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 at present widespread Polartec Alpha insulation to spice up heat.
Castelli pitches the Limitless Puffy, which can also be out there in a jacket model, as a chunk that is designed for a variety of driving from common street rides to off-road adventuring, gravel, bike packing and so forth.
It is a trendy piece from Castelli however it 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, however it’s partially as a consequence of a few of the tech it options, which I get into under.
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 offered in six totally different colors, my shiny purple model appears to be like to have been up to date to a barely darker ‘Bordeaux’ colourway however there may be additionally a shiny yellow choice 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 will depend upon what you are carrying with it, and the way onerous 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 primary zip, which it’s also possible to take away simply must you desire to.
The Limitless Puffy feels very gentle and mushy. The skin is a mushy and frivolously rustly polyester which has a DWR coating. This varieties 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 number of bits of equipment. The fabric options light-weight artificial fibres that resist moisture however supply good thermal properties while nonetheless being breathable. In easy phrases, it can 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 properly. The Limitless Puffy will simply pack down into a light-weight jersey pocket and could be a welcome good friend once you pull it on once more at a cease or if the climate turns. Its gentle weight additionally makes it a helpful choice in case you are travelling or packing for a visit and need to hold bulk down.
Match-wise, the gilet is minimize rather well in my view. It is not a brilliant 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 excellent job on. I can put on it over a street jersey for a street journey and it is advantageous, there’s maybe just a few extra creases and crinkles however for coaching or basic driving this does not matter. It is also unfastened sufficient that it’ll work properly when you’re carrying it with a extra relaxed gravel or mtb outfit, even with saggy shorts and so forth.
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 little bit awkwardly at instances when you have got them unzipped. The identical might be mentioned for the hem itself, it isn’t too tight. For those who put on the gilet off the bike on an extended journey or at any form of cease, cafe, post-ride beers, in a single day keep and so forth, it suits rather well, nearly like an everyday gilet or vest would and this does add to the fashion and feel-good issue.
Efficiency
The Limitless Puffy Vest has carried out properly for me throughout the board. Considered one of my first rides in it was in Italy on the Sram Pink 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 might think about in time and after a number of washes it could begin to put on however no less than out of the field, there is a good degree of safety there from rain or spray.
Consolation is great and the gilet all the time feels comfortable and comfy once you pull it on. Most of us have most likely ended up standing round at one level or one other on a journey getting chilly or getting a little bit shivery at a restaurant cease, maybe too early within the 12 months once you actually ought to have recognized higher and sat inside. Pull the gilet on for one thing like this and you may assume ‘Ahh that is higher’ It is nice for moments like that.
When it comes to precise heat and breathability, the Polartec Alpha is battle-proven and works very properly. The little bit of additional room within the minimize means you possibly can match the gilet over a number of layers and put on it in actually fairly chilly circumstances or simply over a jersey in hotter climate to take the sting off with out getting too sweaty. As talked about it can 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 little bit messy for instance. I believe I desire the match of a comfortable three-pocket setup. I journey extra on the street than the rest although. However, I respect what the looser pockets do for the informal match and the way in which the gilet sits. It is not been designed for an everyday triple street picket I do not assume. It is hardly a deal breaker both method however it might matter to you.
Worth
I believe at full worth, 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 worth level, you are specializing in the finest winter biking jackets or maybe finest winter bib tights the same outlay for a gilet could not signify the very best worth.
Nevertheless, it’s a nice piece of equipment and may be very versatile. Maybe when you’ve got all the opposite important equipment bases lined you’d then go for it so as to add a bit extra versatility and construct out your equipment 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 in the mean time 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, snug and nice to put on and brings wonderful versatile heat and breathability to the desk because of the Polartec Alpha materials.
For those who do a number of various kinds of driving at totally different intensities and like to hold an additional layer then you’ll adore it. For those who typically journey on the street and with a little bit extra intent, you could possibly most likely obtain the identical with a extra commonplace gilet with out the insulation or any variety of different equipment combos.
Lastly, let’s not overlook that it is simply good to have selections. There is a heck of plenty of nice equipment on the market to select from now, and that is one other robust choice. For those who 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 measurement choices | 9/10 |
| Thermal administration | Glorious because of the Polartec Alpha materials and to a lesser extent the 2 method zipper | 9/10 |
| Packability | Excellent, comfortably folds down and suits into a typical jersey pocket | 9/10 |
| Consolation and match | Very mushy, snug and properly 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 equipment | 8/10 |
| Total | Row 5 – Cell 1 | 44/50 |