In the cold months you cannot avoid a good cap as they make riding so much more pleasurable. They can keep you head dry, keep the heat in and a well designed one can keep your ears warm. I’m generally a fan of cotton caps under helmets to a point, in the colder and rainy months I switch to a more seasonably suitable cap with insulation and waterproofing. My go to winter cap, was an older Rapha cap that I have had for a long time. This cap was warm but failed a little on wind blocking and water proofing. Recently I picked up a Castelli Difesa 2 cap. I bought it blindly over the internet hoping it would fit my head! and chose based on the admirable brand and the materials it was made from.
Gore Tex Windstopper material
Fleeced ear flaps
Breathable properties
Thin for under helmet wear
The Good
The cap stops rain great and blocks wind no problem, which mean no headaches on the blowy cold days. I also found the material breathed pretty well meaning if it warmed up, you didn’t have a sweaty head.
Fit wise, the material is thin and goes under helmets no problem. Reflective stripes adorn the sides, which show when wearing a helmet.
The ear flaps are lined with a slightly more fleecey material and keep your ears toasty without blocking hearing. As you can see in the photos the flaps don’t totally cover the ears which could be a good thing for hearing the traffic.
The Bad
If you are used to a “deeper” feeling winter cap, this one feels shallower on the head. In reality it’s probably not that much different as you can see , it’s a cut whre the mid band doesn’t drop down the sides of the head as much as some caps.
My main issue was I found the headband on this Difesa a hair too tight… My helmet size is 59cm, That’s solidly a Large, maybe someone with a 58 or less. I have been riding it quite a bit in the hope it may give in size a little bit. But the first few rides it dug in, leaving marks on my forehead just above my eyes. Im willing to put up with this for a while.
$49.95
Find a Difesa Cap here
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