Life In The Saddle

The Gobik Polartec Long Sleeve Envy Jacket is a close-fitting outer layer made from Polartec's innovative NeoShell® fabric—the world's most breathable waterproof fabric. This is a winter cycling jacket that feels more like a long sleeve jersey, thanks to its stretch and performance cut; but it offers the protection of a deep winter outer shell. Polartec® NeoShell® was developed by the American brand to offer the optimal balance of waterproof protection and breathability that is sought-after in active wear. The fabric is used in hiking jackets, cycling jackets, and waterproof trousers with tremendous success, and this deployment in the Gobik Polartec Long Sleeve Jacket is a strong example of utilising the fabric well. The NeoShell® fabric provides a high stretch bonded three-layer covering, with taped seams to prevent water from seeping in. The high cut collar, lower cut rear hem and YKK® Vislon® AquaGuard® zipper all enhance the protection and coverage provided by the jack...

We are nearing the end of winter here in the UK (I hope), but I wanted to share one of my favourite pieces of the season: the Le Col Pro Jacket, featuring Polartec® Power Shield Pro®. The Pro Jacket is branded as Le Col’s ' fastest winter cycling jacket ', thanks to its close fitting cut and high performance fabric. Polartec® Power Shield Pro® is the star of the show, with its highly breathable, waterproof and windproof properties, and its four way stretch. Polartec® Power Shield Pro® is a new bio-based performance fabric, it uses Biolon in 45 percent of its composition; a renewable, non-GMO, non-PFAS, plant-based nylon with a 50% lower carbon footprint than virgin Nylon. With 20K breathability and 20k waterproofing, Power Shield Pro® offers a durable, waterproof and windproof layer to shield you from the elements.  Power Shield Pro® also uses a new molecular diffusion technology that moves water vapour out of the fabric while maintaining a barrier against water droplets. B...

The Santini Delta Pietra Short Sleeve Jersey wins my personal award for being my favourite summer cycling jersey of summer 2021. Designed for extreme heat and utilising some of the most advanced fabric technologies in the world, from Polartec; this jersey boasts exceptional style, fit, and performance whether road cycling or gravel riding. The Delta Pietra features Polartec© Power Stretch – an extremely breathable textile with four-way stretch. The back panel (aside from the pockets) uses Polartec© Delta, which acts as a unique cooling system—facilitating the transfer of heat from the body through sweat moisture wicking performance. The Delta Pietra jersey is designed for hot weather cycling, but I have found it performs exceptionally well in all summer conditions. Its raw-cut sleeves hug the arms without restricting movement and it is held gently but firmly in position by a coloured elastic gripper at the hem. The jersey has an exceptionally good slim fitting cut, and is avai...

Santini remain a historic brand in the world of cycling, yet their products are far from antique. The Santini Adapt Winter Bib Tights are some of the most technically advanced and best performing winter cycle wear I have used to date; using state-of-the-art Polartec fabrics, seamless technology, and a fantastic fit. These are ideal cycling tights for spring/fall and early winter riding. The Adapt range from Santini is designed for versatility. As the name suggests, the fabrics chosen for these products are intended to be suitable for a wide range of temperature and weather conditions. The Adapt Bib Tights glean their adaption capabilities from the Polartec Smartwool fabric used in their construction. Smartwool is a unique blend of wool and synthetic yarns; creating a fabric that holds all the exceptional thermo-regulation capabilities of wool, but with added durability and improved wicking capabilities of synthetics. The Powerwool fabric really is next-level. It is beautifully so...

The dhb Aeron Lab All Winter Polartec Jacket is one of the most technically advanced winter cycling jackets that I have tested and reviewed to date. Combining three of Polartec's leading fabric technologies, dhb have been able to create a jacket that is exceptional in all areas of protection, breathability, and thermal regulation. The Aeron Lab collection is dhb's range-leading line—a selection of products that push the boundaries of what can be done with fit and function of cycling apparel. It is an impressive range to see; especially for me, as I watched first-hand the brand grow from a budget beginner into an award-winning label. The dhb Aeron Lab All Winter Polartec Jacket is a softshell jacket designed to be both your mid-layer insulation and outer layer protection; worn with just a base layer underneath in temperatures down as low as zero degrees Celsius. Like all winter layers though, it must deliver flexibility and adaptability to a range of temperatures; it does ...

Can you really fit your whole life into a seat-pack the size of a small rucksack? When you do, it calls for specialist lightweight kit; the Rapha Brevet Insulated Cycling Jacket features super-light Polartec insulation, and has a tiny pack-size—making it ideal for cooler temperatures on your bike explorations. Let us get straight to the point... this jacket is ludicrously lightweight; weighing in at just 74 grams for the Medium sample I have on test. That weight is thanks to a super-light weight Nylon windproof outer, and high level Polartec Alpha insulation; combined together, these create an impressively protective and insulating layer, with absolute minimal bulk.  Polartec Alpha is a unique market-leading insulation fibre, which provides both great breathability when you are working hard, as well as effective insulation when you are more sedate in your movements.  I used the jacket on my recent #XPDTN3Dolomites bikepacking trip , and for the early morning r...

The Sportful Fiandre Extreme Jacket is one of the most impressive pieces of cycling kit I have come across to date; the single layer Polartec Neoshell fabric creates an outer layer that is lightweight, yet extremely protective against the elements. I used the first iteration of the Sportful Fiandre Extreme Neoshell Jacket for the TorTour Cyclocross Winter Stage Race , last year in Switzerland. The jacket instantly impressed: I was riding at threshold effort, in wind and snow, and yet I never once overheated or felt cold. The superb temperature regulation is thanks to the innovative Polartec Neoshell fabric. This single membrane holds properties similar to neoprene, in that it is waterproof, insulating, and super stretchy; it is different from neoprene though, in that it is highly breathable, and much thinner in profile. The way that Sportful has used the Neoshell fabric in the Extreme Jacket – with taped seams and a YKK waterproof zipper, make for an impressive jacket: a shieldin...