiation jacket has basically replaced two or three separate pieces of my old winter wardrobe.
The Insolito Radiation jacket has basically
replaced two or three separate pieces of my
old winter wardrobe.
I basically got through the entire winter and spring months wearing only one
jacket last year. The total insulation against wind and cold is fantastic.
I wore this jacket on several cold rides, including 3 hours through a 2°C degree (35°F) windstorm that included drifting rain. I was wearing nothing under it except for the lightweight Base Long Castelli base-layer. I almost couldn’t believe how comfortable it was, and how well it kept the wind out.
I basically got through the entire
winter and spring months wearing
only one jacket.
Heading out for a sunny spring ride with 10-11°C degrees, without the Radiation insert. I felt the breath-ability was improved, and could easily be moderated with the front ventilation panels. When it started to warm up around noon, I zipped the sleeves off, stuffed them in the back pockets, and used the jacket as a vest.
No doubts, if you are serious about riding in all conditions, all year long, this is a great solution for your wardrobe. The multi-season Radiation jacket feels equall comfortable in a broad range of weather conditions, from mild 18°C sunny day to an ice cold and windy -5°C day.
FEATURES The lightweight shell material is Windstopper’s X-Lite,
which is windproof and water resistant. The highly breathable and stretchable fabric moves naturally with the body and doesn’t restrict movement.
The cut is specific for the bike – long at the back, short at the front. The arms
are anatomically cut and long enough to accommodate a reach to the handlebars with a soft fleece closure around the wrist to keep the wind out.
The most unusual aspect of this jacket is the Radiation insert, a perforated, aluminized silver liner designed to reflect 80% of the heat back toward the body. The liner zips in along the front and is held in place at the cuffs and sleeves with little snap straps.
Some thoughtful features. The front zipper has a generous zip garage, which wraps over the top of the zipper. A pull tab helps getting the zipper started below, which is helpful, especially when wearing thick gloves.
The functionality is impressive. A zip-off, integrated hood of stretchy fleece fabric is thin enough to fit under a helmet, or tuck away in the back pocket The arms zip off so that the jacket can be used as a vest.
Five pockets, two with zippers, are large enough to hold the Radiation insert, zip-off arms, and zip-off hood in case of exceptional temperature variation over the course of a ride.
Reflective detailing aids visibility in low-light conditions. Two front zippers over the chest helps with temperature regulation.
By Soren Jensen.
