Assos Equipe R Habu Winter Jacket S11

The Assos Equipe R Habu Winter Jacket S11 is the latest generation of this aero fit top designed to provide protection in the most challenging conditions. It has some great features that perform as well as advertised, but also a few that might make you question the hefty price tag.

> Buy now: Assos Equipe R Habu Winter Jacket S11 for £335 from Assos

My recent rides have really been testing the quality and claims for some winter cycling kit. Damp, sub-zero and mucky conditions have fully tested Assos' jacket, and ultimately it's done a great job of keeping me warm and dry. The S11 version of the Habu is claimed to combine an aerodynamic 'second skin' fit with a range of supple softshell fabrics that can repel water. I'd really agree with the word supple, as it's one of the softest jackets I've seen. And despite the fabrics being, erm, soft, they still perform really well when dealing with road spray and drizzle.

I've worn this jacket in temperatures between -1 and +8°C and my body and arms have stayed warm without overheating. Typically, I've worn it with a baselayer and long sleeve jersey underneath, and varied the thickness of the jersey according to how cold it is.

As an exterior shell, it's been good at shielding the body from cold air, but also remained very breathable. I particularly like the extra thickness in the sleeves, which provides much more warmth in this area than I've experienced with other jackets.

The jacket is constructed with a range of fabrics in different areas, with the primary one on the upper torso being Airblock-Evo888 softshell. This is claimed to be wind resistant and waterproof, and is also incredibly elastic. Internally, the front lining of the jacket has a waffle texture, and although it's not worn directly against the skin, it is very light and soft to the touch.

The sleeves and back make use of the Assos RX fabric with 'winterfoam'. This is a relatively thick material and very effective at providing warmth.

I have to confess, until I found myself riding in the worst of UK conditions I underestimated just how good this jacket's 'stormproofing' was. Riding through heavy drizzle for almost an hour, I remained bone dry inside the jacket, which is testament to its techy fabrics. I wouldn't describe it as a full waterproof, but that's a real feature that shines – often you're faced with a decision on choosing waterproofing or warmth, this jacket delivers both.

Size & fit

The medium size jacket I've been testing fits me well. I'm 181cm and relatively slim around the chest and shoulders, and the jacket is relatively roomy on the chest. I think this is a good thing, especially as typically I'd be wearing it with a couple of layers beneath.

Likewise, the sleeves are not skin tight but also not too loose, and are a good length, too, able to pass over the top cuff of my winter gloves.

Features

The rear pockets are good, with enough room to carry a spare tube and pocket pump, plus a phone and some hearty winter snacks. One feature I particularly like is the 'triple ramp' – basically an additional flap that ensures road spray doesn't enter the pockets. There's also an element of reflective coating over the seams of the rear pocket, which adds a subtle bit of additional visibility for being seen from behind.

There are a couple of features I didn't rate, though. Firstly, the front Assosoires pocket struck me as a bit pointless; it's basically a zipless light mesh that won't really support much more than a credit card. Assos claims it provides 'secure storage for shell gloves or heavier accessories', but I tried putting a spare inner tube and some winter gloves in it and while it does hold them, it doesn't really support them, drooping down when you're standing up and even more so in a riding position. Generally I don't think I'd use a front pocket for any real storage anyway. At best, it might be a good place to pop your gloves when ordering at the café, but I certainly wouldn't be using it for much more.

Also, I really wasn't a fan of the collar design. Assos calls this the 'StruzzoKragen', and it contains lighter, soft insulation. It's designed to be comfortable even with the zip fully up, so the throat stays warm. Despite zipping up relatively high on the neck, it is almost too soft and doesn't have much structure. It felt almost as if the jacket had been designed to be worn with a snood. My preference for a winter jacket would be something more akin to what's seen on Castelli's Perfetto jackets, which can be unzipped but maintain a position high on the neck. I would recommend taking a closer look at this before deciding whether to buy this jacket as it's an integral part of the design.

Colour-wise, I tested the Stone Blue jacket, but it's also available in 'Optic Yellow' (black with fluoro patches) and all black.

Value

At £335, the Equipe R Habu Jacket is one of the most expensive we've reviewed on road.cc (though it still pales in comparison to its £635 and £575 siblings).

While I don't think I could ever justifying paying this much for a single item of clothing, there's clearly a market for high-end cycling kit, and it's not outrageous compared with ski-wear and extreme hiking jackets.

We haven't tested much that would be directly comparable of late, but Castelli's Perfetto RoS jacket offers similar waterproofing and – in my opinion – a better collar. Liam thought it was excellent when he reviewed it in 2022, and though it's gone up in price since it is still 'only' £260. The Assos has better rear pockets, though, and it is undoubtedly warmer; it's something I'd rather wear when temperatures get down around zero.

There are some very good and much cheaper options, too – for example, Laurence thought Van Rysel's Racer Extreme was very good for the money – that being £89.99 – and the dhb Aeron Deep Winter Softshell also boasts a number of the desirable features from the Assos jacket, and comes in almost 60% cheaper at £140.

For more options, check out our guide to the best winter cycling jackets.

Conclusion

Overall, the Assos Equipe R Habu S11 is a seriously expensive jacket offering seriously good protection. Particularly impressive was the performance in tough winter conditions – it dealt brilliantly with temperatures near zero, and also kept me bone dry. I've certainly enjoyed wearing it, but it's not without issues, which for me makes the price hard to swallow.

> Buy now: Assos Equipe R Habu Winter Jacket S11 for £335 from Assos

Verdict

Premium full winter jacket that's warm and dry, but pricey and not without niggles