Velocio Men’s One Jacket

The Velocio Men’s One Jacket is marketed as a do-it-all piece of kit for winter riding, designed for use between 0-10°C. And in spite of being thin I found it impressively warm and incredibly windproof, and while not 100% waterproof its resistance to rain is good for a jacket that isn't a standalone waterproof.

> Buy now: Velocio Men's One Jacket for £258 from Via

Looking for a winter jacket? Check our best winter jackets buyer's guide. 

The One from Velocio is not what you expect for a cold-weather jacket. For a start, it's a lot thinner than most jackets with similar properties. And while you might think this may not make it warm enough, the opposite is true, as it packs a real punch when keeping you warm.

I paired this with Velocio's Deep Winter Base Layer that I was testing at the same time, and was blown away by the warmth they provided. As someone who runs quite hot on the bike, this combination was almost too hot for anything above about 5-6°C.

But this combination proved an excellent pairing when the weather turned colder, with the result that I never felt cold on any of my rides.

When I paired it with a thinner base layer than the Velocio I found I could stay warm down to around freezing – but without overheating when the thermometer was reading about 10°C, which is in line with Velocio's spiel.

I think that this jacket feels so warm because of its remarkable windproofing. When I've been riding during strong winds, I could feel the cold air on my legs and face, but none of it was getting through to my torso. The only other layers I've found with the same level of performance are dedicated windproof jackets.

This windproofing not only does a great job keeping you warm and keeping the chill off, the performance is also boosted further by the jacket's waterproof qualities.

It isn't a fully waterproof top, but wearing this as a top layer during a commute home it took about 20 minutes of heavy rain for it to start to saturate, and by about 30 minutes I was getting wet inside the jacket. But for a softshell like this I think that's pretty impressive.

If you are planning to wear this when the rain is really coming down and you need a dedicated rain jacket, I found the Velocio's pockets big enough for a rain jacket and mobile.

The other two pockets allowed me to carry sufficient snacks for big winter training rides that stretched out to five hours.

The pockets are quite high, though, which can make them a bit more of a challenge to get into, and may prove hard work if you struggle with mobility, though I found them okay.

The fit is a little larger than that offered by the likes of Castelli, so there's plenty of room for layering beneath it, which results in a little more flapping in the wind than you'd get with a closer-cut jacket, though not enough to be annoying.

But I did like the cut. The sleeves are long enough to not ride up when you're stretched out on the drops, and the back is dropped to keep your backside warm and keep out the road spray.

The elasticated cuffs sit reasonably tightly on your wrist, though they're not as snug as some. This makes them easier to get on and off, though it does leave a little more room for water to find its way in.

The two-way zip has a large flap in front of it, which helps with the jacket's wind- and water-resistance, though the size of the flap initially takes a little getting used to when you're trying to find the zip.

Velocio makes some big eco claims about the One jacket. It say it is designed without PFAS 'forever chemicals' and uses Biolon nylon, which reduces the carbon footprint by about 50% compared to virgin nylon. The jacket also comes in a compostable bag, which is another nice touch.

Value

All that said, the £276 price is pretty hard to swallow. It does perform really well, though, and it has everything I'd want from a winter jacket. But kitting yourself out with this and the accompanying base layer is going to cost you a fair whack.

The £209.99 Scott RC Pro jacket has a racier fit than the Velocio and is impressively reflective, though Nick didn't find it quite warm enough for winter.

Shaun found the £160 dhb Aeron Deep Winter Softshell very comfortable and effective against wind and moderate rain. He wasn't sure about the side-entry pockets, which he felt wouldn't work for everybody.

Castelli's Alpha Ros 2 jacket comes in at an even more whopping £320, but Mat was impressed with it and it's probably the jacket the Velocio One is likely to be going up against. The Castelli also boasts excellent windproofing and impressive water resistance.

Conclusion

I've been very impressed with the Velocio One jacket, which I found warm, windproof and with decent water resistance. The fit is good, with a looser cut that lets you layer up underneath it, and good eco credentials round out a well-thought-out product. But however good the quality, the cost is going to be a big barrier for many of us.

Verdict

An excellent winter jacket – warm, insanely windproof and decently water-resistant, but there's no ignoring the cost

> Buy now: Velocio Men's One Jacket for £258 from Via