Castelli Espresso & Perfetto with Ristretto Technology

“Everything you thought you knew about all-weather clothing is wrong.” This was the strong introduction at the exclusive Castelli Media Event in Girona in February this year.

Climate change, interactive indoor training, and the focus on environmental protection have changed the rules of the game. Temperatures are rising worldwide, and autumn, winter, and spring are becoming increasingly drier in Central Europe. When it rains, it is usually short but heavy. Additionally, the changed indoor behavior leads to significantly fewer rainy rides than before, and many "miracle membranes" that contain environmentally harmful PFAS are increasingly criticized.

PFAS chemicals are considered carcinogenic and very harmful to the environment due to their long half-life. Castelli has long placed great importance on ensuring that such substances are not used. Furthermore, various components will be banned in the USA from 2025 and presumably at some point in Europe.

Castelli's new Ristretto material puts an end to all-weather compromises and caters to the demands of discerning cyclists by combining advanced technology with maximum comfort. The Ristretto technology allows you to stay warm and dry - both in bitter cold, wind, and light rain, as well as in rising temperatures, without constantly having to unzip the jacket.

The key to this is an optimal air exchange of the materials used, achieved through trial and error and countless test rides on Monte Grappa and in Colorado at 3,000 meters. The result is Castelli's Ristretto fabric, which allows four to six times more air through compared to conventional windstoppers and provides the right amount of insulation at crucial points (such as inside the front shoulder strap and on the upper arms).

Ristretto ensures excellent comfort and prevents windchill during long, shady descents as well as cooling during coffee breaks. By adding additional baselayers, the temperature range of the particularly elastic garments can be significantly extended.

In Girona, we were able to test all three preferred clothing combinations in different autumn, winter, and spring temperature ranges:

Ride #1 - low temperatures in the morning, warm at midday (5 - 15 degrees)
Perfetto Air Jacket with "Ristretto" (Orange/Grey)
Espresso Bibtight

Ride #2 - warm, dry conditions, slightly windy (~ 15 degrees)
Thermal Jersey without "Ristretto" (Blue)
Espresso Wind Vest (Red)
Espresso Bibtight

Ride #3 - very cold, very windy, light rain (~ 5 degrees)
Espresso Air Jacket with "Ristretto" (Bordeaux-Red)
Espresso Bibtight

Absolute all-purpose weapon for the cooler seasons in our latitudes. Having already proven itself in Spain in very cold temperatures up to the warm midday sun, it was recently able to showcase its strengths in Burgenland during a 3.5-hour ride at 8 degrees, gusty winds, and recurring rain showers. Of course, I was a bit soaked after the showers, but a few quick descents were enough to be pleasantly dry again. Also available in black.