Polaris Pulse

At first glance the Polaris isn’t as sexy as some of the other offerings being reviewed here. Its plain black is understated, and it lacks any big-name fabrics. Spend a bit of time looking at the details though, and it begins to impress. There are some neat touches – a drawcord to snug the high fleece-lined neck and keep drafts/raindrops at bay, thumb loops and a rear pocket with a transparent window to drop a red light into.

Despite being taped and fully waterproof, the fabric has some four-way stretch. It has a soft feel on the outer, although when first pulled on feels faintly cold and clammy against the skin – even in the warm and dry. This initial unpleasantness quickly passes though, leaving an outer layer that feels less like a fully waterproof shell, and more like a softshell. On a few showery rides I was happy to leave the Pulse on for longer than I might with other similar jackets. Breathability is maybe not quite up there with the best, but isn’t far off at all. The fabric is light, but still abrasion resistant and packs down nicely.

It probably would not be my first choice jacket for wet rides that are likely to include a lot of time off the bike – whether that be hike-a-bike, waiting for mates or just wearing down the pub, but for the remaining 75% of my wet rides it fits the bill very nicely indeed.

Overall: One of the few waterproofs out there that feels comfortable enough for me to want to wear when it isn’t raining, too.

Tom Hill.

Review Info