Incredible fit, aero credentials, very breathable. A step change in performance over the already very good original Gabba.
Pros
+
Skintight fit
+
Waterproof enough for when you're riding hard
+
Very breathable
Cons
-
Cold when you aren't riding hard
-
Not as versatile as a normal jacket for many riders
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I don’t think it’s hyperbole to say the original Castelli Gabba changed the landscape of wet-weather cycling apparel. It was so good I have still got mine, patched up from crashes and looking well worn, and I can’t part with it, because for some conditions very little has come close to it since. For riding hard in the rain without overheating it was phenomenal, but you would still get wet.
I’ve had the new Gabba R for a while now, long before its actual launch, and I am genuinely impressed by what it can offer. I’ve ridden it in sideways rain in low single-figure temperatures, but also on changeable days where the mercury is touching double figures.
Having tested more or less all of the best waterproof cycling jackets on the market I feel pretty confident in being able to tell you all the good, and the bad (spoiler - there isn’t much), and whether the latest in a long lineage of foul weather race gear is worthy of carrying the Gabba name.
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The cuffs of the short sleeve version have a rolled hem, and the tacky material keeps them in place excellently.(Image credit: Will Jones)
The shine does take a bit of getting used to, but in the rain it looks almost normal. (Image credit: Will Jones)
The pockets are entirely constructed from a different, super stretchy material so you don't get your hands stuck.(Image credit: Will Jones)
Design and aesthetics
The first thing to make clear is that this isn’t a waterproof jacket; it’s a waterproof jersey. It is designed to go over a race-fit jersey, but the way it fits is like a second skin. It’s more snug than many jerseys I’ve worn, and clearly, aerodynamics has been at the forefront of Castelli’s mind when developing the Gabba R. In fact, in wind tunnel testing, in a standard road position, it’s around 1% faster than the brand's Sanremo skinsuit. Compared to the brand's ‘normal’ waterproof jacket, the slicker, this figure is more like 4%.
As well as fitting like an aero jersey it’s also cut like it, with the addition of a taller caller and a more dropped tail. The sleeves come to the elbow, meaning even if you’re wearing the most modern of modern race jerseys you’re not going to have material poking out, ready to wick moisture in. The end of the sleeves is a proper cuff, so it grips the arms well too.
The short sleeve version at least is designed to work with the brand’s excellent Nano Flex arm warmers, which themselves have a degree of water repellency. The long sleeve version, which I haven’t tested, has an extra layer of fabric over the forearms so that the tacky outer fabric doesn’t grab when using the rear pockets.
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As you can see, the fit is akin to an aero jersey.(Image credit: Will Jones)
The short sleeve version is designed to work with the brand's Nano Flex arm warmers, which are water repellant. (Image credit: Will Jones)
The outer fabric itself does resemble a bin bag. When worn, given the skintight fit, it does more resemble latex clothing perhaps more usually seen in the nightclubs of Berlin than the bergs of Belgium. In the immortal words of my partner: “you look like a gimp”.
The outer fabric looks like it’s taken straight from the film-out Shakedry playbook, but unlike Shakedry the membrane here is a polyurethane one, bolstered by a PFC-free DWR treatment, so very much compliant with the new regulations which have effectively outlawed the use of PFAS for consumer goods.
Like the forearms of the LS version, the rear pockets are made of a different material so they don’t grab at your hands. Finally, the zip, which is a chunky, double-ended waterproof setup, oddly not from YKK but from the Ideal Fastener Corporation. This is really only a detail for die-hard zip nerds, but the fact that Yoshida Kōgyō Kabushikigaisha doesn’t have an absolute monopoly is somewhat heartening.
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Chucking a load of water at it reveals impressive beading; more so than just. a DWR can achieve usually(Image credit: Will Jones)
It's snug across the shoulders, but the material has so much stretch is never felt restrictive.(Image credit: Will Jones)
The high collar has the lining material rolled to the outside to add comfort, which works well. (Image credit: Will Jones)
It is absolutely worthy of having the Gabba logo over the hip. (Image credit: Will Jones)
Performance
I’ll make no bones about it, The new Gabba R has impressed me hugely. It’s not going to be perfect for everyone, but if your use case fits within its remit you'll be extremely satisfied. The first thing to say is that this is absolutely a race jacket (or jersey… make your own mind up). It’s noticeably cooler than an equivalent ‘normal’ waterproof, and my theory is that this is down to the fit. Without that small layer of air between the jacket and your mid layers there is no insulation to speak of, and to compound this when it’s wet the evaporative cooling effect of the water mixed with wind is increased as you are effectively in contact directly with the outside world.
The flip side to this is that, for the level of protection it offers, it is quite astoundingly breathable. It is, on paper, less breathable than the now-extinct Shakedry jacket in my collection, but because that air layer isn’t present it feels less clammy. Riding hard in driving rain the temperature regulation is very similar to that of the Perfetto or the original Gabba, but you’re less wet.
Even when it isn’t raining it is still a useable garment, and much like the Perfetto. I went out for a 50km loop expecting rain and kept the Gabba R on the whole time. Only on one long climb did I get hot enough to have to remove my arm warmers. It was a fresh day, but not freezing, with periods of quite sunny weather.
I think it makes the most sense with the arm warmers, to be honest. If you're riding hard exclusively in torrential rain then maybe the LS version makes sense, but it will certainly reduce the versatility.
More so than other jackets getting your mid layers right is important. There isn’t room for anything truly warm, but with a short-sleeved merino base layer, and a short-sleeved merino jersey I was comfortable at around 6 degrees Celsius in the pouring rain and high winds. I can see, that once the temperatures climb into double figures, this could easily go simply over a jersey, with the jersey acting as a base layer.
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The fit is incredible, with absolutely no flapping.(Image credit: Will Jones)
In driving rain and high winds I stayed comfortable, even when climbing, provided the effort levels remained high.(Image credit: Will Jones)
As a wet weather staple it's hard to beat, and I never experienced any serious ingress.(Image credit: Will Jones)
One thing that is remarkable while wearing it too is the aero-feeling. While the tailwind may have had something to do with it I was happily setting PRs on long, flat segments. No flapping anywhere.
After a fair stint in bad weather, the DWR treatment held up well, though the material itself is so plasticky that I suspect that even after the DWR wears off it’ll still bead a little bit. One thing to note though is that you may not remain totally dry. Castelli says it is ‘functionally’ waterproof, but the 5,000mm hydrostatic head is half of what would normally be considered waterproof, and the seams also aren't taped. I don’t think, even in some pretty horrendous weather, I experienced any noticeable ingress, more just the perspiration that is to be expected from any high-effort activity.
Staying totally dry I think is a concept that’s becoming slightly outdated; staying comfortable is the right way to think - nobody worries about staying dry when they’re pouring water over their head in the summer in an effort to stay comfortable, and I think we should all adopt this attitude a little more when thinking of winter gear too. Surfers are not dry, but with the right wetsuit, they are comfortable, for example. I was a tad sweaty, but no more than I would be with any other high-end waterproof jacket. I was, however, comfortable, flap-free, and fast.
Finally, the pockets. The stretchy material they are made from is excellent, and they are tall enough to swallow all manner of warmers, gloves, and snacks. Given the Gabba R could comfortably stretch over the other jacket I had in my jersey pocket you can really load them up, though that isn’t really the racy ethos.
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Layering underneath intelligently is key. In low single figure temperatures and heavy rain I found a merino base layer and a merino jersey were enough to stay warm while riding hard, but there isn't room for much more than that. (Image credit: Will Jones)
The zip is also excellent - chunky enough to use with gloves with ease, and double ended too.(Image credit: Will Jones)
After a soaking the DWR showed very little sign of wetting out.(Image credit: Will Jones)
Value
If your wet weather riding is at a more sedate pace then this isn’t going to offer you anything, and as such the value proposition is basically nil, but that’s not what it’s pitched at. If you, like me, eschew the world of indoor training and prefer to turn your face to the elements and you need something that is going to perform when you need to perform, I don't think there’s anything on the market right now that can touch it.
With high-end jackets like the (admittedly gravelly) Albion Zoa and the Rapha Explore Gore-Tex coming in at over £350, the €249.99, or about £213, price tag for the Gabba R looks like a bargain if it fits your needs. You can easily throw in some new arm warmers to match and you’ll still have a huge amount of money left over.
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In the sun, on cooler days where the conditions were changeable, it was surprisingly breathable. (Image credit: Will Jones)
Removing the arm warmers and unzipping was sufficient for me to remain comfortable into double figure temperatures. (Image credit: Will Jones)
Verdict
I’m pretty blown away by the Gabba R. It’s far more breathable than I expected, the fit is impeccable, the pockets are excellent, and the protection it offers from the rain is great. If you’re giving it both barrels you’ll be better off in this than more or less any other waterproof, both from a speed point of view and a temperature regulation one.
Perhaps when you’re faced with truly biblical rain you’d rather opt for something more solid, but when push comes to shove, and the rain is lashing at your windows with force, are you really going to go riding in that? I suspect for those changeable days that we ride in more frequently it’ll get more use than a more expensive hard shell, and given the price compared to those options it makes the value proposition excellent.
It is, however, a race garment. You don’t want to be cruising in it in the rain as you will get cold, and there isn’t the capacity for layering like there is with other waterproofs.
I’ve tested a great many waterproof jackets in the last few years, and I think when using this as it was intended, it is effectively faultless with waterproof technology as it currently stands.
A hastily sketched use case diagram when i got home from testing. The Gabba R covers more ground than most options, but only if you're riding hard. (Image credit: Will Jones)
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Testing scorecard and notes
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Fit
Nigh on perfect - no flapping, and excellently cut
10/10
Protection
It does what it says it does. It's not as protective as a pure hard shell. My only qualm is that it's easy to get chilled.
9/10
Features
Low on features but it is a race jacket. The pockets are excellent and the zip is too, plus it packs down tiny
9/10
Breathability
Considering the levels of protection it offers it's incredible in this regard.
10/10
Value
If it fits your use case it's cheaper than many hard shells, and more versatile.
Will joined the Cyclingnews team as a reviews writer in 2022, having previously written for Cyclist, BikeRadar and Advntr. He’s tried his hand at most cycling disciplines, from the standard mix of road, gravel, and mountain bike, to the more unusual like bike polo and tracklocross. He’s made his own bike frames, covered tech news from the biggest races on the planet, and published countless premium galleries thanks to his excellent photographic eye. Also, given he doesn’t ever ride indoors he’s become a real expert on foul-weather riding gear. His collection of bikes is a real smorgasbord, with everything from vintage-style steel tourers through to superlight flat bar hill climb machines.
