Castelli Meccanico Puffy Jacket

Castelli has hit the mark with its lifestyle Meccanico Puffy Jacket, designed for mechanics and leisure time in cold, wintry conditions – keeping you warm and looking good when off the bike.

If there's one thing you can expect from Castelli, it's great Italian style. The Puffy jacket, which has emerged alongside other top-line lifestyle garments from the likes of Rapha and Vulpine, has it in spades. A decently slim-fit cut presides, so those of a cycling build won't get lost in it, while the panels are nicely distributed all-round with nice touches like the Castelli branding on the shoulder.

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Inside, you'll find a fleece back and synthetic down filling providing the insulation against the elements – and these combine to be very good at keeping the wind off and the heat in. Cuffs are well tapered too, alongside a nicely designed neckline, which helps keep the wind from sneaking down into the body of the jacket.

Castelli says the jacket is perfect for temperatures reading 10°C and below, and we tend to agree. We'd not be surprised if it functioned well in near-freezing weather too, which is high praise considering the bulk the Meccanico Puffy Jacket name implies, but in reality doesn't have.

The jacket also comes with a hood – always useful, though it doesn't detach from the neck. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, as I found it well shaped and not at all heavy. This meant there was no bunching or annoying hanging around the ears when bent over, so I hardly noticed it at all when not using it.

One thing it won't protect you against, though, is rain. The fabric used on the exterior of the jacket is quite flimsy to the touch, and although this brings with it lightness, it won't be keeping out water at all – which raises the concern that, should you get caught in a sudden downpour, it might damage the synthetic down filling inside.

That said, Castelli itself claims the Puffy Jacket will fit underneath a waterproof layer such as a rain shell, which given the lightness and svelteness of the Puffy's construction, is very much a practical reality.

> Check out our guide to the best clothing to keep you warm on the bike here

In terms of pockets, you'll find two in the traditional places. This bare minimum requirement helps to keep the jacket's lines clean, but I can't help thinking a breast pocket or two wouldn't have gone amiss – if you wear it while tinkering with your bikes in your shed, extra places to keep tools on your person are always going to be useful.

Castelli has priced the jacket at £180 – which, like most Castelli products, is on the expensive side. That said, if you're after a quality, good-looking, warm dry-weather jacket that fits well (for a cyclist!), then compared against other premium brands in cycling and wider lifestyle ranges, it's not at all bad and worth considering.

Verdict

Lovely cold-weather jacket, with a stylish cut. Just avoid using in the rain without a waterproof layer over the top