Wild Rye makes beautiful outdoor apparel for women in fun colors and prints. This review features their latest Alden Anorak Windbreaker. The Alden Anorak comes in Slate Green and Black colorways in sizes XS to XL and retails at $159. It’s made of lightweight polyester and spandex blend and packs small.
With a C0 DWR coating, the Alden Anorak Windbreaker is also water resistant.
| Rating | Design: A– Size: A Comfort: A |
| Retail Price | $159 |
| Likes | + Wind and Water resistant + Lightweight and packs small |
| Dislikes | – The kangaroo pocket sags with anything heavier than paper. |
| Where to Buy (US) | Wild Rye |
FIT & FINISH
The Alden Anorak has a minimalistic design and boxy silhouette. It is well constructed pullover style jacket with a zippered half placket in the front and one kangaroo pocket with zippered openings from wither sides. The back top-third has an air flap covering the mesh inner layer. The hem has an elastic cord to cinch it in if needed. The contoured hood is large enough to get on and off the helmet without any string or elastic and the raglan sleeves allow for greater range of movement. Although the shell supposedly has 10% spandex, it didn’t feel stretchy. However, the looser fit compensates for the lack of stretch. It also has environmentally friendly PFC-free (perfluorinated chemicals) C0 DWR coating that offers water repellency.
ON THE ROAD
We tried the Alden Anorak in Slate Green color in a small size (120lbs, 32” chest) and rode with it on a few windy days and it worked great at blocking the wind. This jacket is not designed for road cycling with its low vis colors, looser fit, long hem, and front pocket. The hood is big enough to go over the helmet and the air flap in the back worked well to keep the sweat off the back. We also wore this on our run and it worked great at blocking the wind. It would probably keep you dry in a light drizzle but we didn’t get to wear it out in one yet. As with any treated fabric, the C0 DWR coating would probably wear off over time. The kangaroo pocket is good for protecting your hands from the wind but not for storage as the lightness of the fabric weighs this area down if you were to place anything heavier than paper in it.
THE VERDICT
Although, not strictly designed for cycling, this anorak works well as a wind-breaker on rides as well as runs. We even found ourselves wearing it out on the town on windy days. If you’re looking for a packable windbreaker with a hood that works on or off the bike, the Wild Rye Alden Anorak is a great option.
Disclaimer: The product for this review was provided by Wild Rye. The views expressed on this website are solely those of the authors and are here to help people make an informed choice before a purchase. The authors or the blog itself does not get any monetary compensation from the product manufacturer or third-party websites/vendor links that are posted here.