If your experience of this year's winter has been anything like mine so far, you'll have gotten away relatively lightly. It's still November after all, and the coldest, sharpest claws of the season are yet to dig in. We can, presumably, expect that to happen sometime in January.
The good news – and you'll know this even if you haven't been riding long – is that the kit you pull on before you head out the door can make a huge difference. In the winter, everything you wear, from gloves to socks, can make a difference, but there's nothing more important than the outer layer on your top half – your jacket.
In terms of bang for buck, the Endura Windchill II has always been right up there, and now it has been discounted by up to 40% for Black Friday, which means you can buy yourself some winter toastiness for as little as $101 – that's some major savings on the $169.99 SRP.
We heaped praise on this jacket when we reviewed it, calling it "an excellent example of how simple, yet effective, a winter jacket can be. For the price, it offers warmth, water resistance, and practical features. This jacket is ideal for anyone looking for warmth, without the aero fit."
I own the original Windchill jacket – and now the mercury is falling, I regularly use it too. It's very similar to the Windchill II on sale today, with the updated version being more ergonomic and with better wind protection.
Our tester took the Windchill II on what they said was a slow ride in the snow and ice with zero-degree wind chill, and reported that it was "plenty warm enough with just a thermal base layer". Impressive – but my own experience with it definitely backs that up. We've had a nasty little cold snap in the UK over the past 10 days or so, and when I headed outdoors earlier this week (there's only so much Zwifting you can do, right?) I knew exactly which jacket to reach for.
During the hour I was out, the Windchill kept me perfectly warm, with just a long-sleeve baselayer underneath. There's something about its fleecy interior that reaches down the arms, too, which is cosseting and really enhances wind protection.
Beyond pure warmth, features on the Windchill II include underarm zips for ventilation as and when required, three pockets on the rear and one on the chest (with zip), and a longer back for on-bike ergonomics.
Colour-wise, there's something for everyone, with all black, super-visible fluoro yellow, and a rather natty 'pomegranate'. Take your pick!
If clothing is not what you are looking for, this Black Friday, make sure to stop by our Live Black Friday cycling deals hub to see what our deal-hunting experts are digging up.
This is a US-only deal right now, but for all the best deals in your region, check out the box below.
