[RAL / Tonbo Jacket] Testing out the Tonbo Jacket in the mountains and the city in the dead of winter

2021/12/26 柳瀬公識

With its windproof and heat-retention properties, the RAL / Tonbo Jacket is the perfect choice for mid-winter rides.

I spent much of last winter heading out on rides wearing the final sample. It’s a reliable partner that provides a comfortable ride even when snow is flurrying. However, because I wore it in such freezing conditions, I struggled with whether it might be "too warm" for rides other than commuting, and I hadn't been able to bring myself to start wearing it on rides this year.

Although it is a functional garment, the jacket has a fair amount of thickness, making it difficult to take off and carry if you get too hot. If you have a reasonably large bag, you could stow it away, but that's not really an option for weekend rides where I want to keep my luggage to a minimum.

Still, it’s a waste to just keep worrying and hesitate to wear it. I made up my mind and headed out for a ride, which is the day I introduced in yesterday's blog. The high temperature in Nagoya city that day was 12°C, and the low was 2.8°C.

Also suitable for hard rides in jerseys and racer pants

For my base layer, I wore the Lightweight Merino Base Layer, a sleeveless summer base layer from SEARCH AND STATE. For my mid-layer, I wore the Long Sleeve Merino Jersey, also from SEARCH AND STATE, and for bottoms, I wore ASSOS bib tights.

The flat terrain from Nagoya to Seto was perfectly comfortable. However, I did overheat on the climbs. I opened the side vents and eventually even fully opened the front zipper. Even then, it never got to the point where I wanted to take it off, and I was able to finish the climb without issue. One could say this is because the cooling effect is excellent, especially since the wind was very cold.

The only time I had it fully open was while climbing Mount Mikuni. After that, even though there were continuous ups and downs, I was basically able to manage it just by adjusting the side vents and the front zipper a little bit. On the descents, I was actually relieved that I had it on. The thermometer at Amagoeyama Pass on my way home read 6°C.

In the end, it’s fair to say that using the Tonbo Jacket in conditions below 10°C was the right choice.

By the way, during last season's snowy rides, I wore an ACLIMA Warmwool Woolnet Crew as a base layer and an ACLIMA Warmwool Granddad Shirt as a mid-layer.

While the Tonbo Jacket was conceived to help city-dwelling cyclists spend the winter comfortably, I would also recommend it to those like me who go on reasonably hard rides wearing bib tights and cycling shoes. Naturally, I will be riding in this style often for the rest of the winter.

Also great as outerwear for commuting

I’ll say it again, it’s also incredibly easy to use in daily life, so I wear it for my commute often.
It was particularly cold last weekend, but I was able to commute comfortably without any problems.

I’m 170cm tall and weigh 60kg, and I’m wearing a size S. Because of the tight silhouette, it’s a bit snug to wear something like a sweatshirt or fleece underneath, but since that’s not necessary, I think this size is just right. If you have a similar build to me and want a slightly looser fit, I would recommend the M size, but in fact, all colors are already sold out.

Incidentally, all colors in sizes L and XXL are sold out as well, leaving only size S in all colors and size XL in Khaki.

Given the situation, we had Gishi-kun, who is 183cm tall and weighs 76kg, model the previously unavailable XL size for photos.