New York City bike racing is known for its morning rituals - gathering before dawn in Prospect Park and Central Park for races that will be over before much of the city gets out of bed. Unfortunately these races kick off in March, which makes for some dark and semi-frigid mornings. But this year I discovered a new secret weapon for these pre-and-post race rides: the Castelli Unlimited Puffy Jacket.

Alvaro tipped me off to this jacket a few months ago, and while availability on Castelli-Cycling.com is limited, I was able to nab one in my size. It quickly became my go-to jacket for the entire Spring race season. It has excellent insulation and wind-breaking, but enough breathability that I have never worried about overheating on the way to the race. And is easily packs into a small bag for safekeeping.

I still reverted to the Perfetto Ros on the coldest mornings where I needed a full fledged jacket for the actual racing, but for pre-and-post race and casual coffee laps, the Unlimited Puffy is my new go-to Spring wear. And even as the weather (finally) starts to improve, the Unlimited puffy has a new home in my burrito bar bag as a perfect ‘where did the sun go’ mid-ride emergency jacket — which speaks to the jacket’s versatility.

Castelli Unlimited Puffy Jacket Review: The Good

• Good breathability supports its use across a range of temperatures (Castelli recommends it for 36-57 degrees F).

• You can use it above your race kit in 40ºF and also use it over a tshirt to ride to grab a beer in 50ºF

• The insulation layer works surprisingly well in cold and windy conditions.

• Ample storage options including zippered pockets on the chest and back.

• Packs down to very small size - perfect for tossing in a burrito bag on variable weather days.

• Looks super fly

Castelli Unlimited Puffy Jacket Review: The Bad

• While the cut is very form fitting, if you’re in the ‘aero is everything’ crowd this probably is not optimized for you.

• Though I have not run into any issues, I am curious to see how the outer material holds up from a durability perspective.

Castelli Unlimited Puffy Jacket Review: Should You Buy It?

For pure technical performance on a road bike, the Alpha Ros and Perfetto Ros line-ups are some of the best cycling jackets on the market today. The Unlimited Puffy Jacket fits a slightly different and more flexible niche. I would not choose it on the coldest days, but for pre-and-post race, for off-road adventures, for a packable piece of outerwear, and for more casual rides the Unlimited Puffy is hard to beat. As a result, it earns our seal of approval: Add2cart endorsed.

About the Castelli Unlimited Puffy Jacket

The jacket that's very warm yet extremely packable for your adventure or multiday rides. Woven microfiber windproof outer layer with Polartec® Alpha® Direct insulation.

• Coated windproof microfiber woven outer shell with DWR treatment

• Polartec® Alpha® Direct insulation layer for maximum loft with minimum bulk

• Nano Flex stretch woven fabric on underside of sleeves, sides, and lower back adds stretch and breathability

• Zippered pockets on chest and back

• 2 large rear pockets covered with flap to look right when off the bike

• YKK® Vislon® zipper with U-shaped zipper pull

• Woven inner label and vintage scorpion logo on sleeve

Disclaimer: TBD has a relationship with Castelli, but I paid retail price for this jacket and would do so again.