Castelli Squall Shell review: no excuses for not carrying a waterproof jacket

Lightweight, waterproof and with a great fit, there is a lot to like about Castelli's Squall Shell and it is great value too

Male cyclist riding out of the saddle on a Cervelo Caledonia-5 wearing a black Castelli Squall shell
Castelli Squall Shell
(Image credit: Andy Jones)
Cycling Weekly Verdict

A fully taped waterproof jacket for the weight and size of a windproof, the Squall Shell Jacket from Castelli is an excellent solution for riders who can’t decide which to take. The stretchy fabric and great cut mean that it is close-fitting but comfortable in the riding position and breathability is more than adequate but don’t expect commuter-use durability from it.

Reasons to buy
  • +

    Great fit

  • +

    Super light and packable

  • +

    Good waterproofing and breathability

  • +

    Decent value

Reasons to avoid
  • -

    No storage pouch or pocket

  • -

    No hang loop

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.

With the environmentally driven demise of Gore-Tex Shakedry products, cyclists have lost one of the best, most effective waterproof and hugely breathable fabrics available. It had some issues—high price, no stretch, low durability, and lack of colour choice—but many riders could overlook them for its incredible performance. I mention this by way of an introduction as it is inevitable that as brands introduce alternative performance rain jackets, they will be judged against the benchmark set by Shakedry.

Castelli isn’t short of outerwear options, but their new Squall Shell Jacket looks like a potential replacement for how I use my original Shakedry waterproof, which is to say as a windproof/waterproof layer that I carry on every ride that the forecast is less than glorious for. It sits towards the lower end of their waterproof range price-wise, which is no bad thing as cycling gear gets ever more expensive. There are lots of options from other brands on the market too, so how does the Squall Shell stack up?

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