cyclist demonstrates how the sleeves of this jacket can be zipped off, making it into a vest

Sugoi Versa Women’s Cycling Jacket Review

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Expert Review

The Sugoi Versa Women’s Cycling Jacket offers great versatility with magnetically attached removable sleeves that allow it to easily convert into a vest. High-tech materials, a thoughtfully created fit, and 360 degree reflectivity make the Versa an excellent lightweight cycling jacket.

Technical Features

Material, construction, weight & ventilation details of the jacket

The fanciest part of the Sugoi Versa Cycling Jacket, and what makes it really stand out from the rest, is the magnetically attached sleeves that allow it to quickly transform from a jacket to a vest, and from a vest to a jacket. While other women’s bike jackets also convert from a jacket to a vest, they utilize a zipper system that makes it easy to take off the sleeves, but rather cumbersome to put them back on.

My concerns upon first hearing about this feature were that it may be tricky to line up the magnets correctly, and that they might come undone by accident when I wasn’t intending to take off the sleeves. Upon trying it out, however, I found that the magnets just seemed to magically line up exactly right, and that they had the perfect amount of strength so that the sleeves were easy to remove, but never felt like they were in danger of coming apart when it wasn’t my intention to remove them.

A mesh back panel lets fresh air in while you’re wearing the Versa as a vest, and it’s covered up when you put the sleeves on to provide extra insulation when you need it.

When you’re not wearing the sleeves, you can fold them up small and stuff them in the low back pocket. I found this pocket to be easy to reach, and it wasn’t bothersome to have storage there, especially since the sleeves weigh almost nothing.

The Argon woven ripstop material on the Sugoi Versa Jacket is super lightweight and extremely breathable, and it allows hot, moist air to easily escape, so it didn’t weigh me down or create a sweltering environment at all – even when I was pedaling hard. It also provides wind- and moisture- resistance. I tested this jacket out on a beautifully crisp sunny day, so I didn’t get to experience the water repellency, but I definitely felt and appreciated the wind blockage.

The Argon material is also smooth and supple, totally comfortable to go sleeveless under. And the inside of the collar and the chin guard feature an extra-soft lining for even better next-to-skin comfort.

cyclist stuffs jacet sleeves in the back pocket of her cycling vest

The Fit

Performance impressions of sizing, adjustability & coverage

Sugoi tends to run a little on the large side. While this jacket at first seemed pretty big in a size small, I think that the oversized design doesn’t end up being a bad thing, because the fit offers good coverage for the riding position, with nice long sleeves and a long torso. And the relaxed sizing comfortably accommodates a couple of layers.

The hem and cuffs were easily adjustable and successfully kept the breeze out of this women’s cycling jacket.

smiling cyclist rides along flat section of road, with yellow-leaved aspens and dark pine trees covering the mountains in the background

Final Take

When evaluating a cycling jacket, I consider the material, the fit, the ventilation, the reflectivity, the weight, and the feel. The Women’s Sugoi Versa Jacket is made of a well-performing high-tech material. Generous sizing offers great coverage and room for layers, while the ventilation option has an unprecedentedly smart design. And 360 degree reflectivity inspires confidence due to the low-light visibility of the jacket. The fact that the Sugoi Versa is extremely lightweight makes it feel like you’re wearing nothing at all – except for the protection it offers from wind and water.

Kendall Fischer , Content Writer

Experts Verdict

Offering more than everything I would expect from a high-performance cycling jacket but remaining super lightweight, the Sugoi Versa is a winner in my book. Well-designed jacket-to-vest versatility and high performance materials make for great technical performance. Extra length at the sleeves and hem provide good coverage for cycling, while a roomy torso and arms leave space for layering.