A lightweight wind jacket is a lot like a truing stand. In the course of a season, you may or may not have too many occasions to use it, but when you do need it, nothing else will suffice. When done well, they're incredibly versatile garments. Done poorly, they can wind up in a trashcan mid-ride.

The Castelli Leggero Jacket begins with the Italian maker’s stellar form-following fit. This is one jacket that won’t flap in the wind. Naturally, it’s windproof, but it is also water-resistant while maintaining reasonable breathability, in part thanks to the expansion vent in the back. A double-pull zipper will help you further dial in ventilation.

Perhaps the jacket’s best feature is the fact that the Forcefield fabric from which the jacket is cut weighs just 35 grams per square meter, making it one of the lightest jackets on the market. So lightweight is the jacket that it comes with its own stuff sack, so it’s as easy to take with you as an energy bar. The mesh-lined collar won’t chafe your neck when the jacket is zipped all the way up, and reflective tabs on the back keep you visible on early morning or late evening rides.