Endura Women’s MT500 Freezing Point jacket is designed for sub-zero temperature rides where you still want all the performance of a dynamic outer layer.
- Brand: Endura
- Product: Women’s MT500 Freezing Point Jacket
- From: endurasport.com
- Price: £159.99
- Tested by: Amanda for 3 months
Three things I liked
- The panels of different materials are exactly what you need on a bike
- The colour is great for visibilty, which I think you need in cold weather
- Front pockets keep my hands toasty when stopped
Three things I’d change
- Inside chest pocket could be big enough to fit a phone
- The darker shade material would do better on the lower back (it’s really hard to get clean)
- Fleecy material on the inside of the neck would be a treat
Member’s content continues…
If you have an account, please log in. If not, you can get access to some of our features by registering here for free.
You could join them and open up this and countless other articles and reviews from just £0.06/day!
All members get..
- Exclusive members only content
- Digital back issues
- New issues via iOS/Android App
- Ad free website
- Merch discounts
- Downloads, GPX files, PDFs, iBooks
Print+ members also get..
Next available print copy of Singletrack magazine posted to you. Each issue contains 148 pages of perfect ride inspiration, opinion, adventure and reviews.
A message from all of us at Singletrack magazine
We need your help
For over 20 years Singletrack has been a source of information, news and entertainment for millions of mountain bike enthusiasts and as an important focal point for an amazing community of like minded riders from around the world. But it has also been a provider of jobs and income for dozens of families of our team as well as a source of revenue for hundreds of freelance contributors.
We want to keep going through this uncertain period and create great content to inform and entertain you, but we will need your help to do it. More than anything else we want to have a reciprocal relationship with you and the best way to make that happen is through our memberships. We’d love you to join us as a paid member of the Singletrack community – we promise you a return on your investment through the content we have and will create for you.
I have been through more than my fair share of mountain bike jackets in the past couple of years, and I think I’ve got my kit bag nailed, thanks to this latest edition. There are plenty of lightweight and packable solutions for windproofing and waterproofing. Base layers and gilets can be layered up to suit the weather, but when the temperature drops below zero, I have struggled to get the balance of temperature control and comfort.
An insulated jacket has always seemed like overkill for riding in. They’re great when you stop for a picnic or camp, but when pedaling and generating heat I’ve not considered insulation a good choice. The Endura MT500 Freezing Point jacket is insulated in all the right places and has a host of features that make it as close to perfect as I think a winter cycling jacket could be.
Fit and features
I am wearing a size small women’s jacket. For reference, my measurements are:
- Waist: 70cm/28in
- Chest: 91.5cm/36in
- Hip: 98cm/38.5in
- Height: 173cm
This jacket is such a great cut. The body is long, with a generous dropped hem at the back, and a tailored waist stops there being a bulk of material in the middle. The arms are long enough to cover your wrists even when your arms are outstretched.
The front of the jacket and the majority of the arms are constructed from PrimaLoft insulated fabric with ripstop. The back and underarms are a stretch PrimaLoft without the insulation. The front zip has an inch wide band on the back to stop any air sneaking in, and the cuffs are a close fit thanks to some very strong elastic on a small section.
The hood cinches in both down from the forehead to the back of the neck, and around the face. Finally, the jacket cinches in around the hips and the toggle to lock it in place/release the cord is inside the inner and outer layers of the jacket. Every one of these details I have just listed are well considered, useful, and work brilliantly to keep the cold out.
Keeping the cold out is covered, and venting some heat out for the climbs is achieved by unzipping the huge underarm vents. These feature a two way zip, which I have found is useful when wearing a pack as you can park the zips where your bag strap is.
On the bike
The slim cut of the Endura MT500 Freezing Point jacket is ideal for my long body, and I feel extremely comfortable on the bike because of it. The only indication that I’m in an insulated jacket is the fact I’m not cold – there is no bulky discomfort or claustrophobic feeling when I add a riding pack.
The water repellant finish is just enough to cope with a light shower, and plenty good enough to deal with trail splashes if there’s no more water falling from the sky. I’ve got into the habit of shaking the beaded water off before it has a chance to sink in, and that works a treat.
Overall
I think this jacket is extremely reasonably priced when you consider just how well designed and functional it is. To keep you warm on the coldest of rides with the ability to regulate your temperature means a lot less faffing with layers. This is the type of jacket we all need in our winter riding pack if we haven’t got it on. Mechanicals, picnics, and pub stops in comfort await!
