Giro Cascade Insulated Vest

The Cascade Insulated vest from Giro is designed to keep you warm on cold days, but without overheating when you start putting the effort in.

It uses Polartec Alpha insulation, along with a wind-resistant fabric to help keep the elements and warmth in.

Thanks to the impressive fit and warm, soft interior, the Cascade has proven itself on cold rides on the trail and the tarmac.

While it does a decent job of blocking the wind on cold days, it was rare that things got too hot or stifling, even after big efforts on the climbs.

Giro Cascade Insulated Vest construction details

Giro offers the Cascade Insulated vest in five sizes (S-2XL) and three different colours.

The insulation comes courtesy of Polartec’s Alpha fabric, which forms a furry mesh grid designed to help maintain a consistent warmth when riding, while being breathable, too.

This insulation covers the front and sides, while the back goes without, instead being made from a four-way stretch material.

The front of the vest is then covered with a wind-resistant fabric to better protect you from the cold.

A high neck with micro-fleece lining further helps prevent drafts getting in.

Giro has used a two-way zip on the front of the vest. This enables you to zip upwards from the bottom if you want to get a bit more breeze around your body, while still keeping it anchored near your neck, preventing it from slipping down.

There’s a zip garage up at the neck covering the zipper when it’s fully done up and preventing it from catching on your chin or snagging any facial hair.

At the front, two zipped hand pockets offer ample room to stow essentials, and you’ll easily get a phone in. They’re also fleece-lined, which is a real plus when you’re off the bike and it’s cold.

A single zipped pocket is the only real feature of note at the rear, though Giro has included some reflective detailing across the top of the opening, short sections down either side and a small panel at the back of the collar.

The Cascade Insulated Vest is finished off with a PFC-free DWR (durable water repellent) coating to bolster its credentials in the worst weather.

Giro Cascade Insulated Vest performance

At 172cm, I opted for the size-small Cascade vest.

Sizing feels accurate, with a decent length through the body to ensure you remain covered up, even when seated and stretched out.

Despite the fact the Cascade vest is insulated, it isn’t as voluminous or thick as some, thanks to the Polartec Alpha fabric. That means if the weather turns, it’s easy enough to slip a waterproof jacket over the top of the Cascade vest without any bother.

On that note, it’s not so tight that you can’t squeeze a couple of layers comfortably beneath it.

I’ve worn it with a baselayer and thicker mountain bike jersey underneath without feeling restricted or overly snug.

As an outer layer, I was pleasantly surprised by how well it kept the cold wind out, helped in part by the tall, soft collar that feels comfortable against your skin.

The mixture of fabrics and lack of sleeves means the Cascade Insulated Vest rarely feels overly warm on chilly days.

If, like me, you find thicker jackets too much when it's cold, a vest such as this is a great halfway house, offering warmth through the core, but enough ventilation and breathability to ensure you’re not melting at the end of the first climb.

Should you need to dump some pent-up heat, though, unzipping the vest from the bottom so it remains tethered around your neck or chest does this effectively and prevents it from flapping about and slipping down your shoulders.

One thing I would prefer to see is a slightly longer zip puller. That’s because once stowed in the zip garage at the collar, it’s quite fiddly to find, especially in winter gloves.

If the weather really warms up and you want to take the Cascade vest off, it can be rolled up reasonably tightly (to about the size of a pint glass) and stuffed into a pack.

This isn’t, however, a lightweight windbreaker gilet that can be balled up and fitted comfortably into a pocket.

While riding, the pockets on the front are quite big, so stuffing anything too heavy into these can pull the vest down and be felt moving around while pedalling.

Using the pocket at the rear is far more effective in this instance. Like the hand pockets, it's fleece-lined and big enough for a phone, cards and keys.

Off the bike, those front pockets are a great addition, though, offering some much-needed respite for frosty hands.

Compared to some of the best cycling gilets, the Cascade Insulated Vest is quite expensive. It’s well-made, though, and has lasted many laps in the washing machine throughout testing, without impacting the performance or finish.

Giro Cascade Insulated Vest bottom line

The Cascade Insulated Vest from Giro is a great bit of kit for colder rides, especially if you find an insulated jacket overkill for much of the year.

It’s very effective at keeping out the cold on really chilly, windy days, but manages to avoid feeling stifling or overly hot when you start working really hard.

Overall, it works well on the trail and has become a go-to bit of winter riding kit for me.

The fit and comfort are impressive, as is the quality of construction and finish. I’d prefer to see a longer main zip pull, though, and compared to the competition, it’s quite expensive.