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At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.
Good scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.
Stolen Goat has rolled some novel design ideas into the Alpine Epic to create a jacket that works extremely well for riding in cruddy weather. It has the sort of quality that makes it a contender for one of the best winter cycling jackets you can buy.
> Buy now: Stolen Goat Alpine Epic Jacket for £190 from Stolen Goat
The Stolen Goat Alpine Epic Jacket has been my faithful companion as the weather has turned autumnal over the last few weeks, keeping me warm, comfortable and mostly dry through wet rides and dry but cold outings alike; I expect to be using it right through to spring.
Before we get into the meat of this review, a disclosure. Stolen Goat rates this as a jacket for -5°C to 8°C. Most of my riding has been in temperatures at the top of that range and warmer, because of the very mild October we've had. I could take another three months over reviewing it, but by then Stolen Goat will probably have sold out of everything but size XS.
So, I'm sticking my neck out and recommending the Alpine Epic jacket, because if it's kept me comfortable the way I've been using it, it should do the job for you too.
Riding in temperatures around 6 to 10°C, I was comfortable in the Alpine Epic with just a thin baselayer underneath. Stolen Goat's implication that this is a jacket for hard training rides is spot on. You want to be generating plenty of your own heat for the Alpine Epic to work with; this isn't a jacket for pootling along in.
That said, there's something remarkably clever about the waffled/dimpled fabric Stolen Goat has used here. Wearing it, you know that it's cold and wet outside, but that cold and wet doesn't get through and seep into your bones. You're isolated from it even if you're not completely insulated.
I sweat a lot. Buckets*. And in the winter I tend to feel the cold as a result. At the end of a two-hour ride in the Alpine Epic, its lining and my baselayer were pretty damp. But I was still comfortable because the Alpine Epic's fabric blocks the wind extremely effectively, and insulates even when it's damp.
I was impressed with the Alpine Epic's water-resistance too. Light rain beads and runs off. Persistent rain eventually gets through, because the seams aren't taped, but it just doesn't matter. It's warm even when damp. If you are looking for an even more weatherproof jacket, check out our best waterproof cycling jackets buyer's guide.
All of this is why I'm confident the Alpine Epic will still work very, very well even when it gets colder. Add a thicker baselayer or a winter-weight long-sleeved jersey and you'll be just toasty. In fact, when I tried that during Mildtober, I boiled.
Stolen Goat doesn't have a load of obviously-made-up names for the various polyester fabrics that make up the Alpine Epic, but to describe them they're basically a waffle-backed fabric on the front and sleeves and a more conventional brushed-back material on the back.
To keep the sleeves in place and the rain out, the cuffs are made from thin, stretchy neoprene.
And it's the same story for the waistband, where a couple of lines of grippy silicone do a really good job of keeping it in place.
The main zip is waterproof and keeps the wind out too. It has twin pulls so you can open it from the bottom for ventilation. There are zip guards top and bottom to protect your clothes and your neck. They work.
There are just two rear pockets, but they're generously sized. One has a zip to protect your valuables and a couple of internal sub-pockets to keep things organised, the other is open and big enough for a compact rain jacket in case the weather gets extra-crappy.
This is a go-faster fit – what Stolen Goat calls Epic fit, compared to the roomier Bodyline fit. In my XXXL sample, Stolen Goat has done a cracking job of catering for the fuller figure. It has it quirks, but I really can't fault it.
Cycling jackets tend to be long in the rear so that they cover as much as possible of your lower back and even your bum. The Alpine Epic is short by comparison with other softshell jackets in my collection: I have a Decathlon jacket that's 6cm longer and a Galibier that's 10cm longer.
Stolen Goat's product development guy Mark Neck tells me that the short back comes from the Alpine Epic being a 'race fit' jacket.
He says: 'The shorter length is in line with that thinking for a closer fit and not using more fabric than is required, which can be just excess weight. This is for those who still want to ride fast in the winter but do not want all the bulk that a winter softshell often has.
'I would agree it is shorter than any I have worn but actually like this as the pockets sit a bit higher on the body.'
I'm surprised to say that I think he's right. The Alpine Epic comes down far enough to cover my kidneys, but doesn't extend all the way down my bum, unlike most jackets. Initially this feels odd, but out on the road it just doesn't matter. And unlike many long jackets, it doesn't ride up and need pulling down a lot.
I might feel differently if I were relying on a jacket to keep my bum dry from back wheel spray, but I'm firmly in the camp that believes if you ride in winter without mudguards, you're an idiot.
Overall, the fit is snug and completely non-flappy. It's more like wearing a beefed-up jersey than a winter jacket until you notice how comfortable you are. My only complaint is that I'd like a slightly snugger neck. The collar's fleece lining is very comfortable, but I ended up wearing a neck warmer to fill a slight gap.
The category that takes in Really Good Winter Softshells is a pretty large one. Sportful, Castelli and Alé have similar jackets at similar prices.
The Alpine Epic is the same price as the Santini Vega Absolute that Stu rated highly when he reviewed it. It's £8 less than the Gobik Thermal Armour Vanta that Ben really liked and a lot cheaper than the Assos Dyora RS that Suvi loved or the Sportful Fiandre Pro that David was just as fond of.
On the other hand, there are lots of winter softshell jackets out there that are almost as good, but cost a lot less, like Decathlon's Van Rysel Racer Extreme Winter Jacket for £90 or the well-regarded Galibier Mistral for just £74.
If you want a jacket that'll keep you riding – and riding fast – through the cold and wet of a British winter, this is a great choice. No, it's not cheap, but it's in the ballpark for a very-high-quality softshell jacket and if it keeps you riding for several winters it'll more than justify itself.
*I was quite heavily into caving many years ago. If one of the group wanted to take photos in a particularly pretty but small cavern, they'd make me wait outside the entrance or at the bottom of the climb leading in, because otherwise I'd fill the chamber with clouds of steam, which tends to scupper flash photography.
Excellent winter softshell for big efforts in crummy weather
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Make and model: Stolen Goat Men’s Mango Alpine Epic Jacket
Tell us what the jacket is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
This premium jacket brings together the freeze-fighting properties of our classic Bodyline fit Alpine jackets, with the close-fitting aero cut of our Epic jerseys. The result? A pro-level deep winter jacket that will have you riding fast and feeling epic on all your winter adventures.
Featuring a technical waffle/dimpled fabric for lightweight but highly effective warmth and breathability, this jacket is windproof and water-resistant with a 2-way water-resistant zip so you can let off some steam when the pace is on. Strategically placed reflective details in the stitching helps to keep you visible in bleak winter conditions. Meanwhile a deep waist band with silicone grippers and long wrist cuffs keep your jacket in place and the cold at bay. Add in easy-to-reach rear pockets and you've got everything you need to smash those winter miles.
Available in our made to be seen Mango colourway, this jacket will take your winter rides to the next level.
When the temperatures plummet and mother nature does her worst. Defy the elements and fight the freeze, with the men's Stolen Goat Mango Alpine Epic Jacket. Here to keep you riding fast and feeling Epic, even in the harshest of winter conditions.
Offering all the warmth, wind-proofing and water-resistance of our classic Bodyline fit Alpine jackets – with an aerodynamic fit and reduced weight, to help you fly through those winter miles in style.
Featuring a lightweight dimpled fabric, designed to trap air for added warmth, this jacket will keep you warm and dry without overheating when the pace is on. Featuring reflective detailing in the stitching at the raglan seams, the back pocket and at strategic points on the arm, long neoprene-style wrist cuffs to keep the frost bite at bay and a 2-way water-resistant zip. This jacket is the go-to choice for riding fast when the bitter breeze bites.
Let the rain pour and the wind howl. Our winter adventures just got epic.
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the jacket?
Aerodynamic deep winter jacket. Here to keep you warm on the coldest of winter rides, our Alpine jackets are intended for when the temperatures really drop, optimal for -5 to 8°c. The Epic fit version features a closer, more aero fit than the Bodyline version – inspired by our Epic jerseys.
Water-repellent and windproof fabric*. Let the rain pour, let the wind howl. This jacket will keep you warm and dry in whatever conditions mother nature throws at you.
Warmth without bulk. The Epic Alpine jacket features a subtle 'waffle' type fabric on the front and arms, designed to trap air for added warmth – while remaining breathable, to keep you at the optimal temperature on winter rides. The result is a superb fitting jacket, offering all the warmth you need, while reducing the bulk and weight of the garment.
Reflective detailing. Clever reflective detailing in the stitching at the raglan seams, around the back pocket and on the arms – giving effective visibility, without compromising the look and style of your jacket. Combine this with the made to be seen mango colourway, and you've got a winter jacket that gives you the confidence to ride even on gloomy days.
Deep waistband with silicone grippers. Just like our Epic jerseys, our Alpine Epic jackets feature a supportive deep waistband with silicone grippers for a superb fit that stays put all ride long.
Long wrist cuffs. Nobody wants chilly wrists, and there's nothing more annoying than your jacket riding up leaving a gap between your gloves and your sleeves! The Alpine Epic jackets feature a longer neoprene-style wrist cuff that stays neatly in place, keeping warmth in and mother nature out.
Water-resistant 2-way YKK zipper. You only notice a zip if it's bad. We exclusively use zips from YKK, the global leader in zip technology. The introduction of a new 2-way zip on the Alpine Epic jacket gives you the freedom to adjust your base layer on the go, or simply let off some steam if the sun comes out.
Neckline zip protector. No matter how great the zip is, if it rubs against your neck all day long, it's annoying! A zip garage at the neck of every Alpine jacket prevents contact with the skin.
Rear pockets. Easy-to-reach pockets on the rear of the jacket keep the essentials handy, with a zipped pocket to keep valuables like your phone and keys safe and sound.
Close fitting. Designed to be close fitting and aerodynamic so you can fly through those winter miles, the Alpine Epic jacket offers a fit similar to our Epic jerseys. If you prefer a more relaxed fit, we'd recommend going up a size.
* Please note that whilst the fabric is windproof & waterproof, we cannot call the jacket itself waterproof because the seams are not sealed. In reality conditions have to be severely awful for water to ingress and not sealing the seams allows for some extra breathability.
Tidy stitching and lots of thoughtful details.
A great jacket for going hard in crummy weather.
Water-resistance is pretty good. Stolen Goat doesn't claim it's waterproof, as the seams aren't sealed.
I've never found a jacket than can keep up with my ability to sweat, but this is good enough.
It's a race fit, and I'm a fat git, but XXXL fits me perfectly with a small amount of room for an extra layer or two underneath.
Just about every garment I can still get into is XL or XXL, so needing XXXL constitutes sizing slightly small, but meh, cycling kit sizes: aren't we all used to it being a bit of a fustercluck?
To Stolen Goat's credit, if you ignore the S, M, L nonsense and look at the sizing guide, then a nominal 112–119cm/44–47inch chest is what I need, and what this is.
It sits between my Galibier and Decathlon/Triban softshells in weight, and that's what you'd expect, given the fabric is beefier than the Galibier's, but the Decathlon has a much longer body. In that regard, Stolen Goat's idea that you can save weight by simply making a jacket shorter seems to work.
It's very very comfortable. Absolutely no complaints in that regard.
On the one hand, £190 is a lot to pay for a cycling jacket. On the other hand, it's in the ballpark for a high-quality fast winter riding jacket from a premium brand; look at Sportful, Castelli and Alé for similar jackets at similar prices.
You can pay a lot less though. Galibier and Decathlon both offer really good soft shell jackets for less than half the price of this one, so as ever this question comes down to what does 'value' mean?
How easy is the jacket to care for? How did it respond to being washed?
Came out of the machine looking good.
Tell us how the jacket performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Tell us what you particularly liked about the jacket
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the jacket
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market including ones recently tested on road.cc?
It's the same price as the Santini Vega Absolute, £8 less than the Gobik Thermal Armour Vanta and a lot cheaper than the Assos Dyora RS or the Sportful Fiandre Pro.
On the other hand there are lots of winter softshell jackets out there that are almost as good, but cost a lot less, like Decathlon's Van Rysel Racer Extreme Winter Jacket for £90 or the well-regarded Galibier Mistral Galibier Mistral for just £74.
Did you enjoy using the jacket? Yes
Would you consider buying the jacket? Yes
Would you recommend the jacket to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
The short-back cut won't be to everyone's taste but this is otherwise an excellent jacket if your aim is to go like the clappers on your winter rides.
Age: 55 Height: 5ft 11in Weight: 100kg
I usually ride: Scapin Style My best bike is:
I've been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, touring, club rides, general fitness riding, mtb,
John has been writing about bikes and cycling for over 30 years since discovering that people were mug enough to pay him for it rather than expecting him to do an honest day's work.
He was heavily involved in the mountain bike boom of the late 1980s as a racer, team manager and race promoter, and that led to writing for Mountain Biking UK magazine shortly after its inception. He got the gig by phoning up the editor and telling him the magazine was rubbish and he could do better. Rather than telling him to get lost, MBUK editor Tym Manley called John’s bluff and the rest is history.
Since then he has worked on MTB Pro magazine and was editor of Maximum Mountain Bike and Australian Mountain Bike magazines, before switching to the web in 2000 to work for CyclingNews.com. Along with road.cc founder Tony Farrelly, John was on the launch team for BikeRadar.com and subsequently became editor in chief of Future Publishing’s group of cycling magazines and websites, including Cycling Plus, MBUK, What Mountain Bike and Procycling.
John has also written for Cyclist magazine, edited the BikeMagic website and was founding editor of TotalWomensCycling.com before handing over to someone far more representative of the site's main audience.
He joined road.cc in 2013. He lives in Cambridge where the lack of hills is more than made up for by the headwinds.
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John has been writing about bikes and cycling for over 30 years since discovering that people were mug enough to pay him for it rather than expecting him to do an honest day's work.
He was heavily involved in the mountain bike boom of the late 1980s as a racer, team manager and race promoter, and that led to writing for Mountain Biking UK magazine shortly after its inception. He got the gig by phoning up the editor and telling him the magazine was rubbish and he could do better. Rather than telling him to get lost, MBUK editor Tym Manley called John’s bluff and the rest is history.
Since then he has worked on MTB Pro magazine and was editor of Maximum Mountain Bike and Australian Mountain Bike magazines, before switching to the web in 2000 to work for CyclingNews.com. Along with road.cc founder Tony Farrelly, John was on the launch team for BikeRadar.com and subsequently became editor in chief of Future Publishing’s group of cycling magazines and websites, including Cycling Plus, MBUK, What Mountain Bike and Procycling.
John has also written for Cyclist magazine, edited the BikeMagic website and was founding editor of TotalWomensCycling.com before handing over to someone far more representative of the site's main audience.
He joined road.cc in 2013. He lives in Cambridge where the lack of hills is more than made up for by the headwinds.
Thanks. Inside all fine. No obvious lesions/damage
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