Castelli Limitless Puffy Vest
Value: £210 / $249.99 / €199.95
Sizes: XS-3XL
Weight: 136 grams – Measurement S
Colors: Six
Pockets: Two
One of many big selection of gilets, or vests that I’ve been testing over the previous 12 months is the Castelli Limitless Puffy Vest. A light-weight gilet from Castelli that makes use of the presently fashionable Polartec Alpha insulation to spice up heat.
Castelli pitches the Limitless Puffy, which can also be out there in a jacket model, as a bit that is designed for a variety of driving from common street rides to off-road adventuring, gravel, bike packing and many others.
It is a trendy piece from Castelli but it surely does carry a heavy price ticket at £210 / $249.99 / €199.95 RRP, you possibly can choose it up cheaper on-line or in sure variations within the Castelli outlet, but it surely’s partially on account of among the tech it options, which I get into beneath.
I have been driving within the gilet for a while now, I’ve travelled with it and examined it driving in a few totally different nations, within the dry and moist and on and off-road in addition to at totally different driving intensities.
The Limitless Puffy additionally options in our finest biking gilets patrons information.
Design and aesthetics
The Limitless Puffy is accessible in six totally different colors, my vibrant crimson model seems to have been up to date to a barely darker ‘Bordeaux’ colourway however there’s additionally a vibrant 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 sporting with it, and the way laborious you’re driving.
Options-wise, the vest has three pockets in whole, two on the rear and a roomy zippered chest pocket on the left-hand facet. The 2-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 do you have to choose to.
The Limitless Puffy feels very gentle and delicate. The surface is a delicate and frivolously 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 for the time being and is used on a lot of bits of package. The fabric options light-weight artificial fibres that resist moisture however supply good thermal properties while nonetheless being breathable. In easy phrases, it’s going to assist maintain you heat with out overheating or turning into waterlogged from sweat.
Polartec Alpha fibres are light-weight and compressible, which implies they do not stop the gilet from packing down effectively. The Limitless Puffy will simply pack down into a light-weight jersey pocket and could be a welcome pal once 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 maintain bulk down.
Match-wise, the gilet is reduce very well for my part. It isn’t an excellent stretchy, race-cut piece, nowhere close to as tight becoming or stretchy as one thing just like the Spatz BurnR2.
Neither is it saggy, which might put me off utilizing it on the street, it has simply an ever so barely extra relaxed match, which I believe Castelli has completed an awesome job on. I can put on it over a street jersey for a street journey and it is wonderful, there’s maybe just a few extra creases and crinkles however for coaching or common driving this does not matter. It is also unfastened sufficient that it’s going to work effectively if you happen to’re sporting it with a extra relaxed gravel or mtb outfit, even with saggy shorts and many others.
The 2 pockets on the rear are additionally much less tightly cinched in and elasticated, which while being very efficient for pockets, on the street makes gilets sit a bit awkwardly at instances when you have got them unzipped. The identical will be stated for the hem itself, it is not too tight. In case 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 many others, it suits very well, nearly like an everyday gilet or vest would and this does add to the model and feel-good issue.
Efficiency
The Limitless Puffy Vest has carried out effectively for me throughout the board. Certainly one of my first rides in it was in Italy on the Sram Purple AXS launch within the spring. I examined the DWR coating on a moist journey underneath two hours in size on the finish of the journey and was impressed with the DWR efficiency in what was fairly a moist journey. I would think about in time and after a lot of washes it might begin to put on however a minimum of out of the field, there is a good degree of safety there from rain or spray.
Consolation is great and the gilet at all times feels comfortable and cozy once you pull it on. Most of us have in all probability ended up standing round at one level or one other on a journey getting chilly or getting a bit shivery at a restaurant cease, maybe too early within the 12 months once you actually ought to have identified higher and sat inside. Pull the gilet on for one thing like this and you will assume ‘Ahh that is higher’ It is nice for moments like that.
By way of precise heat and breathability, the Polartec Alpha is battle-proven and works very effectively. The little bit of additional room within the reduce means you possibly can 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’s 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 am not carrying an excessive amount of in them, my mini pump tends to take a seat horizontally and appears a bit messy for instance. I believe I choose the match of a comfortable three-pocket setup. I journey extra on the street than the rest although. However, I admire what the looser pockets do for the informal match and the way in which the gilet sits. It isn’t been designed for an everyday triple street picket I do not assume. It is hardly a deal breaker both manner however it could matter to you.
Worth
I believe at full value, the Limitless Puffy could be a little bit of a tough promote for lots of riders. I can hear clubmates say, ‘That is what I might spend on my winter biking jacket’.
If on the value level, you are specializing in the finest winter biking jackets or maybe finest winter bib tights an identical outlay for a gilet could not characterize the most effective worth.
Nonetheless, it’s a nice piece of package and could be very versatile. Maybe when you’ve got all the opposite important package bases coated you’ll then go for it so as to add a bit extra versatility and construct out your package bag.
Yow will discover it on-line in varied gross sales for lots much less cash on some websites, I see the gilet on-line for the time being in some gross sales with almost 50% off.
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Verdict
I can discover nearly nothing to fault within the Limitless Puffy, it is trendy, comfy and nice to put on and brings glorious versatile heat and breathability to the desk because of the Polartec Alpha materials.
In case you do a lot of several types of driving at totally different intensities and like to hold an additional layer then you’ll find it irresistible. In case you typically journey on the street and with a bit extra intent, you possibly can in all probability obtain the identical with a extra commonplace gilet with out the insulation or any variety of different package combos.
Lastly, let’s not neglect that it is simply good to have decisions. There is a heck of numerous nice package on the market to select from now, and that is one other robust possibility. In case you just like the look of it and fancy treating your self you will not be let down by the Limitless Puffy.
| Design and aesthetics | A classy and efficient design with a spread of color and dimension choices | 9/10 |
| Thermal administration | Wonderful because of the Polartec Alpha materials and to a lesser extent the 2 manner zipper | 9/10 |
| Packability | Excellent, comfortably folds down and suits into a regular jersey pocket | 9/10 |
| Consolation and match | Very delicate, comfy and effectively becoming | 9/10 |
| Worth | I can discover little fault with the vest, however it’s a costly, will some riders obtain the identical with extra inexpensive bits of package | 8/10 |
| Total | Row 5 – Cell 1 | 44/50 |
