Alpha Jacket – Redesigning the Winter Jacket

Throw out everything you think you know about cycling jackets and redesign the way a jacket should be made. Or possibly how they’ll all be made in a few years when everyone else follows our lead once again. With the Alpha, we’re introducing several new techniques and fabrics to construct a lightweight, cool and cold weather jacket.

We’ve focused on two perennial problems with cycling jackets and wind jerseys. First is ventilation. With our latest fabrics we can essentially build a winter jacket that will keep you warm in all but the most extreme conditions with just a base layer underneath. But when you open the front zipper you get a blast of cold air at the top of your chest, while the rest of your body remains too hot.

OBSESSION WITH COMFORT

In Alpha we’ve detached the insulation layer from the windproof layer so that you can open the windproof layer to let air in to ventilate and help evaporate moisture. Riding these pieces shows how effective it is at regulating temperature and comfort while helping to keep you drier.

The second focus area is all the openings. At the waist we have a new fabric and construction that lays completely flat, is streamlined for aerodynamics,
yet when you drop into the riding position it follows your body without binding or billowing. At the wrists we have a new flat raw-edge construction that interfaces perfectly with our gloves to keep drafts out and to improve comfort. At the collar we have a new articulated construction that follows the bends in your neck whether you’re standing or riding in the lowest aero position.

The new Alpha Jacket is windproof and water resistant thanks to Windstopper’s 150 material. But the real innovation on this jacket is the detached insulating layer which stays close to your body when you unzip the jacket so your core doesn’t get blasted with cold air.

OBSESSION WITH DETAILS

ADVANCED PATTERNING
Stretch fabrics with advanced patterning make for excellent close-to-body fit yet accommodates a wide range of body typess.

ASYMMETRIC ZIPPER
Asymmetric external YKK® Vislon zipper slides easily and lays flat.

RAW EDGE AT WAIST AND WRIST
At the waist we have a new fabric and construction that lays completely flat, is streamlined for aerodynamics, yet when you drop into the riding position it follows your body without binding or billowing. At the wrists we have a new flat raw-edge construction that interfaces perfectly with our gloves to keep drafts out and to improve comfort.

WINDPROOF AND WATER RESISTANT
Windstopper® 150 fabric fabric is windproof and water-resistant, with four-way stretch for freedom of movement.

ARTICULATED COLLAR
At the collar we have a new articulated construction that follows the bends in your neck whether you’re standing or riding in the lowest a position.

STAY DRIER
When opening the front zipper of the jacket you get a blast of cold air at the top of your chest, while the rest of your body remains warm.

FIVE POCKETS
3 external rear pockets let you stow energy bars and small essentials. 2 zippered rear and front pockets allows you to securely store cell phone, ID and cash.

Alpha Jacket, the piece that introduces several new techniques and fabrics to construct a lightweight, cool and cold weather jacket.

For more product information and where to find a dealer, visit castelli-cycling.com