I know, I know all that should matter is that I’m visible but…

I’m bike commuting twice a week, which includes about 13km on unlit B roads each way. I have a Proviz gilet which is brilliant in the dark, but it’s Weeping Jesus it’s boil-in-the bag. Is there a decent, thinner alternative out there that my googling has failed to uncover?

Similarly, I thought I’d be able to pick up some nicer looking bright high-vis things like POC AVIP stuff, but they seem to have discontinued that. Are there any other equivalents of that stuff out there (apart from the Rapha pink Brevet gilet)?

Obvs I’ve got bright lights on the bike as well, before anyone asks!

Polaris; simple, well made, well priced.

https://www.polaris-bikewear.co.uk/RBS-Windproof-Cycling-Commuter-Gilet-p/pol01-1458-p.htm

They do a long sleeved one too

https://www.polaris-bikewear.co.uk/RBS-Windproof-Cycling-Commuter-Jacket-p/pol01-1453-p.htm

Thanks, that looks immensely practical, if not quite fulfilling the nicer looking criteria…

Yeah, but I’d rather that the bus driver said “look at him up there, doesn’t he look like a right site” than, “ooh, that chap that just bounced off my bonnet looked rather dashing”.

It’s for commuting and not getting run over, I think practicality should probably be your main driver.

Castelli Perfetto Ros Vest. I have the bright orange one. pretty snug, very bright, windproof, wouldn’t say waterproof though, acts a bit like a wetsuit with the right jersey/layers underneath. Not cheap

Castelli Perfetto Ros Vest. I have the bright orange one. pretty snug, very bright, windproof, wouldn’t say waterproof though

I have that, nice piece of kit:

They also do a “thermal pro vest” one which isn’t windproof and breathes extrememly well.

Rapha do some bright ones as well..

Do you want hiviz, reflective or both? Reflective stuff can’t be breathable apparently, from all the reviews I’ve seen

I think ProViz have a newer gilet with a more breathable back though?

The Castelli gilets look pretty good (if not cheap, as you say).

IHN – you’re completely right, I’m just a tart.

I have a Tog24 pertex jacket that is convertible. Turquoise with flashes of reflectors and lumi, with a zip back pocket and vent across shoulders.

this kind of colour (A madison Sportive Gilet):

Mrs_OAB has a rather nice Pearl Izumi Barrier converible, better cut and bit more reflective than mine. Pocket in rear and on hip.

Impressed with how visible the Rapha stuff is. Both pink and chartreuse stand out well without being dorky day-glo.

Impressed with how visible the Rapha stuff is.

Yep, for years all they did was black and other tarmac based colours and finally they’ve realised that being run over by a dozy driver isn’t much fun….

They even have a bright coloured winter training jacket, which is a real break from the past…

That Madison gilet is the sort of thing I’m looking for, I think. That Rapha one is cool but my masculinity is too fragile to wear aggressive pink.

…Gah, Madison don’t do that colour any more!

I get given waay more space than normal when I wear the Rapha pink Gilet. Unfortunately, it clashes with almost all of my equally bright coloured winter jerseys (bright green, bright orange) and makes you look even more of a tit when wearing it that you already did.

It goes really well with black and dark purple, but then you get nicely warmed up and take off the gilet and you’re back to Ninja mode.

Depending on your aversion to SPortsdirect and M.Ashley:

One of these
for £4.99 over the top of anything

Gah, Madison don’t do that colour any more!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Madison-Sportive-Windproof-Mens-Cycling-Gilet-Blue-/373094711919

Oh, endura’s hi-viz blue colour is pretty good. I have their primaloft gilet, but I’d imagine they do other items in the same colour.

I’ve just ordered one of these, hopefully warm and bright orange
https://galibier.cc/product/izoard-insulated-gilet/

Matt – you are, as ever, a prince among outdoor enthusiasts.

Endura primaloft ones are great also, I have a black and turquoise one, pretty bright they now do an orange (pumpkin)
Endura

and makes you look even more of a tit when wearing it that you already did.

I’ve stopped caring about how I look on the bike! On murky days I’m mr Castelli Day-glo, just trying to avoid being mowed down one of the many thousand speeding / texting drivers who seem to inhabit the South East….

@neila I have that and it’s superb. Not a hi-vis orange but bright, super warm but defo not breathable. I wear it off the bike too when hiking.

The sugoi zap stuff is amazing. I have a bike jacket and a running one.
they are ridiculously bright when light comes on them and you can get bright colours.
not quite as bright as my proviz but I don’t feel like I am trying to sweat weight off using them

@mcnultycop that’s good to hear, the Rapha Brevet ones were a bit spendy and out of stock. I’ve had good success with Galibier gear

the Rapha Brevet ones were a bit spendy and out of stock

Check Sportspursuit.com, they seem to have a continual Rapha clearance sale on….

Assos FalkenZahn is very breathable and warm

Anyone got the Madison Sportive one up there and if so is it a rustler material wise? The gilet I have now is a bit too snug and if you leave even a short length of zip undone it makes a right racket in the wind.

I’ve not dared wear that Galibier gilet while riding yet, but it’s toasty warm to pop on at the cafe stop.

If my clubmate decides he doesn’t want it after all, there will be one of those pink Rapha gilets available next weekend. The reflective stripes are excellent at night.

What size? I have the fluoro yellow Northwave artic boots and a white lid so in for a penny….

Specialized have just brought out a new range of high-vis stuff. No idea if it’s any good, but looks quite nice.

footflaps

Check Sportspursuit.com, they seem to have a continual Rapha clearance sale on….

@footflaps – only if you’re a girl or at the extremes of the sizing spectrum.

Gore windproof
https://www.sportsshoes.com/product/gor1401/gore-c3-windstopper-light-gilet-~-aw20/?utm_campaign=uk-unpaid-shopping&utm_medium=organic&utm_source=google&utm_content=C3+Windstopper+Light+Gilet&kw=&cpn=6513413654&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIt8XBlKTU7AIV1YBQBh2l5wYlEAQYASABEgLqs_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Then a PX reflective helmet.

The Gore stuff is really breathable, and really windproof, and pretty showerproof.

I’ve got the Polaris hi vis wind proof jacket. It looks hideous like all hi vis but it’s pretty cheap, tough and breathable. It’s only wind resistant not windproof. Not bad at keeping the rain out. Cut seems decent.

Recently I’ve been wearing it over another windproof with a t-shirt under which works really well for not melting on the climbs or freezing downhill and between them they’ve kept out all but the heaviest rain (despite me washing the other windproof in detergent and not having reproofed it yet).

My advice would be the same as others – get something that is a bright colour but not actually fluro high viz coloured. I have a jacket that’s just normal yellow – not my favourite colour, but much better than fluro and only slightly less visible in the daytime. I also have a couple of bright blue tops and an orange t-shirt that I actually rather like, and are nice and visible.

Not bad at keeping the rain out.

I fling my pertex in with some TX10 and it works just fine….

I have a collection of rapha Bright windproof clothing with lots of reflective bits, they’re brevet range is ace – I have orange, yellow, green and pink

Have used the oldest one for about five years now, they’re all still going strong

anyone have any experience of this stuff ?
https://btrsports.co.uk/collections/gilets

Just for anyone else looking at the blue Madison gilet up there ^ I bought one and it’s not the blue colour shown, it’s much more teal, almost pastel. It’s a colour you’d often see in women’s bike clothing ranges to be honest. Will prob keep it as the fit is better than the one I have now and I like the rear pocket. Colour could almost be described as Rapha-esque hip but I’m old and ugly so a bit wasted on me