Insulation jackets have become an integral part of outdoor sports. There's hardly a summit where someone isn't braving the wind in a Primaloft-lined jacket. Now the down substitute is also finding its way into the bike sector. But what is really behind the warming padding? And does the material actually have advantages for bikers? We explain how synthetic insulation fibres such as Primaloft and Polartec Alpha work and test six brand new jackets in the cold chamber.
CASTELLI Cross Prerace Jacket
Price 200,00 Euro
Info www.castelli-cycling.com
Weight¹ (L)/sizes 390 grams/XS-XXXL
Equipment (10 %) 3 back pockets, 1 side pocket, reflective
RATING
Processing (10 %) 10 out of 10 points
Moisture protection (15 %) 8 out of 10 points
Fit (30 %) 8 out of 10 points
Equipment (15 %) 7 out of 10 points
Insulation (30 %) 6 out of 10 points
Conclusion Conclusion Originally intended as a warm-up jacket, the lightest jacket in the test is also suitable for winter training. The cut is typically Castelli tight, the features are good. Where the jacket is not insulated, the water-repellent and vapour-permeable material repels drizzle - but doesn't warm you up as well.
BIKE-URTEIl² VERY GOOD
ENDURA Urban Flip Jak
Price 135,00 Euro
Info www.endurasport.com
Weight¹ (L)/sizes 405 gram/S-XXL
Equipment (10 %) 2 front slit pockets, breast pocket, hood, reversible function
RATING
Processing (10 %) 8 out of 10 points
Moisture protection (15 %) 8 out of 10 points
Fit (30 %) 6 out of 10 points
Equipment (15 %) 6 out of 10 points
Insulation (30 %) 7 out of 10 points
Conclusion Conclusion The name Urban reveals that Endura's reversible jacket is not optimised for biking. Nevertheless, the jacket offers good weather protection for winter cruising. When choosing a size, you should select one size smaller due to the casual cut. Can also be used for other outdoor activities.
BIKE-URTEIl² GOOD
GONSO Boundary V2
Price 160,00 Euro
Info www.gonso.de
Weight¹ (L)/sizes 450 gram/S-XXL
Equipment (10 %) Chest pocket, back pocket, back zip with garage, reflective
RATING
Processing (10 %) 6 out of 10 points
Moisture protection (15 %) 7 out of 10 points
Fit (30 %) 10 out of 10 points
Equipment (15 %) 10 out of 10 points
Insulation (30 %) 7 out of 10 points
Conclusion Conclusion Gonso sets standards in terms of fit and equipment, their cut anticipates the cycling position best, the equipment does not lack any detail. However, the wind can be felt on the shoulders and the back of the arms. An equivalent ladies' model is also available. There are a lot of loose threads on the inside.
BIKE-URTEIl² VERY GOOD
MAVIC Ksyrium Pro Thermo Jacket
Price 250,00 Euro
Info www.mavic.com
Weight¹ (L)/sizes 1030 gram/S-XXL
Equipment (10 %) 3 back pockets, chest pocket, ventilation, removable inner jacket
RATING
Processing (10 %) 8 out of 10 points
Moisture protection (15 %) 10 out of 10 points
Fit (30 %) 6 out of 10 points
Equipment (15 %) 9 out of 10 points
Insulation (30 %) 8 out of 10 points
Conclusion Conclusion The Mavic jacket is the best insulator against the cold. However, one kilo of fabric weighs relatively heavily, which is why the jacket is likely to be too warm above zero degrees and sunshine even without the removable inner jacket during strenuous training. Otherwise, you get a top product that is also available for women.
BIKE-URTEIl² VERY GOOD
SUGOI RSE Alpha
Price 254,00 Euro
Info www.sugoi.com
Weight¹ (L)/sizes 430 gram/S-XXL
Equipment (10 %) Chest pocket, 2 back pockets, reflective, back zip with garage
RATING
Processing (10 %) 8 out of 10 points
Moisture protection (15 %) 6 out of 10 points
Fit (30 %) 6 out of 10 points
Equipment (15 %) 8 out of 10 points
Insulation (30 %) 6 out of 10 points
Conclusion Conclusion Sugoi is the only manufacturer to use Polartec Alpha as insulation material instead of Primaloft - with similar properties. The cut suits riders with a long torso and thin forearms in particular, and the large amount of fabric at the front creates waves. There is no insulation at the elbows, which is why you quickly get cold here.
BIKE-URTEIl² GOOD
VAUDE Men's Primapro Jacket
Price 160,00 Euro
Info www.vaude.com
Weight¹ (L)/sizes 400 gram/S-XXL
Equipment (10 %) Back pocket with storage function, ventilation, back zip
RATING
Processing (10 %) 10 out of 10 points
Moisture protection (15 %) 6 out of 10 points
Fit (30 %) 9 out of 10 points
Equipment (15 %) 10 out of 10 points
Insulation (30 %) 7 out of 10 points
Conclusion Conclusion Vaude's Primapro impresses in four out of five categories and is the narrow winner of the test. The company's own "Green Shape" seal testifies to sustainable production. For example, the Primaloft filling is made from recycled material. The only drawback is the low level of protection against splash water at the back.
BIKE-URTEIl² VERY GOOD
¹BIKE test results ²The BIKE judgement is independent of price. BIKE judgements: super, very good, good, satisfactory, with weaknesses, unsatisfactory.
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INSULATION OFFENSIVE
If outdoor sports enthusiasts wanted to be particularly warm, they used to wrap themselves in the insulating clothing of geese and ducks. The three-dimensional structure of down stores a lot of warm air on the surface of the skin and prevents the cold from penetrating the body. However, after the US military commissioned a cosy combat suit for its army in the early 1980s, down increasingly faced competition from synthetic fibres. At the time, the Primaloft brand presented an ultra-light, water-repellent and highly compressible polyester fleece that was supposed to be just as warm as a layer of down. Primaloft has long since arrived on the outdoor scene. But the bike industry is hesitant. It was only a year ago that Vaude presented the first jacket with a synthetic fibre lining. In the meantime, several companies have recognised the potential of artificial down. Time to subject the new material to an initial test. We have found six models that have been specially designed for use on the bike.
The cut of the insulating jackets presents manufacturers with a particular challenge. Unlike with elastic membranes, the developers have to pack the fleece into many small chambers and position it skilfully for optimum insulation. As the many seams make the fabric panels inflexible, the cut has to be particularly elaborate so as not to restrict the biker's mobility. To compensate for this, most manufacturers use flexible stretch material, for example on the elbows or shoulders. A positive side effect of this is that it creates permeable areas where sweat can escape more easily. However, if the elasticated zones are positioned incorrectly, the frosty wind literally draws the body heat out of the jacket.
We wanted to know how well the new material actually insulates and equipped ourselves with sophisticated measurement technology. In the cold chamber of outdoor outfitter Globetrotter, a thermal imaging camera rigorously uncovered heat leaks at minus 20 degrees Celsius. Particularly interesting: the comparison with conventional softshell products. In order to be able to categorise the results from the cold chamber accordingly, we gave our Sister magazine TOUR borrowed a reference model. The Lerro Performance WS Jacket from Etxeondo won the Softshell test in the October 2014 issue A straight B for "insulation". However, under the tougher test conditions in the cold chamber, the softshell model would only score a poor three this time. The insulating jackets performed much better. Vaude, Gonso and Mavic also deliver really good cuts and keep bikers cosy and warm even in icy temperatures. It seems that soon no bird will have to sacrifice its warm down jacket for outdoor sports enthusiasts.
CONSTRUCTION
Primaloft registered the patent for this sophisticated polyester fibre back in 1986. The finest microfibres are welded together at countless contact points to form a tightly woven mesh. This traps body heat and keeps out the cold. The material has a very good ratio of heat retention to its own weight. The insulation is comparable to that of goose down. The fibres are so thin that they hug the body just as flexibly as down.
"Primaloft warms enormously." Interview with René Bethmann, Head of Materials at outdoor outfitter Vaude
How does the Primaloft material work?
Primaloft consists of a type of fleece. The ultra-fine polyester fibres found in the fleece retain body heat. It also insulates as an additional layer.
What distinguishes Primaloft from Polartec Alpha?
Polartec Alpha is a knitted fabric - Primaloft, on the other hand, is a fleece. The former has a relatively high degree of stretch thanks to its open knit. Primaloft can be stretched somewhat, but not to the same extent as a knitted fabric. Primaloft insulates extremely well, but somewhat less than down.
So what is the advantage over down?
Primaloft, depending on the product, consists of 100% synthetic fibres, so it contains no animal components. This is not only a criterion for vegans.
Is Primaloft as sensitive to moisture as down?
This is the great advantage of Primaloft: the siliconised polyester fibres offer lasting water repellency and retain their insulating effect even when damp. It also dries much faster than down.
Why is the material particularly suitable for bikers?
Thanks to the low weight and fast drying time, extremely warm products can be developed for the cold season with maximum performance.
Can Primaloft replace the classic softshell?
This depends on the temperature range. Padded products are generally designed for colder climates. At very high intensity, Primaloft reaches its limits because moisture transport is only guaranteed to a limited extent. At warmer temperatures, padding is therefore only recommended to a limited extent.
Does the material also have disadvantages?
Moisture transport, as described above. A capillary effect, as with a knitted fabric, is not readily possible. If insulation with very high stretch is required, Polartec Alpha is the better choice.
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Stefan Frey
Editor
