The Sportful Hot Pack 4 Donna is a wafer thin, incredibly packable women’s specific windproof jacket. Although it weighs a scant 73 grams, the Hot Pack stood up to the test of Britain’s howling gales, doing exactly what it said it would on the tin.
Although thin and ultra light, the Sportful Hot Pack is an incredibly durable and comfortable windproof jacket. Having worn it on an extremely hilly ride with temperatures around 10°C combined with 25mph headwinds – yes, you read that right – I can safely say that the windproof properties of the Hot Pack Donna are second to none.
The jacket may have puffed up as the wind hit me, but I didn’t feel like a balloon and I definitely didn’t blow away. Thanks to the durable construction and windproof qualities of the jacket, whizzing down the descents at no point did I feel chilly, I was just able to concentrate on descending safely. The Hot Pack didn’t whip or feel as though it may rip, I was just wrapped in a bubble of warmth.
The fabric, although quite rustly, feels incredibly soft, warm and smooth to the touch. There are vents that look like gills just behind the arm pits and one across the shoulder blades – these were more than capable of expelling the heat from my rather warm-blooded body.
Tackling a surprise climb, I needed to eject myself from the jacket pretty sharpish, a great opportunity to test how durable the jacket was. While pedalling squares, I managed to tug the useful chords on the cuffs and slide the jacket off with no problems at all. The reinforced, stretchy cuffs while on, are great to keep the wind out, but stood up to some rough tugging when disrobing, proof that this is a well constructed jacket.
The overall fit is pleasing, the arms are long enough and there was no tugging around the chest. At 5’4″ and a busty size 10 the Hot Pack size small was fine, my only gripe the back of the jacket could do with being a couple of inches longer. I was wearing the jacket over a jersey with pockets full of goodies, unfortunately the elastic waist hem, snuck up and stayed up above the pockets.
The Hot Pack Donna comes with an inbuilt pouch, contained within the rear pocket. It was easy to fold the jacket in on itself, and once in it’s bag, it packed down to the size of a grapefruit, but could easily be squished into a smaller size in your jersey pocket.
VERDICT
Excellent windproof qualities usually come with a weight or breathability penalty, not so with the Hot Pack 4 Donna. At under 100g it folds easily into a jersey pocket, perfect for alpine descents or breezy autumnal rides where a shower may be looming. A reasonably priced staple that all road cyclists should have in their wardrobe.
PROS
– High quality, durable construction
– Lightweight
– Extremely packable
– Comfortable
– Warm
CONS
– Jacket would benefit from being made longer
Sizes: XS to XXL
Colours: Black or White (pictured)
Price: RRP £70 (available for £63)
Website: Sportful
UK distributor: C3 Products
What Sportful say about the Ladies Hot Pack 4 windproof jacket
Sportful continue to develop the Hot Pack concept, now in its fourth iteration. The Hot Pack 4 jacket returns with a lightweight, ultra compact construction that provides wind-proofing and water resistance to guard against showers and cold winds on the descents. The back panel features large vents to avoid overheating and the cycle specific cut ensures the correct fitting in the cycling posture.
Essential protection for changing weather conditions, the Hot Pack 4 Jacket provides windproofing and water resistance. It packs down into a compact stuff sack and fits easily into your jersey pocket. Minimum weight, Minimum bulk, Maximum Protection.
– Windproof, water resistant, and breathable
– Ventilated back panel
– Stuff sack
– Reflective panels
– Back pocket
– Protective high neck
– Weight: 81g (*our size small weighed 73 grams)
