Castelli Unlimited Puffy Vest overview: Packable Polartec fleece for a variety of using

One of the wide selection of gilets, or vests that I’ve been testing over the previous 12 months is the Castelli Unlimited Puffy Vest. A light-weight gilet from Castelli that makes use of the at the moment in style Polartec Alpha insulation to spice up heat. 

Castelli pitches the Unlimited Puffy, which can also be out there in a jacket model, as a bit that is designed for a variety of using from common highway rides to off-road adventuring, gravel, bike packing and so on. 

It’s a classy piece from Castelli however it does carry a heavy price ticket at £210 / $249.99 / €199.95 RRP, you may decide it up cheaper on-line or in sure variations within the Castelli outlet, however it’s partially as a result of a number of the tech it options, which I get into beneath. 

I’ve been using within the gilet for a while now, I’ve travelled with it and examined it using in a few totally different international locations, within the dry and moist and on and off-road in addition to at totally different using intensities. 

The Unlimited Puffy additionally options in our finest biking gilets consumers information. 

Design and aesthetics 

The Unlimited Puffy is out there in six totally different colors, my brilliant crimson model appears to have been up to date to a barely darker ‘Bordeaux’ colourway however there’s additionally a brilliant yellow possibility in addition to some darker earthier tones to select from. 

Castelli lists a temperature vary of 12C – 19C / 54F – 66F for the vest, however I’ve worn it in decrease temperatures than this, it’ll rely on what you are carrying with it, and the way onerous you’re using. 

Features-wise, the vest has three pockets in whole, two on the rear and a roomy zippered chest pocket on the left-hand facet. The two-way zip is from YKK and has a pleasant easy-to-grasp Castelli puller on the principle zip, which you can too take away simply must you want to. 

The Unlimited Puffy feels very gentle and delicate. The exterior is a delicate and flippantly rustly polyester which has a DWR coating. This kinds a double layer with the within of the gilet which options Polartec Alpha Direct insulating materials. Polartec Alpha is a well-liked materials in the mean time and is used on a lot of bits of equipment. The materials options light-weight artificial fibres that resist moisture however supply good thermal properties while nonetheless being breathable. In easy phrases, it is going to assist hold you heat with out overheating or changing into waterlogged from sweat. 

Polartec Alpha fibres are light-weight and compressible, which implies they do not stop the gilet from packing down nicely. The Unlimited Puffy will simply pack down into a light-weight jersey pocket and could be a welcome pal whenever you pull it on once more at a cease or if the climate turns. Its gentle weight additionally makes it a helpful possibility if you’re travelling or packing for a visit and need to hold bulk down.  

Fit-wise, the gilet is lower very well in my view. It’s not a brilliant stretchy, race-cut piece, nowhere close to as tight becoming or stretchy as one thing just like the Spatz BurnR2.

Nor is it dishevelled, which might put me off utilizing it on the highway, it has simply an ever so barely extra relaxed match, which I believe Castelli has achieved an important job on. I can put on it over a highway jersey for a highway trip and it is effective, there’s maybe a couple of extra creases and crinkles however for coaching or common using this does not matter. It’s additionally unfastened sufficient that it’s going to work nicely in case you’re carrying it with a extra relaxed gravel or mtb outfit, even with dishevelled shorts and so on.

The two pockets on the rear are additionally much less tightly cinched in and elasticated, which while being very efficient for pockets, on the highway makes gilets sit somewhat awkwardly at occasions when you could have them unzipped. The similar could be mentioned for the hem itself, it is not too tight. If you put on the gilet off the bike on an extended journey or at any type of cease, cafe, post-ride beers, in a single day keep and so on, it matches very well, nearly like a daily gilet or vest would and this does add to the model and feel-good issue.

Performance 

The Unlimited Puffy Vest has carried out nicely for me throughout the board. One of my first rides in it was in Italy on the Sram Red AXS launch within the spring. I examined the DWR coating on a moist trip underneath two hours in size on the finish of the journey and was impressed with the DWR efficiency in what was fairly a moist trip. I’d think about in time and after a lot of washes it could begin to put on however a minimum of out of the field, there is a good stage of safety there from rain or spray. 

Comfort is great and the gilet all the time feels comfortable and comfy whenever you pull it on. Most of us have in all probability ended up standing round at one level or one other on a trip getting chilly or getting somewhat shivery at a restaurant cease, maybe too early within the 12 months whenever you actually ought to have recognized higher and sat inside. Pull the gilet on for one thing like this and you may suppose ‘Ahh that is higher’ It’s nice for moments like that. 

In phrases of precise heat and breathability, the Polartec Alpha is battle-proven and works very nicely. The little bit of additional room within the lower means you may match the gilet over a number of layers and put on it in actually fairly chilly situations or simply over a jersey in hotter climate to take the sting off with out getting too sweaty. As talked about it is going to comfortably match right into a jersey pocket which makes it very helpful. 

The double pockets are roomy, however I discover them a bit unfastened feeling if I’m not carrying an excessive amount of in them, my mini pump tends to sit down horizontally and appears somewhat messy for instance. I believe I want the match of a comfortable three-pocket setup. I trip extra on the highway than anything although. On the opposite hand, I respect what the looser pockets do for the informal match and the way in which the gilet sits. It’s not been designed for a daily triple highway picket I do not suppose. It’s hardly a deal breaker both method however it might matter to you. 

Value 

I believe at full value, the Unlimited Puffy is perhaps a little bit of a tough promote for lots of riders. I can hear clubmates say, ‘That’s what I’d spend on my winter biking jacket’. 

If on the value level, you are specializing in the most effective winter biking jackets or maybe finest winter bib tights the same outlay for a gilet could not characterize the most effective worth. 

However, it’s a nice piece of equipment and could be very versatile. Perhaps in case you have all the opposite important equipment bases coated you’d then go for it so as to add a bit extra versatility and construct out your equipment bag. 

You can discover it on-line in varied gross sales for lots much less cash on some websites, I see the gilet on-line in the mean time in some gross sales with practically 50% off. 

Verdict 

I can discover nearly nothing to fault within the Unlimited Puffy, it is fashionable, comfy and nice to put on and brings glorious versatile heat and breathability to the desk because of the Polartec Alpha materials. 

If you do a lot of several types of using at totally different intensities and like to hold an additional layer then you’ll adore it. If you typically trip on the highway and with somewhat extra intent, you possibly can in all probability obtain the identical with a extra normal gilet with out the insulation or any variety of different equipment combos. 

Finally, let’s not neglect that it is simply good to have selections. There’s a heck of a variety of nice equipment on the market to select from now, and that is one other robust possibility. If you just like the look of it and fancy treating your self you will not be let down by the Unlimited Puffy.