Sometimes the best jacket is also the least jacket. What makes a windbreaker great is when it combines ultra-lightweight construction so it can pack in a pocket with no fuss, a form-fitting cut to keep it from flapping, and a material that can repel water and yet remain breathable. And this, is precisely what makes the Castelli Leggera Women's Jacket such a find.
The Leggera Jacket is constructed from Castelli's Forcefield fabric, which weighs only 35 grams per square meter. Butterflies weigh more. It even comes with its own stuff sack, making it as easy to take with you as your cell phone and just as silly to forget.
The zipper is typically the Achilles heel of a lightweight jacket; a stiff, heavy zipper can make even the best jacket difficult to stuff in a pocket. Fortunately, the Leggera's zipper is both light and flexible. The jacket also features a mesh lined, high-cut collar to keep it from sticking uncomfortably to your neck in damp conditions.
The back of the Leggera Jacket is vented to make sure you get adequate moisture relief even when riding all-out. Perhaps even more important is how this well-designed vent allows air to enter without instantly turning you into the Michelin Man -- no style points for that look.
The Castelli Leggera Women's Jacket comes in Black and White and in five sizes from X-Small to X-Large. Two reflective tabs improve your visibility in low-light conditions.
Related Categories:
- Castelli Women's Jackets & Vests
- Women's Jackets & Vests
- Everything from Castelli.
Castelli Leggera Jacket Reviews:
Positive Reviews:
The Leggera jacket is one of my most used clothes for my rides. If it's chilly, like 45--50ish, I put it on and ride until I, or the weather, warms up. Then, I just take it off, tuck it into my back pocket and off I go again. It is feather light and very packable. Lots of jackets say they are light/packable, but this one really is! For wind, it is excellent. There is a vent in the back which allows the wind to pass through the jacket and out, so you don't get a big puff marshmallow affect from trapped air. The material is breathable, but is also quite warm for its weight. It sheds water, so if you get caught under grey clouds, just snatch it from your back pocket (you did pack it before you left, didn't you?) and you are instantly warm and ready for the rain. The cut of the jacket is nice, especially the detail at the crook of the elbow where they gathered the material to make it comfy when you ride.
I tried a lot of wind/rain jackets before settling on this one. About 10 or so. I resisted the Leggera cuz I didn't want lime green or electric orange or lost-in-the-dark black. I wanted white. Which is perfect, since it comes in white...but I really don't like pink, and it has pink in it. I got over that little issue once I got the jacket on and out. It's great!! (And I am a very picky gal)
Ride safe out there!
I looked at a lot of jackets before choosing this one. I love it!! I was looking for: extremely lightweight, fits easily in jersey pocket, wind and water resistant, and a female-friendly cut. This fits the bill perfectly, plus it's got great venting so you don't overheat in it. I wore it yesterday on slushy roads with a slight drizzle and it kept me warm and dry. When the sun came out, I stuffed it into the cute little included pink bag (it clips to the inside of the jacket) and my jersey pocket. I chose black to avoid the mud/grease problem I had with my last jacket and glad I did. I love the feminine detailing on this jacket too. Like all Castelli clothing, it's a snug fit in your normal size, which I prefer. If you want room for some layers underneath, I would size up. It's not a rain proof jacket, more of a thin layer of wind/water protection. Love it!!
Since I use reviews so much on purchases, I thought I'd do one here. Based on some of these reviews I ordered a size up and it ended up being too big. I reordered the small (I'm 5'5" 122 lbs) and it fits perfect. I even have muscular arms, can fit a hoodie under the jacket and it still works. Maybe they changed the cut or possibly other people like to layer more. However if you're a cyclist that like a nice cut fit (no extra material), order based on the chart.
And so far I like it. Using it for CX season with a few layers for warm up. It's very light, probably not great in more than a light sprinkle, but nice for wind. Even wore it on my scooter into work today. I have it in orange is it's awesomely bright!
Another well-designed product from Castelli, made with excellent materials. This is not -- NOT -- going to keep you dry in a deluge. But it will protect you from spray and light rain, and it will take the chill off when the temps drop, while still maintaining breathability. Dual-zipper is nice for venting. The articulated sleeves are very comfortable, and the drop-tail hem gives plenty of coverage in the back. For almost every product in the universe, I take XS on top, but the SMALL was a better fit for me in this. (I'm 5'7", 122#.)
I bought this because of how easily you can carry this while cycling and need something just in case as Colorado weather can change quickly. I have not yet tried it during any formidable rain, but it does well with light rain. Nice fit.
Neutral Reviews:
The fit was great! I ordered the small, I'm 5'6", 125. I have very narrow shoulders and pretty thin arms. The jacket fit well, without loose material, but I could still fit a sweater underneath if I wanted an extra layer. The weight of the jacket seemed great, not too heavy, but thick enough to stop the wind. However, I order the jacket in white because I really liked the look of it from the picture on line, but when it arrived the white was see through, it looked like a garbage bag. Had the white been more solid I would have kept it because it seemed like a great jacket, but I just didn't like the look of the white.
I wore this while it was raining buckets. I was soaked and chattering by the end of the ride. Oh, well. At least it fits into its tiny stuff sack. It can be easily stowed and I'm sure I will keep using it as a stand by in my bike pack. I just need something beefier for the monsoon season afternoons.
The jacket was everything I was looking for: very lightweight shell, packs to a small size, but I decided to return because the orange was very fluorescent, hunter's blaze orange, and it ran small as others have reported. If you are at all on the fence about size or have arms that are bigger than a pipe cleaner, size up.