The Castelli Gabba R is a new version of the famous Gabba rain jacket, said to be “functionally waterproof”, windproof and faster than the Castelli Sanremo BTW Speed Suit.
The Gabba first appeared in 2009. It took its name from the former professional Gabriel ‘Gabba’ Rasch, who had sewn short sleeves to a rain jacket as a hybrid upper that avoided the ‘boil-in-the-bag’ sensation of old jackets.
Since then, the Gabba has been revamped six times. But the Gabba R retains the original principle: to provide a functionally waterproof, yet highly breathable upper, that’s more akin to a jersey than a rain jacket.
Like the previous iterations, Castelli says the Gabba R remains focused on racing (the ‘R’ stands for race).
The Gabba R is thinner and more packable
While the Gabba R retains the same goal as the previous Gabba, it is now made from a new material.
The previous version used Gore-Tex Infinium fabrics, like much of the Castelli Rain or Shine collection and the more heavy-duty Castelli Alpha Doppio RoS.
But the Gabba R has traded Gore-Tex for a new fabric, exclusive to Castelli, which combines an outer membrane with a stretchy lightweight fabric.
The membrane is a Japanese-made microporous hydrospun polyurethane with a hydrophobic treatment. This is what gives the new Gabba its rubbery look.
Castelli says the membrane has a hydrostatic head rating of over 5,000mm. This is less than dedicated rain jackets but Castelli says it's “sufficient to repel even driving rain” and that increasing waterproofness “often comes at the expense of breathability.”
The outer shell is an Italian four-way stretch knitted fabric, similar to Castelli's materials on some of its bib shorts.
Using this fabric means the Castelli Gabba R is thinner and more packable than its predecessor.
This may not be so critical with the short-sleeved Gabba R, which is designed to be worn all day, but could be of more importance with the long-sleeved Gabba R Jacket.
Faster than a skinsuit
Designed for WorldTour professionals, Castelli says the Gabba R is faster than its Sanremo BTW Speed Suit in certain positions and at particular speeds.
The cycling clothing brand conducted wind tunnel tests, and testing on the road with Soudal Quick-Step rider Kasper Asgreen, to support this claim. Castelli published its findings in a white paper.
Castelli says a ‘normal’ road position, the Gabba R tested 1 per cent faster at speeds from 37kph to 50kph.
In a more aggressive low position, the Gabba R is said to be 1 per cent slower than the Sanremo BTW Speed Suit.
The Gabba R is also faster than a Gabba Ros 2 Jacket with 7 to 8 per cent less drag.
The Gabba R had an aerodynamic drag (CdA) of 0.323 at 40kph, while the Gabba RoS 2 had a CdA of 0.347 at the same speed, according to Castelli.
Castelli’s testing also reveals the long-sleeve Gabba R Jacket is faster than the skinsuit.
Close-to-body fit
Castelli says the Gabba R's aerodynamic improvements are partly due to the Italian fabric's four-way stretch, which enables a close-to-body fit.
The fit of the Gabba R has the advantage of keeping moisture formed inside the jacket warm since it's held close to the body, according to the brand.
Elsewhere, the sixth-generation Gabba has a long tail to protect with road spray and a high collar and waterproof zip.
The arms of the long-sleeve version use a softer material to help getting the jacket on and off, like the now-discontinued Castelli Idro Pro 2 rain jacket.
The three rear pockets are also made of a mesh material to help hands slide in and out.
The Gabba R costs $299.99 / €259.95 with UK pricing to be confirmed.
Saddleback, Castelli's UK distributor, says it will be receiving the new Gabba R in September.
