Endura Windchill II review

The excellent-quality Windchill II features three deep, open pockets and a fourth smaller zipped pocket on the rear. A fifth zipped pocket on the front has a headphone port and a little cloth for wiping sunglasses sewn into it — all nice touches. There’s an elastic hem with silicone grippers to keep the gilet in place and stop it riding up.

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The front and shoulders have good levels of waterproofing, but the sides and rear immediately let in water, so I wouldn’t recommend this for use in prolonged rain. The front fabric is also breathable, so it didn’t get too sweaty either.

Of all the gilets on test, the Endura offered the greatest level of insulation, thanks to the use of Thermo Roubaix fabric on the sides and back, and this extra-thick insulationis reflected in the weight. At almost 300 grams, it’s pretty heavy for a sleeveless garment. The Windchill II is designed to be worn throughout a ride, as it’s much too bulky to pack down into a jersey pocket.

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Although very comfortable, this gilet is unfortunately let down by its mediocre fit, with the sizing being completely inconsistent relative to the rest of Endura’s range and out of synch with the build of the majority of road cyclists. A size medium was far too big for me and the size small was also too large, not only across the chest, but also in length. On the plus side, this is not an expensive gilet and is likely to prove durable.