What the Reviewers Have Been Saying About Castelli
By Stan Portus – 15 January 2020
In the last few months Castelli has been receiving some great press. We've brought together a roundup of reviews profiling Castelli's Rain or Shine collection and some of its other essential items.
Castelli products have received some glowing reviews over the last few months, so we have decided to pull a few of them together to give you an idea of what people are saying and give you an overview of some of Castelli’s key winter pieces.
The Rain or Shine collection (RoS) has continued to prove very popular with the press, with its functionality across different weather being feted again for riding in temperamental British conditions.
It hasn’t just been RoS that has received attention. A few other pieces from Castelli’s range have been praised, including one Spring Summer number.
Winter isn’t over yet, and RoS is still ideal for much of the weather in the UK at the moment, but the seasons are soon about to turn. Castelli will be releasing its new Spring Summer collection in the coming weeks, so stayed tuned. In the meantime here is our roundup of some of the press’s (and our) favourite Castelli kit.
Alpha RoS Jacket
In November 2019, Cyclist included the Alpha RoS jacket in its buyer’s guide for the Best thermal cycling jackets, saying that it is deserving of its position as Castelli’s winter range headliner.
The winter months often mean one thing when it comes to kit and that is layering. Balancing the right combination of layers is a great way to stay warm, but it runs the risk of excessive moisture build up which can lead to you getting cold if you have to make any unintended stops.
The Alpha RoS Jacket is an incredibly breathable and warm jacket. Built for the coldest rides it has a built-in sleeveless lining that can be unzipped for ultimate temperature control.
Perfetto RoS Vest
Cycling Weekly included the Perfetto Vest in the 2019 editor’s choice for clothing. When reviewing the vest in December 2019, their verdict was that it is, “a great addition to anyone’s wardrobe. It adds versatility to your outfit without adding bulk or being a nuisance when the temperature rises or it starts to rain.”
Cycling Weekly also pointed out how much they enjoyed the two large rear pockets on the Perfetto Vest – a feature that is used across almost all the Castelli RoS range.
The Gabba
Few garments in the world of cycling have a reputation quite like the Gabba. Since it first appeared ten years ago, it has become an essential piece of kit for anyone who rides in foul weather and rides hard in the early months of the year.
After it first appeared ten years ago it quickly became contraband in the peloton due to its brilliant performance for the wet and mild weather that defines many of the Spring Classics. Riders from non-Castelli sponsored teams bought the jersey with money from their own pockets and blacked-out the Castelli logo with marker pens so they could benefit from the game-changing garment.
Ten years on, and the Gabba is still a favourite. In October 2019, Bike Radar said it was one of their favourite pieces from Castelli’s RoS line. In November Neal Rogers of Cycling Tips included the jersey in his Ten Products I Loved in 2019 explaining how the fourth iteration of the jersey is, “as essential a piece of kit as ever.”
Perfetto RoS Gloves
The Perfetto RoS range is as much about the small items as it is about the jerseys. Having the right protection for your extremities can be make or break for many a ride in the winter months, and the Perfetto RoS Glove is designed to keep you riding in all manner of conditions.
This is something Cycling Weekly found when they reviewed the Perfetto gloves in January this year. Celebrating the Gore-Tex material, Cycling Weekly said:
“Windchill is kept firmly at bay, the fleece lining has enough insulating properties to keep things toasty and the water resistance is more than enough to keep out hours of light rain.”
Cycling Weekly also lauded the grip and dexterity afforded by the glove’s material and construction. They gave the gloves a glowing 10/10 and explained that they are totally deserving of the name ‘Perfetto’, the Italian for perfect.
Castelli Perfetto RoS Gloves
View detailsScalda Pro Women's Gloves
Off.road.cc highlighted the Scalda Pro Women's gloves in December 2019 as a high-quality glove ideal for mid-single figure temperatures throughout the Autumn and Spring.
They also pointed out how breathable the gloves are due to their Gore-Tex material, and how the extended cuff is great for getting them on or off and tucking neatly up sleeves.
Sorpasso 2 Bibtights
The Sorpasso 2 Bibtights are by far our most popular set of winter tights. They are designed to be a performance cut that offers muscle and lumbar support.
The tights are constructed from multiples panels and a combination of fabrics that provide warmth, excellent wicking, and protection from the wind.
At the beginning of this year, road.cc included the Castelli Sorpasso Bibtights in their round up of 33 of the best winter cycling bib tights and trousers. Road.cc described the tights as, “almost the perfect cold weather bib tights… worthy of [a] place in any keen winter cyclist’s wardrobe.”
Raddoppia Jacket
Road.cc also mentioned the Castelli Raddoppia Jacket in their article profiling the 12 best high visibility winter cycling jackets, pointing out the large reflective panels on the rear of the jacket and the jacket’s material.
Made from Gore Windstopper X-Fast, the Raddoppia is windproof and water resistant. Like the whole of the RoS range, the intention with the Raddoppia is for you to dress for the temperature and let the weather do its worst.
While a completely waterproof jacket will often lead to moisture build up, the balance between water resistance and breathability in the Raddoppia is perfectly suited for the milder winters we have been experiencing in the last few years.
Pro Issue Sleeveless Base Layer
As well as lots of praise for Castelli’s winter range, the ever-popular Pro Issue base layer was featured by Cycling News in their article looking at the 9 best cycling base layers to help you regulate body temperature and ensure a good ride.
The Pro Issue base layer from Castelli isn’t a thermal piece, rather, it’s designed to be worn when the temperature is 10˚ – 25˚C, but layers really well thanks to the base layer’s 3D mesh fabric wicks moisture away from your skin keeping you feeling drier and helping your jersey function at its best.
Idro 2 Jacket
The Idro 2 is the smallest and most lightweight jacket from Castelli. Made from fully waterproof and breathable Gore-Tex Shakedry fabric, this jacket is a formidable piece of kit that packs easily into a jersey pocket.
Cycling Weekly gave it a full 10/10 in October 2019, after reviewer James Bracey used it while riding LEJOG. Bracey points out that he never experienced the boil in the bag feeling that is so often a feature with cycling jackets and says that even after wearing the jacket for ten hours on some days it never wetted out. Bracey’s overall verdict said the Idro 2 offered:
“Superlative performance in a tiny package. There's nothing not to like about the Castelli Idro 2 jacket, great fit and almost perfect on the bike performance. There are few to beat it.”
