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SEVEN DAY CYCLIST
CYCLING, BUT NOT USUALLY RACING
LATEST UPDATE: JUNE 28th
HOW DO WE DECIDE OUR OVERALL RATINGS FOR PRODUCTS WE REVIEW?
Sportful Total Comfort Jacket
365g XL Red Rhumba/Black (as tested) RRP £299 (offer £149.50 at time of writing)
The Sportful Total Comfort Jacket is a road orientated soft-shell winter garment offering water-resistance and wind-proofing. “Comfort” hits the nail on the head, but everything about it indicates sportier road riding, making it ideal for the winter trainer, for day road trips, and sports-commuting in cold weather. “In perfect comfort against any winter conditions” is a rough translation of the Sportful tag-line for the Total Comfort Jacket. Quite a claim, but I have not been disappointed.
Pros: warm, comfortable, breathable, effective.
Cons: cost.
Spec and materials
Polartec fabric is sandwiched between a breathable NeoShell outer layer – waterproof and breathable – and an inner of Alpha Direct for warmth and breathability. Despite the “waterproof” outer, the jacket is described as “water-resistant”, but the tail and cuffs have an additional water-repellent treatment. All this is very neatly put together, combining to feel comfortable down to -5C, according to Sportful.
The collar is high enough to form a seal, but the material is soft to prevent discomfort. The cuffs are less tight, but fit snugly, whilst slip neatly over, or under, glove cuffs. The waist is elasticated and, effectively part of the broader tail and lower-front. The rear section of the hem has a gripper strip, but the front does not. there's a tactile mesh lining to keep things comfortable and aid wicking.
The sturdy full-length zip feels very durable, but there’s no baffle or storm flap.
Although described as a regular fit, it is made by Sportful – clue in the name – and is sportier than most ‘regulars’ I have come across. For example, the front of the jacket has quite a high cut – higher than, say, the Chapeau Club Thermal Jersey. The sporty theme continues with the three rear pockets. These are deeper than those on many other jerseys and jackets I have come across. This makes them easier to access when hunkered on the drops than when in a more upright position; and should give more secure stowage.
The jacket is available in a variety of colours.
Size and fit 4/5
There’s a handy size chart for women’s and men’s garments on the Saddleback website as well as the Sportful one. Sizes run from S to XXXL. The XL was spot on for me according to that, and it fits perfectly. Sportful describe it as a regular fit, however, compared to some it is on the sportier side of regular. It is figure hugging with a traditional dropped back and a higher cut front. Stouter cyclists may need to take that into account, but the fit is appropriate to the season and the road discipline.
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That the fit is snug should not be a problem as a base-layer is all that is likely to be used underneath it. The thickest I have – the Tucano Urbano Nord Thermal Vest – fitted no trouble.
Care and durability 4/5
Care instructions recommend washing at 30C and line drying in the shade. Well, wash over, and spin complete, the first ‘dry’ had to be indoors due to rain – needless to say, I did not fling it over a radiator. Six hours saw things dry, but it is worth noting that the interior fabric was dry much quicker and would have been wearable, especially over a base-layer, after two. Of course, that might impact performance, but could be helpful if needed quickly.
300 miles and several washes in there’s no sign of deterioration. Shamefully, I have also done the gardening, completed the post ride bike wash and re-lube, and walked the dog along overgrown footpaths before changing into civvies. None has done it any harm.
Performance 4.5/5
Comfortably warm at 0C, combined with a technical thermal base-layer (in this case made by Helly Hansen), things did not get clammy when the temperature rose to 8C and things got a bit hillier. When the temperature reached double figures, things felt quite hot. Discard the base-layer and the Total Comfort Jacket feels fine next to the skin, but that may not be the ideal situation and is, to some, anathema.
Initially, I’d wondered if the higher cut at the front might be a weak spot. I’ve got used to the Chapeau Club Thermal Jersey, which has a lower front. I was wrong. It didn’t ride up as I’d feared. In any case, paired with bib-shorts – such as Chapeau Tempo Thermal Bib-Shorts – and any issue is negated. It will, of course, suit those riders who like to get as horizontal over the drops as they can. Meanwhile the dry-back and gripper hem hold things tight to the rear.
So, how waterproof or water-resistant is it? I’ve been out in a couple of hours British drizzle and mizzle, the jacket has just ignored it. I have not yet been able to head out in a snow storm, but I’d feel confident in doing so. Torrential rain for nearly two hours? Some ingress up the sleeves and a drip or two down the neck, but the interior remained bone dry, keeping the torso nice and warm in the wind-chill. Frankly, this was much better than I had expected and beats most other soft-shells I have come across. I was almost tempted to ride for another hour or two rather than head for the shelter of home and cheering cup of tea.
The deep pockets have enabled me to ditch even a small seat-pack. Small pump, gas, multi-tool, repair kit, tyre levers, spare blinkies, phone, all have gone in, and stayed put. There’s a zipped side pocket for emergency cash, keys, credit card.
Value 4/5
I’ve liked the Chapeau Club Thermal Jersey, but it is not as water-resistant nor does it operate so well at really low temperatures, in my experience. However, the sizing offers easier layering if that is your preference. However, it is much cheaper.
Stolen Goat's Climb and Conquer Winter Jacket is more of a direct comparator. It stands up well on the temperature stakes, but felt less tactile, feels stiffer, and did not perform so well in very heavy rain, in my opinion. Even so, with some neat additional, if peripheral features, it is well worth a look. Equally, the latest version is described as a “UK Winter Jacket”, which you may wish to take in to account if you are based elsewhere. It comes in around half the rrp of the Sportful Total Comfort, but is similar to the offer price.
LeCol, Rapha, and other brands offer specialist winter jerseys and jackets offering a similar spec. Value will depend on where you do your winter cycling, the likely temperature range and the type of precipitation expected. At this price point, you’d want to be clear about what you want, so value for money may be quite a personal issue. In the long run you are getting a very good bit of gear, and the Sportful Total Comfort has many strong features, and no weaknesses.
Summary
The Sportful Total Comfort Jacket is sporty, comfort and gives very good weather protection. The deep pockets are a definite plus for the light-weight rider. You may find it discounted, too. Overall, well-worth considering, for the winter roadie, commuter, and faster day-tripper.
