Endura Windchill Jacket II review

One of the two weather elements that can turn a good bike ride in to a miserable one is wind. On your back and it will give you free speed, but across or directly ahead can feel like the road has been turned to treacle. Add in the temperature drop of winter, and suddenly and wind will make it feel significantly colder on the bike which is why the Endura Windchill Jacket II was born.

Endura Windchill Jacket II jacket: construction

The Endura Windchill Jacket II has been specifically designed to act as a windproof shield, preventing heat loss, while transporting sweat away from your body for what Endura say is a comfortable warm micro climate.

It's a must have feature on the best winter cycling jackets  as keeping you warm is one thing, but ensuring that you don't over heat and build up sweat, which will eventually make you cold, is another.  

Constructed to provide 360degree wind protection, the Endura Windchill Jacket II has been made using a stretchy windproof polyester fabric that has a fleecy grid-backed inner to help stop cold air entering while trapping warm air, nature's best insulator, and helping moisture vapour escape.

Under both arms of the Endura Windchill Jacket II are large zipped vents to help aid temperature regulation and the whole thing is coated in a PFC-Free, non-toxic water repellent finish.

At the back are three rear pockets with an additional zip for keys, cash etc, there's also a chest zip pocket, large enough for a phone. The Endura Windchill Jacket II is finished off with reflective details which are positioned all round.

Endura Windchill Jacket II Fit

With the aim of being suitable for all bike riding disciplines, the Endura Windchill Jacket II doesn't feature any specific aero slipperiness or professional bike packing prowess, but a regular friendly fit.

When on this means that Endura Windchill Jacket II is slightly looser round the middle than the Assos Mille GT Ultraz Winter Jacket Evo, marking it out as less race focused, but it's also £200 cheaper. It's closer to its cycling sibling the Endura Pro SL HC Windproof jacket, but with a little more wriggle room (and without as many features).

Ride

At 466 grams (for a size medium), the Endura Windchill Jacket II  weighs around 100 grams less than the afore mentioned Assos winter jacket, alluding to its lack of bells and whistles gadgetry.

That said, even on a slow winter ride in the snow and ice with wind-chill hovering around zero degrees the Endura Windchill Jacket II was plenty warm enough with just a thermal base layer.

While the cuffs are a simple affair, they easily slot in to or over gloves, according to your preference, thanks to the 79 centimetre arm length, which prevents chilly wrist gaps.

The 20 centimetre difference, 60 to 80 centimetres, from front to rear of the Endura Windchill Jacket II enables the jacket to sit perfectly when riding, with no font bunching or rear gaps appearing.

All the rear pockets are a sensible size, with both zip secure ones large enough for a iPhone and its rugged case. Even when reasonably loaded up, the Endura Windchill Jacket II stayed put due to the extensive silicone hem detail. It would be idea to have one waterproof secure pocket though.

There's three colourways to choose from. The High Viz Yellow version of the Endura Windchill Jacket II offers extra visibility, but be warned, ensure you're riding with mudguards if you want to ensure that yellow still pops after the first ride.

 Value

Priced at a penny below £90, the Endura Windchill Jacket II is an excellent piece of kit. It might not have all the fancy technology offered by jackets higher up food chain, but it does a solid job of keeping you warm in winter, and is super practical, which is all most riders need.