The previous Assos Equipe RS Johdah jacket (the S9 Targa) set a new standard for the best winter cycling jackets, and also a new price threshold at £635. This updated version, as S11 states the next generation of Equipe range from Assos, drops the price fractionally to £630 / $810, and builds on the copious amounts of proprietary technology that made the S9 such a force.
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Construction
Chief among the updated technologies on this jacket is the DIAMOND range of materials. DIAMOND Medium is a softshell fabric used across the front panels and the sleeves to provide insulation and weather protection, with a diamond shaped insulation material underneath. Assos claims this improves aerodynamics with a compressive element to the fabric while remaining elastic for ease pf movement. This is part of the AEPD 11 racingFit designed to provide 360˚compression and stability.
ZigZaggy foam is used on the upper arm with a textured exterior, named due to the exterior pattern, which is designed to provide stormproof protection, while OSMOS Heavy is used on the rear for protection and breathability in the less exposed areas.
Inside, the double layer intraBooster gilet returns, with an off-centre zip designed to keep insulation around the neck and chest even with the main body of the jacket un-zipped. New for the S11 is LITHIUM Medium, which Assos states is an insulating layer with a grid construction that promotes extreme breathability.
Again focusing on breathability, the valveTec diffusors are back, designed to increase airflow down from the shoulders and the chest when in a more aggressive riding position and also aimed to help dissipate moisture vapor.
At the rear, there is a reflective stripe up the centre running onto the pockets. These are zeroSeam pockets, so sit nicely flush with the rest of the jacket, while long-term STABILIZER V11 keeps those pockets supported even when heavily packed.
Sizes range from XS to 2XL, while just the blackseries black colourway is available.
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The Ride
The jacket is an interesting mix of something that has a quite high ride-pace focus yet is still designed for deep winter riding. It’s slightly surprising that Assos’ pinnacle of winter riding technologies have been implemented into the Equipe racing line rather than the Mille training and comfort line. But there might be some specific reasons as to why this is.
One of my key issues with winter cycling jackets is that although they insulate you and keep you warm, they often lack a level of breathability that means you sweat quite a lot. This can lead to the pooling of sweat in the sleeves – lovely I know – but also a lot of moisture than accelerates cooling once you slow down and your intensity drops. There have been many instances when I’ve come out of the café on a winter rides and found myself freezing cold as a result.
This is where the most counterintuitive aspect of the Johdah comes into play, the impressive levels of breathability, and perhaps why this fits into the Equipe line better than the Mille. While the front of the jacket is heavily insulated, the rear features a large panel of far more breathable material. This allows for the expulsion of excess body heat off the back without negatively impacting weather proofing. It works well to prevent sweat build-up in the jacket, while the shoulder valves bring in a bit more airflow into the jacket, more effectively than the Spring/Fall S11 jacket, even though the placement appears identical.
There’s another clever breathability feature, which is the gilet design. The gilet looks a bit silly, sitting just above the naval with a higher neckline. In reality this design means there isn’t too much heat buildup on the body of the jacket, and also less pressure around the waist. Although the gilet adds some insulation (more on that later) it also allows for the jacket to be unzipped from the top while still giving a good level of protection to your core and neck.
It makes temperature regulation a lot less jarring than when you unzip a jacket to be met with a blast of cold air to your neck and chest. It provides just the right level of coverage to deliver optimal insulation, breathability, and comfort, setting a precedence that this jacket continues to maintain of being refined in every detail.
The pockets at the back of the Assos Equipe RS Johdah jacket hold plenty of food and spares
(Image credit: Future – Andy Turner)
Of course the other benefit of this gilet is the insulation, and that’s what this jacket has been designed to really flourish in. Testing this up in the Derby Dales and Peak District – notorious for wind, cold, and rain in December – I really put this jacket through its paces.
The ‘Diamond’ fabric is exceptionally good at providing reasonably supple insulation with weather proofing exterior features. Riding with groups who neglected the use of mudguards and experiencing wet roads and cold showers of rain, the jacket did not buckle in its defence against the elements. It’s certainly a thick material that is not as supple as a jersey, but it is not as stiff as other similarly weather proofed garments I’ve tested.
The tight-ish sleeve cuffs can make this jacket a little tricky to put on, but those cuffs prevent air finding its way up the sleeves. The more heavily fleeced upper of the arms, which tend to be most exposed to the elements when in a tucked racing position, are equally weather resistant thanks to Diamond fabric zones. I can’t say with confidence that this offers any aero benefit as Assos claims, but the small texturing of the sleeves is often faster than smooth fabrics. The main component of this jacket that will assist in aerodynamics is the AEPD 11 pro spec fit. It’s not tight or restricting in any way, but there is also not a single panel of material that has excess or loose elements to it, while the main materials all offer a good level of flexibility to maintain a close fit.
The combination of materials work in beautiful harmony to provide insulation and breathability
(Image credit: Future – Andy Turner)
The neckline is another key area where this jacket performs brilliantly. More often than not with cycling jackets, I don’t do the front zip up fully, as it tends to be constrictive on my neck. With the Johdah, Assos has added enough give in the material that it never feels constrictive or uncomfortable, which quite frankly is near unheard of for me with winter jackets.
This partly forgives the jacket for the exclusion of a two-way zip. Normally I would say this is an essential part of a winter jacket, mainly for temperature regulation. However, so good is the fit, breathability, and accessibility of this jacket, that a two-way zip is not required. Part of that accessibility are the rear pockets.
They are cavernous in their size, being both deep and wide enough to pack thoroughly with food, spares, tools, while the STABILIZER component of the pockets mean they remain firmly in place even when out of the saddle with them stuffed full. This forgoes the need for a bar bag, and even your saddle bag could be removed should you wish. It’s yet another small detail as to why this jacket is perhaps a little more race focussed, without any compromise to easy riding performance or all-day comfort.
I certainly feel comfortable putting this jacket on for a steady all-day slog on the bike. But I also feel comfortable putting this on for temperatures between 0-10˚C for a bit of a smash fest on the bike with steep climbs and rapid descents. It can get the slightest bit chilly when stopping for extended periods in colder weather, but so too will any garment. This jacket hasn’t been designed for standing still, it’s been designed for riding, training, even racing in cold, wet, or miserable weather. I only wish there were more reflective features or colour options, but riding with a set of the best bike lights is more effective than reflective panels for visibility so I won’t mark that too harshly.
It is, annoyingly the best winter jacket that I’ve ever used. And I’ll explain just why this is such an annoying fact in the next section.
Value and Conclusion
As much as this is an exceptional jacket, it does cost £630/ $810. It’s a £5 drop in price from the previous S9 version, and features refined tech and fabrics that make it even better than that version, but it is still an astronomical cost for a single item of kit.
Even the Q36.5 Dottore Mediterranea at £450 / $600 represents good value by comparison. The Rapha Pro Team Shadow Jacket is equally at home in cold and foul weather for £375 / $435. While the Sportful Fiandre Shift is a third of the price at £210 / $279.
The problem though is that the Q36.5 is not quite as insulated or refined in its fit, while the Rapha is nowhere near as breathable or suitable for warmer conditions, and the Sportful is not as equipped for properly cold or wet conditions. The fact of the matter is the Assos Johdah Jacket is simply the best winter jacket that money can buy. It’s the best combination of breathability, insulation, fit, and features.
But for that staggering price of £630 / $810, there isn’t really a justification to call this jacket good value.
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I did not want to like this jacket as much as I did, but the Assos Equipe RS Johdah Ultraz S11 Jacket, to give it it’s full name, is mightily impressive and I struggle to find any downsides to it. Yes the black only colour is not ideal for visibility, but I always ride with a light. And a two-way zip could add versatility, but it isn’t actually needed on this jacket, so great is the balance of insulation, breathability, and fit.
The glaring issue however is the price tag. It is obscene, and I don’t think can ever truly be justified. This is undoubtedly the best winter jacket I’ve ever used, but I wouldn’t buy one unless I won the lottery. It’s a winter jacket for the very wealthy, but I can’t wait for the trickle down features to hit more of the lower end range of Assos winter gear, as it has already started doing.
