Although part of the great looking road biased clothing range from Giro, this insulated shirt is a great item for anyone bike related, and is packed with cool details.

Giro call this a shirt – but we’re going with ‘shacket’, as it does blend the two quite well. There are similar items on the market – like the Merlon from Arc’teryx, but we’ve not seen an insulated version like this, which can be worn as an over-shirt /jacket – or simply worn over a lighter layer as a warm shirt.

Made from DWR coated polyester and lined with Primaloft sport lining, it is both very light and manages to be deceptively warm – though shouldn’t be confused with an out-and-out technical layer. Giro’s New Road range is about functional clothing that looks fairly normal – the type of stuff a rider could wear on a daily basis without an image that screams cyclist.

The reversible feature is a nice touch – and handy if you’re the grubby type

It resembles a tough work shirt, and could be a perfect item for a mechanic or someone working in a bike shop as it looks fairly smart but is warm, and fairly tough. It’s also reversible – so it could be worn all day at work, then turned inside out before heading to the pub. One side is darker grey and has a brushed feel that looks smart with a single breast pocket, and the other has a lighter satin grey finish, and features a breast pocket and two hand pockets.

As far as cycling functionality comes in, the sleeves are long enough to cover your wrists in the saddle and a subtly dropped tail keeps your back covered – but doesn’t look odd off the bike. Though not completely waterproof, the DWR coating and close weave on the fabric keeps a shower at bay and is fine for a dash to the office – though the popper closures let a fair bit of breeze through. Like the rest of the New Road series, the detailing on the insulated shirt is great – tough poppers with Giro logos on both sides all over, and decent stitching throughout.

We say:

We love Giro’s shacket – it’s a great multi-use layer that looks smarter and more urban than most insulated layers. It’s fine for light riding action, but is best treated as a versatile layer you can stuff in your bag. The reversible feature adds further value, and despite popper closures the minimal 25gram Primaloft Sport filling does an admirable job of keeping the heat in.

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