Castelli Idro 3 Women’s Jacket

The Castelli Idro 3 Women's Jacket is mostly fantastic – it's light, windproof, waterproof, packable and yet breathable enough to keep on even when the rain stops. The narrow cut of the forearms isn't exactly perfect though, and given the high price of this even against other Shakedry jackets, that's disappointing.

I was keen to get out in the Idro 3. Thankfully, the weather has been 'kind' enough to provide near perfect conditions over the last month - a cocktail of mild to very cold weather, with plenty of showers and bouts of heavy rain. Delightful, if you're a duck. Or you own a jacket made of Gore-Tex's windproof, waterproof wonderstuff, Shakedry.

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The last jacket I tested that used it was Rapha's Pro Team Lightweight jacket, over three years ago. Before that Tass tested Gore's own Women's C5 and the C7 'Viz' version, and since all these use the same coveted fabric, detailing and cut will be your main influencing factors.

I tested a medium, selected after checking Castelli's size chart. The fit around my shoulders and torso is spot on and the collar height is well-judged; high enough to feel snug, without being stifling.

Thanks to some stretch in the lower rear panel – it's a new fabric called Topo – well-packed pockets (or excess holiday weight) are easily accommodated. I found both body and arm length spot on too. However, for me the tapering in the forearms is just too aggressive. It feels tight here and doesn't move freely with a thick jersey beneath, while the rest of the jacket does.

For sure I'd be picking Rapha's jacket over Castelli's if I was judging solely on fit.

The cuff detailing sets the Idro 3 apart too, with a gaiter designed to 'integrate' with gloves and add a bit of soft luxury. However, it's a little strange to add something that absorbs water to a jacket designed to repel the stuff. Yes it feels soft, but when wet – say if your gloves don't 'integrate' all the way over it – it turns into a clingy, elasticated wrist band.

Performance

I think we've all arrived at the conclusion that Shakedry is the pinnacle of waterproofing, at least for now (assuming you're not looking for something to crash in too often, anyway). Even so, Topo, the new, waffle-textured panel of fabric at the rear, seems to hold off rain just as well.

Consequently any kind of rain, from drizzle to moderate to biblical, is no problem for the Idro 3.

This panel is not attached on the upper edge, which allows it to stretch effectively and gives access to pockets. It may marginally enhance breathability over a solid rear panel – there's an escape channel for heat – but I'm not 100% convinced. I personally didn't find accessing pockets through it easy either, as there's a generous rain-proofing overlap that's difficult to navigate while riding.

I never felt the urge to remove the jacket in between showers – Shakedry doesn't make you boil-in-the-bag to the extent some waterproofs do – which means it works well to keep you warm as well as dry.

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The YKK zip is easy to use anyway, certainly more so than Rapha's two-way with its stiff flap. This in itself is a massive pro; no one wants an awkward, fiddly zip in a race against an incoming shower.

Castelli has added some very subtle reflective detailing with a trim along the lower hem and strips down both sleeves. It's hardly Altura Nightvision, but it's a step in the right direction.

It packs away as well as any other. The rear panel adds a little more bulk, but it's barely worth noting.

Value

This jacket is £300, £20 less than the men's Idro 3 that Leon recently tested. As mentioned, other Shakedry options include Gore's C7 for £279.99 (it's had a £30 hike since Tass tested it), or Rapha's Pro Team Lightweight at £220.

It's perfectly reasonable to be put off by all three having a feminine cut, so maybe it's fair to bring 7mesh's £249 Oro into the equation.

I'm not one to shy away from riding in the rain or cold, and as such I'm to happy spend on high-performance, made-to-last kit – that Rapha Pro Team Shakedry is still performing as it did on day one, which averages the cost out to just over £73 per year. For me, the expense of this fabric is justified.

If the Idro 3 manages the same performance that would work out to £100 per year, but as the new Topo fabric is an unknown it's hard to say. Even so, the Rapha isn't being beaten on price. Read that sentence again, it may sound a little odd...

Conclusion

The fit at the forearms is the biggest issue I have with the Idro 3, but this won't be a problem for everyone. While I'm personally not won over by the Idro's new details, they certainly add a degree of functionality that, without doubt, some riders will appreciate.

However, even if there were no fit issues for me, I'd be unlikely to pay an extra £80 for the Idro 3 over Rapha's Shakedry equivalent. Even with Castelli's superior YKK zip, the cuff detail and stretchy panel simply haven't won me over. If only we could custom order these jackets: Rapha's fit, Castelli's zip, Gore's pouch...

Verdict

It's Shakedry, it genuinely keeps you dry... the narrow forearms won't suit everyone though, and it's very expensive