British cycling clothing maker Albion adds another incredibly lightweight and packable way to keep adventurous riders warm with their new Ultralight Insulated Jacket – plus a minimalist companion backpack. Judiciously using super-light materials, including the breathable recycled insulation, Albion have created a EU-made jacket that could be perfect for cyclists tight on space but who need to be prepared for rapidly-changing weather.
Albion Ultralight Insulated Jacket & minimalist Backpack
Albion who creates riding gear to outfit cyclists for often less-than-ideal British weather, says the new Ultralight Insulated Jacket “combines warmth, breathability and packability in a stripped back jacket to deliver performance that matters, when you need it most.” Insulation is kept to a minimum, just where you need it on the chest, shoulders, neck & upper arms.
It builds on the success of their 18g Burner chest warmer/modern dickey to add insulation & a windblocker that you tuck under your jersey or bib straps, just like you’re stuffing La Gazzetta dello Sport inside atop a Dolomites mountain pass in the Giro d’Italia.
How light is it, really?
We haven’t held one in our hands yet, but Albion claims the minimalist Ultralight Insulated Jacket is as light as 99g for a size Small. It comes in six sizes (XS-XXL). The Medium is said to be 106g, and size Large would be 122g. That low weight of course, also means it’s ultra-packable.
Just to give a sense of how light that is, my superlight-feeling Rapha Brevet Insulated Jacket in a Medium weighs 230g, even my Brevet Flyweight Wind Jacket with no insulation at all still weighs 76g. So this is going to be light.
Tech details
The beauty of this jacket really is how it is pared back to the essentials. You get a close, on-the-bike fit that won’t flap while you ride and extends lower in the back, a trusty YKK Vislon 2-way zipper, elastic cuffs, a simple draw-cord hem & internal rear gripper to keep it in place, and a small reflective logo on the back.
The jacket is made from bluesign approved, 100% recycled ‘ultralightweight, breathable micro ripstop’ nylon that gets a more eco-friendly C0 DWR coating to shed light rain, and is insulated with Clo Eco Vivo insulation. The perforated Vivo Performance: Eco insulation is uniquely breathable, and made from 93% post-consumer recycled fibers.
No pockets, no other fancy features, just light weight and packability. It does include a separate stuff sack, for when you don’t want to just stuff it in a jersey pocket.
A matching Ultralight Backpack offers the storage if you need to carry a few more essentials – like extra clothing or a few snacks (Albion recommends a max realistic payload of ~750g). The 23g bag is made of the same ultralight ripstop nylon with simple, non-adjustable loop shoulder straps, plus some reflective details.
And yes, that’s the Ultralight Backpack above, folded up and getting stored in a Albion’s small 17x9x2cm waterproof wallet pouch. This backpack is tiny.
Both are made in Italy, and available together or separately.
Albion Ultralight Insulated Jacket – Pricing & combinations
Designed to offer weather protection that you never need to leave at home, Albion’s new Ultralight Insulated Jacket sells for £145 in burnt yellow only. It’s probably best suited for longer rider or multi-day trips as an insurance policy against changing weather conditions. Its partner Ultralight Backpack sells for £35 itself, or you can bundle the two together in a £170 combo pack.
