Wintertime is now here for a while, so Rapha thought it time to introduce a cozy, luxury version of the standard winter jacket made from more natural fibers. The special edition Wool Softshell takes the cut of their staple Classic Winter Jacket and reimagines it in a softer premium Italian wool behind a softshell face.
Rapha Special Edition Wool Softshell jacket
The trick of the new luxury $500/480€ jacket is that they did manage to keep it mostly natural fibers, while still delivering the water & wind resistance of a regular softshell. Rapha does that using Italian luxury wool maker’s premium Storm System fabric tech that turns wool into a softshell with the addition of an ultra-thin water & windproof membrane and a DWR treatment. The result is a jacket that Rapha says is 93% wool, 5% silk, and just 2% lycra to give it a stretchy fit.
With that pricetag it is certainly a luxury jacket, and is meant to be worn both on an off the bike. Rapha gives it a regular fit and drop tail (not Pro Team tight) so you can layer up for walking around town, and also gives it a slightly longer cut in the front too. But it still is a performance jacket, with internally sealed seams to keep rain at bay, reflective detailing for visibility on the road, an offset zip to fit comfortably over other jerseys, and underarm zips for more ventilation. The jacket also features two rear pockets with flap covers & zippers, an internal pocket for valuables, and a magnetic collar closure, plus a single suede shoulder for durability when porting a shoulder bag.
If your wallet allows, it comes in just this one navy blue color and a six size (XS-XXL) range.
