A friend wants to buy her partner a hi-vis top for cycling. They are very much casual leisure cyclists (5 – 15 miles mostly on tarmac or hard trails) but do go out fairly regularly so don’t want the cheapest crap available. The link she shared was top of the google page when you search for hi-vis cycling top (provizsports.com) but can STW give any better recommendation?

For sheer reflective ness proviz is the best, not very breathable though. I have the Gilet and it works very well

Proviz works best for night cycling under artificial light, it’s not really hi-viz, unless they are planning to go out in the evenings. And it’s pricy.
If they really want to wear hi-viz to feel safe, just get a mesh vest top to wear over their normal cycling stuff.

If you want daylight AND night, this is as about as bright as it gets. Someone on our road has one and by heck it is loud.
https://road.cc/content/review/74872-polaris-rbs-grid-jacket

I’ve literally JUST been looking at the proviz switch gillet… shiny silver for night/lit situations, yellow for dusk etc..

20% off at the mo too.

DrP

I posted a similar topic a few weeks ago and got a couple of gilets from Endura and Madison which are nice and bright and breathable. I have a ProViz gilet too, which is incredible at night but is probably the most boil-in-a-bag bit of clothing I’ve ever had the misfortune to use. It’s now relegated to just above freezing temperatures only.

As above, Polaris do well made, well priced gear. I have the jacket above but they don’t make it any more. They do have a windproof one though, and a gilet (both of which I have too):

https://www.polaris-bikewear.co.uk/searchresults.asp?Search=rbs&Submit=

I use an Evans gillet hi-viz. Fits me, has a zipped chest pocket and was relatively cheap. I think I paid £30?

Can thoroughly recommend this for proper visibility:

https://www.altura.co.uk/products/detail/AL20NVV9/nightvision-safety-vest/?ng=148

Looks like they don’t sell/make the Evans gilet any more. Glad I got mine tho.

but do go out fairly regularly so don’t want the cheapest crap available.

Just a rough guess but I’d reckon a clean £2 one will outperform a dirty expensive one.
https://www.vsafety.co.uk/supreme-basic-hi-vis-vest.html

Buy 5 for << tenner and wear a clean one each day ?

I had the Proviz Reflect360 CRS Plus gilet, but had to sell it on as was like cycling in a heavy duty plastic bag. Only recommended for casual commuters.

The ProVis 360 Gillet is pretty good solution. It’s very far from breathable, but with the front zip undone when you get hot, and a lightish base layer underneath, it’s a good solution as it lights up from a great distance in the glare of headlights.

Proviz now do a gilet with a breathable back, which I’m thinking of getting, though why they don’t make all the Reflect stuff from the reversible “Switch” colourways I don’t know. The Reflect stuff is great in the dark lit by headlights, but effectively tarmac/fog coloured the rest of the time.

I like my hi-vis in gilet form as it means I can wear it in more varied weather. A jacket I just won’t use much.
This one from Decathlon works well for me, not particularly breathable but it’s a gilet so you just open the zip.

i had a polaris rbs – but i want something with a little water protection.
bought yellow madison waterproof earlier this year – horribly bright, loads of reflective stuff and surprisingly good in the rain. it drops points for no hand pockets IMO.

i had a polaris rbs – but i want something with a little water protection.

The one I linked to is a full waterproof rather than the windproof.

They don’t make that one anymore Matt. It’s a shame, it’s a great commuting jacket.