Santini Nebula Wind Jacket review

It’s not the lightest, cheapest or most packable windbreaker on the market, but the Santini Nebula Wind Jacket offers plenty of protection and a modicum of water repellency.

Priced at £116 / €130, the materials are quality, the pockets plentiful and the construction durable.

However, it's outgunned by other jackets in the Italian brand’s collection.

Santini Nebula Wind Jacket specification

The Santini Nebula condenses neatly into the back pocket – it’s slightly larger than most windshells, but I managed to fit it into the pockets of the cycling jerseys I tried it with.

Neatly, this self-storage system was also used as the product's packaging in a bid to reduce plastic waste.

Reflective touches abound on the rear, but there’s little of note on the front.

The six colourways include high-visibility orange and yellow options, plus black, white, navy and the burgundy tested here.

Colours are a personal thing – I’d prefer the navy – but the burgundy certainly isn’t offensive.

Burgundy also features in the four-strong women’s line, alongside black, navy and a pinky-orange number.

Santini Nebula Wind Jacket performance

Compared to the ultra-lean 94g Castelli Aria Shell, for example, the Nebula is better suited to cooler and damper conditions, its weightier 149g build courtesy of a two-layer Zerowind membrane.

That shell offers impressive windproofing and resistance to light rain, but you’ll need more protection for extended sojourns in the showers.

The downside of the Nebula’s excellent windproofing and water resistance is there’s less breathability than a windshell boasting mesh panels and/or ventilation channels, meaning sweat built up internally on harder efforts and when climbing.

The Nebula packs down reasonably well into the middle of its three rear pockets, although it remains sizable.

At 18cm long, all of the pockets are deep and positioned well for reaching into when riding, but those with bigger hands might find digging into the side pockets tricky due to the fairly narrow openings and tight elasticated hems.

Sadly, there’s no zipped compartment for cards and cash, so you’ll have to rely on your jersey pockets for that.

The arms and waist are held in place with an elasticated band and do the job well enough, even if there are classier cuffs available – for example on the Sportful Giara.

The waist includes a dropped tail at the rear that offers welcome protection from road spray.

Disappointingly, there’s no full-length zipper guard, with oddly only a small tab at the bottom and not the neck.

While the zipper head has no sharper edges, I’d still prefer some fabric between the metal and my neck during long days in the saddle, as well as the added wind/rain protection that a full-length zipper guard brings.

Perhaps the Nebula’s biggest challenge is in comparison to Santini’s own Guard Nimbus, which offers more water protection but also decent breathability.

Admittedly, the Guard Nimbus costs £60 more, but it’s a price I’d suggest is worth paying if you have the cash. As a long-term owner, I can also vouch for its durability.

Santini Nebula Wind Jacket bottom line

There’s plenty to admire about the Santini Nebula Wind Jacket, including the smooth and soft-on-the-skin materials, open pockets and windproofing.

It’s not the lightest and most packable, however, while there are more breathable race capes on the market.

The lack of a zipper garage is frustrating and I’d recommend paying more for Santini’s brilliant Guard Nimbus if you have the extra cash.