As we move towards winter I have historically stuck to testing the best waterproof cycling jackets. It rains a lot where I live, so it makes sense. My colleagues have taken the job of testing the best winter cycling jackets, those that are there to keep you cosy and warm, but not dry if it rains. That doesn’t mean I don’t sometimes get sent winter jackets too, and as I don’t exclusively ride in the rain I do often put winter jackets to good use too.
One such jacket that I’ve been using for a couple of seasons now but never got around to reviewing is the Velocio Alpha Merino Air Jacket. It’s a high end, wool-lined wonder that I’ve come to absolutely love for frosty, crisp winter riding. Sadly it’s getting discontinued, at least from what I can tell based on the Velocio website, but there is plenty of stock left of it and it’s currently marked down by a very healthy 30%. At this price it’s a proper bargain, and while I’m not going to spend time writing a full review of a soon-to-be-extinct garment, I can at least point you in its direction.
What makes this such a firm favourite is the warmth to breathability ratio that it has on offer. From the outside it doesn’t look much different to many jackets, but the chest, collar, and sleeves are lined with high pile merino wool. It’s beautifully soft, quite absurdly warm - especially when used with a midlayer like the Velocio Alpha Long Sleeve - but allows heat to escape very easily. For single figure temperatures (or below 40 in freedom units) it’s incredible, and at this price it outperforms most options I’ve come across.
The high loft interior is similar to many jackets that utilise Polartech Alpha, but in this case it’s a but more natural, and in my subjective testing it’s a bit more cosy and warm too. Paired with one of the best cycling base layers, and a mid layer like the Alpha as mentioned above it’d be sufficiently warm enough to get you to freezing point, below which you may not want to be riding outside anyway for ice risk. When the temperature rises it can be thrown over a standard long sleeve jersey and remain useful into the low double figures.
To counteract it getting too hot there’s a double zip, so you can vent heat without it getting flappy, and the back is just a simple brushed fleece rather than merino pile. A full merino lined jacket would be a little much for all but the very coldest riders.
While it’s still around and at this price it rivals anything from our guide to the best winter cycling jackets. It’s maybe not the most race-cut, but if your winter riding is more about getting the miles in rather than KOM hunting then it’s perfect.
