The Maloja wind jacket has been indispensable this spring for cutting out the persistent cold wind from the North.
While the material has no inherent insulation properties, the trapped air gets warm enough to keep chills at bay. When the weather’s mild enough to bare your arms, two zips and a button release the cape panel that connects the sleeves.
This style stops you losing a sleeve or trying to refit the wrong one when converting it back to a full jacket. Going sleeveless reveals a well-fitting gilet, complete with mesh panel on the upper back.
The Sympatex fabric is reasonable at shedding light showers and dealing with moisture, although you’ll have to help out with a bit of zip management in the sweatiest cases. The only minor niggle is the slightly crinkly sound of the material, but it’s less of an issue once you’re moving. The jacket packs down to a compact size that’s handy for stowing in a hydration pack.
Tech details aside, it’s the fashionably slim cut and funky use of colour and graphics that set Maloja kit apart, so if you’re bored of the same old bike clothing, this jacket could be just what you’re looking for.