Cold Weather Kit

Retired Kit

Pants & Tights

Castelli Entrata Bib Tight

65° - 50° For warmer cool weather. They are sufficiently effective at 50°, and there is probably no upper limit.
Insulation: 3/5, Windproof: 3/5, Waterproof: 1/5, Breathable: 4/5.

Castelli Semifreddo Bib Tight

55° - 40° About the same insulation as my Entrata bib tights, but some more wind protection and much more rain protection. Also has the Progetto X2 Air chamois.
Insulation: 3/5, Windproof: 4/5, Waterproof: 4/5, Breathable: 4/5.

Castelli Sorpasso RoS Wind Bib Tight

35° Better rating for waterproofness and breathability than the Polare 3, but the insulation is targeted toward the front. It also has the Progetto X2 Air chamois. Update: Fine at 35°, and can certainly go lower.
Insulation: 5/5, Windproof: 5/5, Waterproof: 4/5, Breathable: 4/5.

Castelli Polare 3 Bib Tight

55° - 15° Castelli's warmest tight. GORE-TEX Infinium Windstopper X-Fast in front. Nano Flex G3 on seat and lower back. Still looking for the lower limit (I haven't tried them below 15°).
Insulation: 5/5, Windproof: 5/5, Waterproof: 3/5, Breathable: 3/5.

Pearl Izumi Elite Thermal Tight

65° - 55° I've had these for years. For a long time, these were the only things I had that were wind-resistant. No chamois, so I should wear them over liner shorts.

Pearl Izumi Rove Pants

A casual look. Some water repellence. For warmer cool weather. When pairing with liner shorts, an elastic belt is needed.

There is evidently something called "downhill pants" that I should try. At first glance, the ones by Troy Lee Designs and also Fox Racing look like they might be pretty good.

Gloves

GOREWEAR M Gore Windstopper Thermo Bike Gloves

55° - 40° I like them. They definitely stop the wind, and they fit well. They were quite comfortable at 40°, but only marginally effective at 35°. With damp hands, they are quite difficult to get on.

PEARL iZUMi AmFIB Gel Cycling Gloves

35° - 15° Insulated, wind protection, synthetic leather palm for grip, and gel pad. Touch-screen compatible. I haven't found the lower temperature limit.

Headwear

Castelli Pro Thermal 2 Skully

35° Castelli doesn't actually make any claims about being windproof, moisture wicking, or water resistant. They just say, "warm, soft, and stretchy." I guess we'll see. I have a neck warmer made of the same Thermoflex material, but I never use it. (Did I give it to Tim?) For a different product, Castelli claims, "Thermoflex is luxuriously warm and stretchy in dry conditions but is not intended for wet conditions." The one Amazon review for this thing says it is "effective at blocking wind and keeping head and ears warm." Update: At 35° the top of my head was plenty warm, but the protection of my ears was only marginal.

GOREWEAR M Windstopper Headband

55° - 50° Windproof, breathable, moisture wicking, and "durably" water resistant. Covers my ears, but leaves my head vented, for warmer weather than the helmet cap. 45° is just a little cool for this.

GOREWEAR C3 Windstopper Helmet Cap

45° - Windproof, breathable, moisture wicking, and "durably" water resistant. It also covers my ears. As far as I can tell, this with a regular helmet is as good as the Timberwolf helmet.

GOREWEAR M Windstopper Thermo Beanie

25° Wow, this is quite a bit nicer than the helmet cap. Plush insulation, good fit with elastic, slits at ears for glasses. Windproof, breathable, and durably water resistant. Fully taped seams for added rain protection. Not insulated at the ears.

NEW: GOREWEAR M Windstopper Balaclava

I don't know if I'm going to like this, mainly because it fits so loosely. Windproof, breathable, moisture wicking, and durably water resistant. Covers the whole face except for around my eyes, has some kind of mouth vent. Update: I rode with it. It is fidgety because it is loose everywhere but tight at my chin. It also collects a bunch of moisture from my breath.

Giro Timberwolf Helmet

40° - A helmet designed for cold weather. Fleece liner, removable ear pads, adjustable venting, goggle compatibility. Vents can be opened and closed easily while riding. So far, it was good at 40°, too warm on the climb, and could probably go colder, especially with goggles and a lower face mask. It worked fine at 32° once my face became accustomed to the cold, with my ears feeling a little cool. At what temperature do I need to wear goggles?

Castelli Light Head Thingy

Nominally a "Summer weight" neck gaiter, but flexible for multiple uses.

Castelli Pro Thermal Head Thingy

Nominally a thermal neck gaiter, but flexible for multiple uses.

Base/Mid Layers

Pearl Izumi Transfer Wool Long Sleeve Baselayer

It fits well. It seems quite thin. We shall see how it performs.

Pactimo High Grade Wool Base Layer

Decent fit, a little short. Works best with bibs. Functions well.

Pactimo Thermoregulator Base Layer

Good, tight fit, a little short. Works best with bibs. Functions well.

NEW: Pearl Izumi PRO Alpha Layer

This mid-layer is made of the same insulating fabric used in my PRO Insulated Jacket, which I like very much.

Upcoming: More upper base layers
Upcoming: Are there lower base layers?

Long Sleeve Jerseys

Pearl Izumi Attack Long Sleeve Jersey

Dawn Grey Tidal. 3 basic pockets. Form fit.

Pearl Izumi Quest Long Sleeve Jersey

Lagoon (blue). 3 basic pockets. Loose "club" fit, might be a little warmer.

Canari Hi-Vis Yellow

I have a long sleeve jersey made by Canari. Hi-Vis yellow. 3 basic pockets. Wrong side zipper.

Thermal Jerseys

Thermal jerseys are essentially mid layers for me. They don't stop wind, so there is a very narrow temperature range when they can be worn without a barrier or additional insulating outer layer.

Bontrager Circuit Thermal Jersey

60° (alone) A thermal layer; not wind-resistant. It seemed like it should be fairly warm. However, wearing this and the Quest jacket in the upper 50s, I felt cold to start (I was just fine once I warmed up). Wearing it alone, it was a little cool when temperatures dipped below 60.

Pearl Izumi Attack Thermal Jerseys

Thermal; not wind-resistant. Three pockets plus zippered side-access pocket. They are decent, but maybe not quite as warm as the Bontrager Circuit one.

Pearl Izumi Expedition Thermal Jersey

60° - 50° (alone) A "midweight" thermal fleece, but this actually seems warmer than my Bontrager Circuit jersey. Five pockets total. Entirely too warm for 68° weather, and probably anything above 60°.

Pearl Izumi PRO Thermal Jersey

"Performance fleece jersey that rapidly transfers moisture and manages heat." I was hoping it would be warmer than the Attack thermal jerseys I have, but it's really just nicer quality.

Barrier Jackets

Pearl Izumi Quest Barrier Convertible Jacket

Wind-resistant, breathable, light rain protection, not thermal. The convertible design leaves a large vent open in the back.

NEW: Pearl Izume Quest Barrier Jacket

Wind-resistant, breathable, light rain protection, not thermal. This one is not convertible, so the venting is not excessive. Screaming Yellow, I think this will be the barrier jacket I wear most regularly, but it depends how effective it is.

Pearl Izumi Attack Barrier Jacket

Wind barrier with light rain protection. This thing is very thin, and packs down very small. However, it seems too nice (and fragile?) to use regularly.

Pearl Izumi PRO Barrier Jacket

Wind protection, breathable, water shedding, a single layer that is definitely not thermal. No pockets. This would probably be ideal in warmer cool weather using just a long sleeve jersey. Too warm, even with just a long sleeve jersey, at 60°.

Insulated Jackets

Pearl Izumi Quest AmFIB Jacket

35° (BL+TJ) The reviews rave about how warm this is, and that it might be too warm. We shall see. Windproof, water-resistant. Update: Seems to reduce the wind, but not block it completely. With base layer and thermal jersey, it was fine at 35°.

Pearl Izumi PRO Insulated Jacket

Insulated, "blocks wind without compromising breathability", water shedding. This is my new favorite jacket for 40° rides.

Pearl Izumi Canyon EcoLoft Jacket

Heavily insulated, breathable, but wind cuts right through it. I'll bet it would be amazingly warm under a barrier jacket.

Socks

Smartwool Bike Zero Cushion Crew Socks

Lots of people claiming success with Smartwool socks, and these are specific to cycling. I like these, so I should order more pairs.

GORE WEAR M Thermo Socks

They don't seem particularly thermal, and they don't fit as well as my Bontrager socks.

Cabela's Wool Socks

Not the thickest socks, but thicker than any theoretical cycling socks. These pair up well with my 45NRTH shoes, which are both oversized. I have four pairs of these.

Snow Deer Heated Electric Socks

Bulky, so pair with my Ragnarök or Wölvhammer shoes, which are both size 41, or possibly my Privateer shoes, which are a little oversized. On my maiden voyage, an hour at 35° in my slightly vented Bontrager shoes, they performed well.

Red-High: 3.5-4 hrs, 122°-131°
White-Middle: 5-6 hrs, 113°-122°
Blue-Low: 8-10 hrs, 100°-113°

They don't last forever, nothing like the advertised life. They are definitely good for an hour, but how much longer?

Shoes

45NRTH Ragnarök Cycling Shoes

Waterproof, breathable membrane. Warmer than regular cycling shoes. Size 41, so I can wear thick socks with them. I need to figure out the temperature threshold at which I need to switch to these. Somewhere between 35° and 50° apparently.

45NRTH Wölvhammer Cycling Boots

If I can't stay warm in these, then I don't know what. I forgot these were pac boots. Size 41, so with thick wool socks, they are comfortable, and if they get loose, I can add an insole. 45NRTH says they are good down to 0°F, but we shall see.

Giro Privateer Lace Shoes

These are fairly standard gravel shoes, but with laces. They are fairly sleek, so they fit inside shoe covers a little better. Even though they are size 40, they are a little oversized and are able to accommodate thick socks.

Shoe Covers

Castelli Toe Thingy 2

I haven't actually ridden with these yet. I'm not sure I even take them seriously. Claimed to be good for 50°F to 64°F.

Castelli Pioggia 4 Shoe Covers

Minimal insulation, best waterproofness. Claimed to be good for 43°F to 57°F.
Insulation: 3/5, Windproof: 5/5, Waterproof: 5/5, Breathable: 3/5.

Castelli Intenso UL Shoe Covers

Medium insulation, good waterproofness. Claimed to be good for 32°F to 57°F.
Insulation: 4/5, Windproof: 5/5, Waterproof: 4/5, Breathable: 3/5.

Castelli Estremo Shoe Covers

Best insulation, good waterproofness. Claimed to be good for 8°F to 41°F.
Insulation: 5/5, Windproof: 5/5, Waterproof: 4/5, Breathable: 3/5.

Rain Gear

NEW: GOREWEAR C5 GORE-TEX Shakedry 1985 Jacket & Cap

"Very light, VERY waterproof (does not wet-out), breathes, windproof, packs way down." Probably more for contingencies in warmer weather, but I will need to compare it with the Showers Pass Elite 2.1 jacket. Definitely a better choice for bikepacking since it packs down so small (to about the size of a fist).

Showers Pass Refuge Jacket

Waterproof, breathable. Is it windproof? Closable core vents. Back pocket, chest pocket.

Showers Pass Elite 2.1 Jacket

Waterproof, windproof, breathable. Closable core vents, but it has a large back vent that cannot be closed. Back pocket, chest pocket.

Showers Pass Refuge Pants

Rain pants. Waterproof, breathable. Venting, thigh pocket.

GOREWEAR C3 GORE-TEX Helmet Cover

Wraps my helmet to keep rain out. Waterproof, windproof, breathable.

Temperatures

65°

Shorts / bib shorts.
Long sleeve jersey.

60°

Lighter bib tights (Entrata).
Thermal jersey alone is fine.

No gloves, no headwear.
No special foot treatment.

55°

Lighter bib tights (Entrata).
Thermal jersey with barrier jacket.

Windstopper gloves. Windstopper headband.
Normal (but not vented) footwear.

50°

Medium-light bib tights (Semifreddo).
Thermal jersey with barrier jacket.

Windstopper gloves. Windstopper headband.
Ragnarök shoes + wool socks: good indefinitely.

45°

Windstopper gloves. Windstopper helmet cap.

At 48° and low speeds, the PI Expedition Thermal Jersey was just barely enough. It didn't block wind, but it was still warm enough to keep up.

PI Attack Thermal Jersey + PI PRO Barrier Jacket: Effective, but felt a little coolness.

Castelli Pioggia 4 Shoe Covers with summer socks and Bontrager shoes were a little cool after an hour and kind of cold after 105 minutes.

40°

Windstopper gloves. Windstopper helmet cap.

Pactimo Wool Base Layer + Bontrager Circuit Thermal Jersey + PI PRO Insulated Jacket is great for this temperature, and maybe even a little lower

Pactimo Wool Base Layer + Bontrager Circuit Thermal Jersey + PI Canyon EcoLoft Jacket seemed too hot at first, but the wind cut through it all, and it balanced out well. A barrier jacket over all this would probably be good for some very low temperatures.

Castelli Polare 3 Bib Tight alone was actually fine at this temperature.

M Gore Windstopper Thermo gloves were fine.

45NRTH Ragnarök Cycling Shoes + Smartwool Bike Zero were disappointing. After about 90 minutes of riding, I started to notice that my feet were a bit cold. It was tolerable, but needs improvement.

GORE WEAR C3 Windstopper Helmet Cap under my regular helmet was fine, once my face and chin became accustomed to the cold.

Giro Timberwolf Helmet was pleasant at 40° with regular glasses and no lower face mask, except it was too warm on the longish climb until I opened the vents.

35°

Insulated bib tights (Sorpasso ROS Wind, Polare 3)
Baselayer + Thermal Jersey + Insulated Jacket

PI AmFIB Gel Gloves. Windstopper helmet cap.
Wölvhammer boots + wool socks.

30°

25°

PI Wool Baselayer + PI PRO Alpha Mid Layer + PI Thermal Jersey + PI PRO Insulated Jacket: worked great

Castelli Polare 3: worked great

Wölvhammer + Cabela's wool socks: A touch of coolness after an hour, but could certainly have gone longer

PI AmFIB Gloves: worked great

Gore Thermo Beanie: worked great. Ears cool, but not unpleasantly so. My face became accustomed to the cold.

20°

15°

5 Layers: Plenty warm, could have gone indefinitely, and probably lower temperature.

1. PI Wool Baselayer
2. PI PRO Alpha Mid Layer
3. PI Attack Thermal Jersey
4. PI Canyon EcoLoft Jacket
5. PI PRO Insulated Jacket

Castelli Polare 3: worked great

Wölvhammer + Cabela's wool socks: Fine for 35 minutes

PI AmFIB Gloves: Seemed a little cool for the first few minutes, but my hands warmed up.

GOREWEAR Windstopper Thermo Beanie + Giro Timberwolf Helmet: could have gone indefinitely

Giro Ski Goggles: worked great

Water Bottle: Nearly frozen shut after 35 minutes