Jackets. You can have 365 of them and not have enough to cover all that mother nature decides to throw at you over the course of a ride. So the ultimate goal is to find a jacket that covers you in as many conditions as possible. Bontrager's Packable Windshell is light, durable, and has basically become my go-to jacket for anything above freezing. If you live in a moderate climate and need a jacket to bridge the gap between Winter and Summer, Bontrager's Windshells are a good place to start.
At only about $50 it's pretty competitively priced for a cycling jacket, but the price seems a little steep when you realize the general lack of material present in the jacket, which gives it its fantastically light weight and its excellent breathability, great for morning rides where the air or your arms haven't quite warmed up yet. This kind of ride is this jacket's butter zone - any ride where the air transitions from a slight chill to comfortably warm, since the jacket is so easily packable. Because of how light it is, it folds up and can fit in any pocket, even in jeans if you so desire. Once it gets warm out, pack it up and forget that it was ever there.
At only about $50 it's pretty competitively priced for a cycling jacket, but the price seems a little steep when you realize the general lack of material present in the jacket, which gives it its fantastically light weight and its excellent breathability, great for morning rides where the air or your arms haven't quite warmed up yet. This kind of ride is this jacket's butter zone - any ride where the air transitions from a slight chill to comfortably warm, since the jacket is so easily packable. Because of how light it is, it folds up and can fit in any pocket, even in jeans if you so desire. Once it gets warm out, pack it up and forget that it was ever there.
The packability and lightness come at a cost though - while the jacket is great for when the day hovers between mid-thirties and low fifty degree weather as an extra barrier between breezes and you, it won't be great for any long tours. First off, the jacket has a notable lack of pockets. Just one. And I don't know what it's designed to hold, since it's pretty ridiculously small.
It also won't handle the elements very well - anything more than a light mist or pitter-patter of rain and it will soak through and stick to your skin like your younger sibling. In fact, on one lovely wet ride, I would have rather had no jacket than this one, just because of how uncomfortable it is to have it clinging to your every move. It isn't really designed to be waterproof at all, so keep that in mind when looking at the weather and deciding what jacket to wear.
One thing I have found it to be excellent for is warming up - before a race, ride, whatever the case may be, this jacket is just enough to keep you warm while you begin to spin up in whatever suit you've picked for the day, and if the day hasn't warmed up by the time you're ready to ride, just keep the darn thing on and it'll do its job splendidly.
Long story short, I love this jacket, but not because it can handle anything that's thrown it. What I like about it is that whether you have it on or put it in your pocket, you'll be hard pressed to notice it's there, unless you need to access your rear pockets or get caught in a downpour.
As one of my favourite little windshells, Bontrager's Packable Wind Jacket receives a 4/5.
As one of my favourite little windshells, Bontrager's Packable Wind Jacket receives a 4/5.