Galibier Trail Wind Jacket

The Galibier Trail Wind Jacket is a lightweight windproof with neat design cues that work well when you're riding without it screaming 'I'm a cyclist' when your bike is nowhere in sight. With good windproofing and a small amount of shower resistance it's the ideal jacket to grab for those changeable weather conditions.

> Buy now: Galibier Trail Wind Jacket for £63.22 from Galibier 

Made from a recycled polyester mix (85% nylon, 15% Lycra) this jacket has a bit of a rustling sound to it when you move about, but on the whole the fabric is soft and pleasant against your skin. It's been ideal for this time of the year, when I've been throwing the Galibier top on over a short-sleeve jersey for early morning rides.

Primarily it's a windblocker, a job it does very well indeed as it kept those chilly gusts at bay during the early part of the testing. As things have warmed up it has worked its magic, taking the chill off and showing decent breathability, though if I start getting too warm and the weather is dry, I'd just unzip it anyway. There aren't any pit zips for extra ventilation, but I never really felt like I needed them.

Galibier makes no mention of any water resistance, but there does seem to be something that makes water bead off it. I've used it on drizzly or foggy days and it'll keep the moisture out, but if anything resembling real rain falls it will come through pretty quickly. But as I said, Galibier makes no claims of waterproofing, so that's fair enough.

The lengthy arms and shaped cuffs are effective at stopping chills running up your wrists and are narrow enough that they'll fit inside the cuffs of your gloves on colder rides.

The neck is mid-height, so I didn't find the lack of a zip garage caused any neck irritation and it's tall enough to minimise draughts running down your back.

The hood provides plenty of coverage and is also thin enough to fit comfortably underneath your helmet.

As a trail jacket its more relaxed fit is ideal for mountain biking and the gravel riding that I mostly used it for. The sizing is pretty much spot on and the cut is tailored so I didn't find it too baggy for riding on the road.

If you have an urban commute and tend to wear standard clothing the Galibier looks just at home with a pair of jeans as it does with Lycra.

The tail is dropped a little to provide a touch of cover when you are in a racy riding position and as I said, the arm length still keeps you covered when you're riding in the drops.

The fabric seems robust too. I've snagged a few brambles with no issues and constantly wearing a rucksack over the top hasn't seen any wear and tear showing up on the shoulders.

In fact, the quality of the garment throughout is very good. The only issue I had was that the full zip didn't run smoothly in a couple of places when I first started using it. After a week or so of using it daily it sorted itself and now runs smoothly from top to bottom – smooth enough that you can do it single-handedly when riding.

Galibier has included a bit of storage with a zipped rear pocket, which is big enough for a phone and some snacks, and you get a small, zipped chest pocket for essentials like keys or your cash/cards.

Value

At £63.22 – I love Galibier's quirky policy of not rounding-up its prices – you're getting a lot of jacket for your money.

Altura's Airstream Windproof jacket is now a fiver more expensive than we tested it last year at £65. It's a more road-focused jacket so it has a closer fit than the Galibier and doesn't have a hood, which may or may not be important to you. It's packable too, something the Galibier doesn't claim to be.

Specialized offers its Trail Wind Jacket, which is a polyester shell with an integrated hood. The main difference is that it doesn't have a full-length zip, so you pull it on over your head. The price? Well, at £100 it's a fair chunk more expensive. Specialized offers it in both men's and women's designs, which is the one that Suvi reviewed for us.

You can find more choices in our best cycling jackets buyer's guide.

Conclusion

Other than the initial slightly sticky zip the Galibier has been faultless, and it's been the jacket I grab for every gravel ride whether I'm wearing it or I have it stuffed in my frame bag. I think it performs well, fits great and looks good.

The fact that it does all of this for such a decent price means that it is a very good jacket overall.

Verdict

Great performance and fit, good looks on and off the bike – and an excellent price