Lusso Windtex Aero+ Jacket

The Lusso Windtex Aero+ jacket is a warm, well-made softshell for the cold weather, and the price is pretty reasonable too.

I've tried out quite a few Lusso pieces of clothing over the years and this is the best of them. As the name suggests, this jacket is made largely using a Windtex membrane. This is a material used by many brands to make windproof and waterproof fabrics. It's lightweight and very stretchy, breathable in the right circumstances (like any other breathable fabric), and the inner face is comfortable against skin.

The white panels at the front and back use Windtex membranes too, in a fabric called Aero+. The fabric manufacturer reckon the golf ball-style surface of the fabric helps with aerodynamics but Lusso admit it's probably not going to propel you towards any Strava KOMs! I don't think the indentations make a whole lot of difference to the performance – possibly providing a bit of flexibility to a fabric that would otherwise be very thick – but they certainly add a distinctive look.

The underside of the arms and the centre of the back, areas that aren't so exposed, are made from a fleecy, brush backed polyester, the sort of thing you find used in a million different winter tights. It has been given a DWR coating to add water repellency (although it'll wash out and need re-applying over time).

This jacket really does keep the cold air out very well, so much so that you'll cook if you wear it in typical autumn/spring conditions. No, this is one to save for winter weather, although those who particularly feel the cold might get a larger window of use. Even with just a base layer underneath (with no jersey), the temperature had to be well down into single figures before I was getting the most out of it.

I like a fitted cut and found this to be about right (that's not me wearing it in the pics). Some Lusso tops are too loose in the body for me but this one is slim with enough stretch in the fabrics for you to get another layer underneath without feeling that you're going to asphyxiate yourself when you do up the zip.

Speaking of the zip, it comes with a middling-sized puller that you can grab relatively easily with gloved fingers, although a little larger would help. There's a windproof baffle behind it and a chin guard at the top at the top of the tall, close-fitting collar, each doing its job well.

Wearing this over a long sleeve base and jersey will see you right for most cold winter temperatures you're likely to encounter in the UK. You'll need a waterproof jacket if you're out in proper rain but water will roll off the Windtex and Aero+ areas and keep you dry for a while – it can get through the untaped seams – but damp air won't soak into those panels.

The waist is drawn in by elastic gripper tape like you get around the hems of many shorts. It works fine and will cope with a wide variety of waist sizes because it's super-stretchy. Silicone print on the inside adds a bit of grip to help prevent it riding up as you pedal. The cuffs are the same fleecy fabric that's used for the back panels, again with enough stretch to fit closely without feeling tight. Breeze can get through that material so you need to cover it with the cuffs of your gloves if you don't want draughts on really cold days.

You get three big pockets around the back along with a fourth zipped one that's big enough to take any mobile phone (even one of the huge new-style ones like the iPhone 6 Plus). There's not acres of reflective trim but stripes on one pocket and on the wrists, along with reflective logos, all help out.

Lusso handmake their clothing in the UK – Radcliffe, Manchester, to be precise.

Verdict

Warm, well-made softshell at a reasonable price