Specialized Tech Insulator Jacket Review
Most of the year the primary function of cycling clothing is to keep you cool, but winter is a different story entirely! When the temperature dips well below zero you are going to need a jacket that packs more heat! Specialized have joined forces with Snowboard apparel company 686 to bring out the €200 Tech Insulator jacket for the coldest of winter adventures.
This is not a daily riding jacket, but one for specialist adventures, whether it be fat biking in the snow, sub-zero night rides or big mountain adventures. With a loud mountain safety orange colour scheme (more subdued black is available) and 100g Primaloft Insulation, this jacket looks ready for big epics. We have been testing the jacket over the last 6 weeks in Scotland to see if it lives up to its name, or fails to deliver.
The jacket has many features you would expect such as an adjustable hood with a high collar to keep the wind out, spandex flex panels under the arms to boost freedom of movement and a DWR coating to add water resistance. But also some handy bike specific features such as a drop down tail section with reflective piping to keep your shorts dry, a SWAT access zip and 3M reflective tape. Weighing 630g, it’s not the lightest we have seen (size medium) but is certainly no heavyweight.
Riding in the Specialized Tech Insulator
The first thing you notice about the Specialized Tech Insulator is how light and stretchy it is; dynamic riding is free and unrestricted and the stretch panels under the arms really help with flexibility. The jacket has been tested on many rides from 8 to -6 oC and has shown a very versatile nature. At the warmer end of the spectrum the breathability of the jacket is excellent, but where it comes into its own is on the colder sub-zero days. Wearing it with just an ODLO thermal not once have we found it overly hot, clammy or indeed cold, just consistent comfortable warmth.
The adjustable hood works well, though it’s not roomy enough for a helmet, but will fit underneath if the wind is really howling. If you find yourself hitting the roads after darkness has fallen, there is a fold away spray tail at the bottom of the jacket with a reflective 3M trim that can be quickly deployed for extra safety. Specialized love their SWAT system, and it’s no surprise to see an access pocket allowing you to reach the contents of your SWAT shorts. Mesh pockets inside look after goggles or glasses and secure zip pockets on the outer are perfect for a phone.
After 20 rides the build and stitching are holding up well, but it would have been nice to see some more durable panels on the outer arms as the thin fabric is prone to small tears here if you ride in the woods and hit trees a lot. As it’s only DWR coated it must be used paired with a proper waterproof for high alpine adventures, but unlike a down jacket it retains warmth when wet.
Conclusion
We have been very impressed with the Specialized Tech Insulator jacket, at €200 it’s not cheap, but it has become a good friend on many mountain adventures. There are a number of thermal jackets on the market, but Specialized’s Tech Insulator brings some unique bike specific features for those who are not afraid to get out in the coldest days of winter, especially if you own SWAT bibs.
For more information check out the Specialized website
Words: Trevor Worsey Photos: Catherine Smith
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