Rider Review: Kastel Christine Soft Shell Jacket

Pulling this bad boy out from the archives… Living in the midwest (ish) we have weather that is all over the place. It can be 70 degrees one day in the fall and 29 the next. You never know what you are getting until that day. That said dressing for the barn can be a little tricky in the colder months. I don’t like to wear a super bulky coat when I am riding because then I feel roly poly. Enter the Kastel Christine Soft Shell Jacket.

from the Kastel website

Price: $99

Review: I originally contacted Kastel Denmark to see if they would be creating an unvented version of their amazing Kastel Sun Shirt for those of us that love the material but need a warmer layering option. Yes – the Sun Shirts feel so good I asked about something they didn’t sell yet because I want to wear them every ride. I hope that something like this does hit the market because I would be unable to prevent myself from buying one… errr all of the colors.

I mentioned that I was hesitant to buy their new Christine Soft Shell Jacket as I was concerned it would be too light to get much use with our weather and they offered to send me one to try out and review. I chose the Grey color with a pink trim/ details but you can also choose from Navy/Red, Black/Pink, and Royal/White color combos. Check out all of the options here.

Upon opening the the box I was really happy with the weight of the jacket. While it seemed durable and waterproof it wasn’t bulky and unlike many “soft shell” materials it wasn’t crinkly or scratchy. Additionally I don’t like to ride in jackets with hoods so that was a major selling point for me. Now that I have more rides in it I can say that I really like this coat and I see it has an awesome outer layer for the early fall and later spring as well as a great layering option for later in the winter. The coat has bigger sleeves which initially I wasn’t sure about but this feature makes it effortless to slip the coat on over the sleeves of a sweater. Additionally while fitted the coat doesn’t restrict my movement.

It is a great wind breaker and keeps you much warmer than you would expect with the weight of the fabric. I actually had to take the coat off when I was riding a few weeks ago because it was too warm (maybe 50 degrees). I was really happy to have it once I hopped off though because it kept me from getting a chill.

Sizing wise I wear a small in their sun shirts (as with many brands shirts) and chose a small in the jacket as well. This provided a sleeve that is maybe a hair long (though nice for riding as it covers my glove), a great drop (not too long or too short), and a soft fit that allows great movement and comfort.

Bottom Line: I would buy this coat for myself or a friend. At this price point with its great usability I think it is a super buy. You won’t find many jackets of the same quality priced so fairly. I have gotten this coat filthy and it washed up great which I was initially concerned about when choosing such a light color. This coat has quickly become a barn staple and my only complaint is that I wish there were more color options. Being a plain jane kinda gal I would love some solid options that didn’t have bright accent colors but that is a small complaint and I would still buy this coat for myself and recommend it to a friend.

When doing a quick search for soft shell coats on Dicks Sporting Goods you can see that this coat would be priced at the bottom end of the $99-$200 price range of their Women’s Soft Shell coats.  Considering that “equestrian” brands usually fall well above the prices of non equestrian branded items I found this surprising. I don’t think you would be disappointed if you treated yourself to this coat! And if you life somewhere with milder winters you could get even more use out of this coat.

If you are in need of a jacket to add to your Winter Wardrobe Arsenal you should definitely consider the Kastel Denmark Christine Soft Shell.