Scott’s Trail Storm Insuloft AL jacket is absolutely roasting inside. I don’t mean this is a bad way, cuffs aside there’s no hint of clamminess about this insulated top and it’s as far removed from a boil in the bag as you can get. Instead it’s one of the warmest jackets around, and one of the best mountain bike jackets I’ve tried this winter.

Lined with Polartec, this is a jacket for sub-zero days

Scott Trail Storm Insuloft AL jacket need to know

• Super warm softshell, with fleecy Polartec lining and a DWR coating
• Side pockets, dropped hem, zip baffle and soft collar add comfort
• Additional waterproof back panel for spray and neoprene cuffs for warmth
• XC or gravel bike cut, in sizes S-XXL, with four colour options

It’s made from a windproof and splashproof polyamide shell, but inside is where the business happens. Lined with a Polartec fleece lining, it’s soft and comfy and traps your heat like a feather duvet, all without being overly bulky. Unlike most other cold weather jackets, the fleecy lining runs pretty much unbroken throughout the jacket, only missing out a small stripe underneath your arms and down the sides of the body. Here you get something that looks just like Polartec’s Power Grid fabric but with a raised diamond pattern instead. It’s still insulated, but nowhere near as thickly as the fleece.

Stretchy cuffs mean there’s no space for wind to sneak in, even when you’re stretched out on the bike

You can have too much of a good thing though, the Trail Storm is too warm to use in most UK conditions… even on an e-bike. I’d rather Scott miss out the fleecy layer from the back panel, like most other brands do, and let you dump heat without adding windchill. The insulation is compounded by a waterproof panel that covers the lower half of the back, it’s a great idea for warding off splashes but it does turn up the thermostat even higher. There are also neoprene cuffs to keep out the wind, they work well but I found them clammy, and adding in black gloves to my outfit made it look like I was wearing gauntlets.

The back panel is waterproof, which is great for fending off spray

Perhaps I’m being too harsh, most of my riding is in Surrey where freezing temperatures and windchill are rare, a Scottish winter might well bump the Trail Storm way up my rankings. As it stands though, anything above freezing is too warm for me. 

The Trail Storm jacket is extremely comfy, and you get all Scott’s experience in attention to detail. There’s a zip baffle and fleece lined collar at the top to protect your neck from scrapes and the cold, huge pockets for hands or gear, and a drawcord at the bottom with a gripper that’s easy to grab. The fit is on the XC side of trail, cut low at the front and pretty tight, so it might be worth upsizing if you want a looser fit.

Dump warm air quickly with the zippered side panels