Windbreakers in April 2023
Bikers know which way the wind blows
There is one thing all bikers agree on, whether gravel fan or mountain biker. Even the road cycling crowd and the touring aces agree: a headwind makes for hard going. The same goes for a crosswind. And if there is a tailwind for once, it’ll turn soon enough anyway.
But wind isn’t just annoying, it can also chill you right down. That costs energy and is universally seen as a real spoilsport. Insiders talk about the dangerous wind chill effect. All the more important for every cycling fan: wind protection that works. Whether a full jacket or a vest is a matter of taste. PROTECTIVE, the bikewear specialist from Bavaria, makes it pretty easy for anyone who doesn’t want to look like everyone else to get wind protection with a cool look.
Wind cycling jacket P-Call me
P-Call me is the name of the wind jacket with its slightly diagonal front zip, which looks pretty funky. The P-Call me gives the wind from the front no chance. That’s down to the slightly stretchy ripstop material, which is highly wind-repellent and has an environmentally friendly PFC-free water-repellent treatment. Thanks to the stretch fabric, the Bavarian pattern makers were able to cut the P-Call me very close to the body. That benefits the aerodynamics as much as the dynamic look. At the back, the stretchy mesh back lets excess heat and moisture escape quickly. The style of the new PROTECTIVE collection takes its cue from 90s hip hop, deliberately rough and snotty. This jacket is no exception. The large sublimated 1991 print on the mesh back makes that more than clear.
The fabric of the wind jacket feels good, is pleasantly quiet and very light. On top of that, it packs down really small. So the P-Call me easily fits into any jersey pocket, or you can attach it quickly and securely to a backpack or other gravel bags with the carabiner supplied. Of course this laid-back piece has cleverly placed reflectors. The most eye-catching is the reflective diagonal front zip.
Material: 100 % polyamide
Weight: P-Call me 120 g men’s size L / women’s size 38
Wind vest P-Nuthing
For anyone who likes things even more minimalist and would rather go for a wind vest, PROTECTIVE recommends the P-Nuthing. The team from Passau uses the same material and the same look as on its jacket counterpart, the P-Call me. And so that nobody gets the idea that men or women are favoured or left out: both the jacket and the vest come in a women’s and a men’s version. When it comes to colours, though, gender equality largely ends. Anthracite is still shared equally, but with poopy red the women get an extra option, just as the men do with dark navy. Of course there are differences in size range and cut too. Women can choose from sizes 36 to 48, men from S to 5XL.
Material: 100 % polyamide
Weight: P-Nuthing 90 g men’s size L / women’s size 38
