Santini’s classic Italian lines and fit are on display with the new Svolta Jacket. Aimed at conquering winter’s chill, the Santini Svolta jacket is warm and protective for cold-weather riding.
Santini Svolta Winter Jacket Features:
- Zero Wind softshell main body fabric
- Blizzard thermofleece underarms
- Three rear jersey pockets
- Asymmetrical cuffs to seal out the chill
- Fleece-backed collar for warmth
- MSRP: $240
Bright colors; racy fit
As the ultimate outer layer with the Svolta Bib Tights and Thermal Jersey, the Svolta Winter Jacket has delivered an outstanding winter riding package that’s suitable for the coldest days. The entire Svolta cold-weather kit is available in bright colors that are well-coordinated for a solid look and fantastic visibility. Dubbed “Flashy Orange,” this kit is impossible to miss on dreary winter days.
Indeed, Santini has won the visibility game, but the Svolta Jacket doesn’t stop there. As with the full Santini line, the Svolta kit is made in Italy with the finest materials. In this case, we’re talking about a mixture of softshell and fleece materials for warmth, stretch and weather-resistance.
The stretchy body uses Zero Wind softshell fleece features a light DWR treatment with fabric that is highly water resistant. It’s not waterproof, and the DWR treatment is pretty weak, so only a light mist beads up on it. Heavy rain or constant water quickly soaks into the face fabric. But, the good news is that it won’t penetrate inside the jacket unless you’re in the rain for an extended period of time. How long? I’m not quite sure, but just don’t count on it as a rain barrier.
The fleece backing offers a cozy and warm feel, but will pull your jersey or base layer sleeves up to your elbows if they don’t have a slick face fabric. Both the Svolta Thermal Jersey and Bontrager Velocis Thermal Jersey were great companions and slipped underneath the sleeves quite easily.
An important part of sealing out the elements are the cuffs, hem and collar. For the cuffs, Santini chose an asymmetrical fleece design that works great atop gloves like the Santini Acquazero or underneath gloves like the Bontrager Velocis Softshell Glove. Either way, it was easily-stretched and always maintained a nice seal. The collar height and diameter are excellent, but can become a little tight, depending on the collar height of the jersey you choose to wear underneath. Surprisingly, the Svolta Thermal Jersey and Winter Jacket weren’t as compatible as you’d expect. Both zippers ended at the same spot on my neck and became quite uncomfortable at times. I’d expect one zipper to end below the other or to he side of the other to avoid the “double-zipper” issue.
Rounding things out, the hem is a straightforward design with elastic below the pockets to allow for the added weight and bulk of weighted pockets. Speaking of pockets, it’s nice to have standard jersey-style pockets on the exterior for easy access. They are narrower than you’ll find in a standard jersey, but that’s to be expected with a winter jacket like the Svolta. As an added touch, there are some reflective tabs on either side of the pockets.
During use, in temperatures from 38-50 degrees, the Svolta did show that it is warm. There’s no question about that. But, I did notice that it became a little bit of a greenhouse as well. While the Zero Wind softshell fabric is awesome on the front and sleeves, it was a bit much on the back, where moisture tended to build up instead of dissipate. Blizzard Thermofleece was used in the underarms, but should have also been considered for the back panel for a little more breathability.
NOTE: I’m 5’11” and 170 lbs and wore a medium Svolta Jacket.
The Good
- Excellent, form-fitting cut
- Stretchy material moves with you
- Asymmetric cuffs seal out the elements and work well with gloves
- Three jersey pockets!
- Zipper is easy to pull up/down
The Bad
- Back got pretty sweaty
- Collar height and zipper placement became uncomfortable atop the Svolta Thermal Jersey
- Face fabric doesn’t offer much DWR
- Wish it had a two-way front zipper
The Bottom Line: Santini Svolta Winter Jacket
In Flashy Orange, the Svolta Jacket and full Svolta Kit turned heads. Everyone commented how awesome it looked and I agree, it looks fantastic. The Jacket is also a great choice for cold days in the saddle, but doesn’t breathe as well as I’d like. Otherwise, comfort and quality are top-notch with this racy winter jacket.
Buy Now: Visit SantiniCycling.com
