Best winter cycling jackets 2024 — stay warm and comfortable on your cold-weather rides

Despite being a cheaper option, you get a lot of jacket for your money with the Galibier GrandTour jacket. It's an excellent option with a great performance and a quality to rival some of the top cycling brands around. 

Tester Josh writes: "Immediately on receiving the jacket I was struck by the quality of the material and the cut – even more so when its modest price is taken into account. I've been blown away by the quality of the jacket, which is up there with those from the likes of Castelli and Rapha, but at a fraction of the price."

This jacket does a great job of keeping the heat in and also features a pleasingly large reflective panel on the rear of the back, which is great for kit designed for the darker months of the year. 

The Altura All Roads Fleece is a comfortable and well-priced multi-purpose fleece that looks good and will keep you warm. Tester Bryn said, "It's snug, warm and with good resistance to the elements when you're riding – it's also casual enough to use it when you're off the bike and reasonably priced". 

The body is made from a DWR (durable water repellent)-coated softshell, and with the High Loft fleece used for the upper section being naturally hydrophobic, the All Roads is a practical piece of clothing for changeable weather.

It's a relaxed fit but has cycling-specific features such as back pockets and a slightly tapered waist. 

 Gobik is a Spanish brand and clothing provider for pro team Ineos Grenadiers and their Unisex Thermal Armour Venta Jacket is an excellent winter jacket that copes well with the harshest of conditions. 

Gobike says that the jacket is suitable for temperatures between -5 and 10°C, and tester Ben said that it's warm and waterproof, has a great fit, and provides good breathability. 

 Ben writes: "Upon opening the jacket, I was a bit worried about breathability because the Polartec Alpha lining looks incredibly warm. I needn't have worried, though, as the material and the vents did a good job of regulating my temperature."

The only downside is that it's only available in black. 

Stolen Goat has rolled some novel design ideas into the Alpine Epic to create a jacket that works extremely well for riding in cruddy weather, suitable for temperatures between -5°C and 8°C according to Stolen Goat. 

Tester John writes: "There's something remarkably clever about the waffled/dimpled fabric Stolen Goat has used here. Wearing it, you know that it's cold and wet outside, but that cold and wet doesn't get through and seep into your bones. You're isolated from it even if you're not completely insulated". 

The Alpine Epic's fabric blocks the wind extremely effectively and insulates even when it's damp. It has impressive water resistance too - light rains beads and runs off. 

The Showers Pass Men’s EcoLyte Elite Jacket is one of the best waterproof, breathable, packable jackets on the market, making it a great choice for commuting in the British winter. 

It comes with great ventilation, a cut that suits all kinds of riding styles, and it's packable too. You even get a removable hood for those atrocious weather days and it's large enough to fit over the top of your helmet. 

In terms of construction, the outer face and lining are made from 100% recycled material, so it's got some eco credentials going for it, and so are the zips on the vents and rear pocket. The three-layer fabric is coated with a DWR (durable water repellent) finish which sees the rain water and road spray just bead off even in long, heavy downpours. 

The Castelli Alpha RoS 2 Jacket Men’s is an exceptionally versatile winter windproof jacket that's warm and highly water resistant, albeit with an RRP of £320. 

The exterior is made from Gore-Tex Infinium Windstopper 150 which, as the name suggests, prevents cold air from blowing in and although Gore doesn't call it waterproof, Infinium Windstopper 150 is way more water-resistant than you might expect. It's also highly breathable so you don't get that boil in a bag effect when you hit the climbs.

Another crucial element of the Alpha RoS 2 is the clever double-layer construction. The bottom line is that this structure isn't a gimmick, it works really well, allowing you to adjust things according to the conditions, the terrain, and your riding intensity, without the jacket as a whole flapping about or the need to stop and add/remove layers.

Tester Mat said, "I've been using this jacket in all kinds of winter conditions, and it has put in an exceptional performance throughout. Castelli says the Alpha RoS has a temperature range of -5°C to 10°C. The coldest I went in this jacket was -2°C, but it was a really blowy day and the wind chill meant it was considerably colder, so I'd say Castelli is about right."

Gore Tempest Women's Jacket is made of Infinium windstopper fabric and a DWR treatment and is designed for day-to-day winter riding in all but the wettest conditions. 

The Tempest offers a pleasingly cosy 'slim fit' cut (the middle of three fit options) along with a mega-soft fleece interior. It follows body contours without being skin-tight, and produces clean lines with decent space for layers. 

Tester Janine said, "Put simply, the super-effective wind protection and attractive design of this jacket is easy to love. The fleeced inner is so plush that it serves up that bit of extra motivation for those cold, dark commutes – exactly what you want from a winter cycling jacket". 

Le Col's Womens Hors Categorie Jacket II is a very warm jacket that offers excellent protection from the wind and rain while still being breathable, but this quality doesn't come cheap. 

I reviewed this one and was very impressed. The outer is made from Polartec's Power Shield fabric, a bio-based material offering a defence against both wind and rain. It performed fantastically at keeping out the elements, with rain and road spray beading effectively while completely blocking out the wind.

It's Polartec once again on the inside, in the form of its fleecy Alpha material. This feels very soft against your skin and kept me lovely and warm but without being sweaty.