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The best winter cycling jackets act as a shield from rain and wind, to provide protection from the coldest weather, allowing you to keep riding all year round.
Blending fleecy, thermal fabrics with water repellent coatings – a quality winter jacket makes pre-ride wardrobe decisions a much more straightforward affair. No wondering whether showers may or may not materialise – unless it's concertedly raining or especially cold, the jacket will be all you need.
Otherwise, you will need to pair up with on of the best cycling base layers or best waterproof cycling jackets – but at least there's not much ambiguity regarding those most miserable days.
We are out riding whatever the weather and all the jackets below have been extensively tested in a variety of conditions from the merely damp and cool to full-on cold winter rides.
Best winter cycling jackets reviewed
You can trust Cycling Weekly. Our team of experts put in hard miles testing cycling tech and will always share honest, unbiased advice to help you choose. Find out more about how we test.
Here's our pick of the best winter cycling jackets available right now.
Almost all will come with both male and female fit options, so don't just automatically scroll past a great option if the image doesn't show the gendered version you're shopping for.
Rapha uses high quality Gore-Tex fabrics in its Brevet jacket
The Rapha Brevet is designed for the mid-cold, damp conditions typical in the UK winter. Its Gore-Tex Infinium fabric is windproof and there's brand-name Teijin Octa fleece insulation where it's needed on the chest, collar, shoulders and front of the sleeves. Sides and back are uninsulated and the armpits are thinner for breathability. There are small front handwarmer pockets as well as three deep rear pockets, so you can load up for long rides.
Our tester said: "This piece has become my go-to winter jacket this season. It does a great job fending off mixed precipitation and even short, heavier rainfall events."
The Infinium fabric copes well with lower intensity rides on damp days and also with short heavier downpours, while the well-placed insulation avoids overheating while still keeping you warm on cold days. We rated the slim fit and ample arm length too. Weight is just 339g for a small and it's available for both men and women.
Read more: Rapha Men's Brevet Insulated Long Sleeve Gore-Tex Infinium full review
The removeable inner vest adds versatility to Endura's jacket.
The Endura Pro SL 3-Season jacket provides fantastic adjustability so that you can get your core temperature just right no matter how hard you're working and what the weather is doing.
It's round the back that warmer jackets can get uncomfortably sweaty, but Endura uses mesh and includes a large vent top centre. There's even more venting too, with long, zipped slot vents on the front and on the forearms.
We rated the amount of adjustment on offer, stating: "The main star of the show were the two zippers on either side of the chest. These could make a huge difference to how warm I felt - yet without the annoying flapping that comes from undoing the main zip of the jersey".
When you need more insulation, there's a removable Primaloft vest that covers your front and sides and can be zipped up separately from the outer jacket. Six rear pockets provide loads of carrying room, although the tapered side pockets are fiddly to use.
Read more: Endura Pro SL 3-Season jacket full review
The Le Col Pro Jacket II is a good option if you're generating plenty of body heat
The Le Col Pro Jacket II makes great use of Polartec Neoshell to keep you dry and the chill off, whilst the Dynamic air exchange technology keeps you from overheating during the faster paced efforts. The cut makes for a figure hugging fit, ideal for when the temperatures are low but you want to go fast.
We described the Le Col Pro Jacket II as "a very effective winter jacket that offers great protection against the elements while keeping you warm and toasty".
The sleeves utilise an elastic cuff which is just the right level of tight, while the sleeves themselves are long enough for even lanky riders, such as our 190cm / 6'3” reviewer. The three large pockets are easy to access, and there’s an additional waterproof zipped one for keeping valuables.
This jacket excels in temperatures from freezing up to 10 to 14 degrees depending on the intensity of your ride. It’s close fitting, however there is a little bit of bunching at the front when hunched over, and the zip was a little tight on the neck for our tester when fully zipped. Aside from that, comfort is excellent and really does keep you warm when it’s cool – and protected from the elements. Despite the close fit, the jacket is also versatile enough to use over a base layer, if you so wish.
Price wise this is very much at the higher end, but if you can afford it, then you will not be disappointed.
Read more: Le Col Pro Jacket II full review
The Sportful Tempo jacket is a quality all-round choice for winter riding
The Sportful Tempo Jacket is a windproof, breathable jacket that’s designed for use across autumn, winter and spring. It’s significantly cheaper than a Castelli Perfetto yet is a rival in terms of quality and performance.
Our tester described it as: "A high quality, versatile and well made jacket perfect for most days between September and April, provided it isn’t too wet".
The Tempo jacket has a windproof front panel constructed with ‘Gore-Tex Infinium’ material and a breathable polyester panel on the back. Our reviewer found the balance to be spot on, delivering excellent protection from wind chill without such a tendency to overheat.
This combination makes it a great option for those who like to do their intervals on the road during the winter. It won’t keep you dry in a downpour but, thanks to its close fit, a rain shell will easily fit over the top. It’s a great ‘all round’ winter jacket for all but the wettest of days.
Read more: Sportful Tempo Jacket full review
The Rapha Pro Team Winter Jacket provides versatile coverage over a range of temperatures
The water resistant Rapha Pro Team Winter Jacket performs superbly in a wide range of conditions, with a sweet spot around 5°C/ 41°F or slightly higher, but capable of keeping us warm across a good temperature range, depending on base layer selection. Our tester stated that: "I’ve been really impressed with everything about the Rapha Pro Team Winter Jacket".
The cut is undoubtedly race, making it low profile and avoiding bunching when on the drops. The sleeves team will with gloves, but could do with being a little stretchier, especially if you're a watch wearer.
There's plenty of storage front and back and a good deal of reflective detailing, making this racing style jacket highly practical.
It's priced very competitively when considered alongside the likes of the Assos Mille GT Ultraz Winter Jacket Evo, but you'll probably need to factor in a purchase of one of the best packable rain jackets to be fully covered for all conditions.
This item is available in men's and women's fit, with the women's version going under the guise of UMA GT.
Read more: Rapha Pro Team Winter Jacket full review
The Assos Mille GT Ultraz jacket is weatherproof but still comfortably breathable
As winter jackets go, the Assos Mille GT Ultraz Winter Jacket Evo is one of the toughest. The inner lining is luxuriously soft and provides you with instant warmth the moment you slip the great-fitting winter cycling jacket on.
In testing our reviewer found that: "Such is the warmth of this jacket I felt no need for a even one of the best base layers—even when riding at a relaxed pace in temperatures bordering on sub-zero".
The technology behind these fabrics isn't to be underestimated. To gain a weather barrier that's fully windproof, water resistant and still retains great breathability is really impressive.
On test we found the double cuff design on the arms really effective, doing away with the gloves over or under jacket dilemma.
Ideally we would like to have seen weatherproofed rear pockets. The inclusion of a waterproof zipped pocket would have put our minds at total rest for valuables protection.
It's one of the more expensive options in our lineup of the best winter cycling jackets, but it's not comparable with the likes of the Endura Windchill II jacket. It's the ultimate winter cycling jacket for those who won’t let the weather get in the way of their riding.
Read more: Assos Mille GT Ultraz Winter Jacket Evo full review
The double layer front construction makes the Alpha RoS 2 a versatile option