The Proviz Reflect360 Cycling Jacket certainly lives up to its claim of being 100% reflective and is a must for any winter city cycling commuter.

Upon first receipt of the Proviz Reflect360 Cycling Jacket the material and colour cannot fail to make you notice it. Described as a matt grey colour in daylight, it does light up in contact with any direct light whether sunlight or artificial light, so always has an element of being ‘lit up’.

The jacket is constructed from a robust waterproof outer shell with a mesh liner inside. This works well in terms of sliding on and off over fleeces, or other winter layers you may be wearing to keep warm as the weather closes in. With that in mind it becomes clear that this is not a lightweight, packable, ‘just in case’ jacket. This is robust, well-built and warm; designed to be worn and not carried.

In term of features there are two handy sized chest pockets (ideal for train tickets, work security pass, phone etc.), plus it has a robust full length front zip and two pit zips which allow a reasonable airflow. There is also a rear zipped pockets, internal pocket, fleecy collar, rear ventilation flap and Velcro adjustable cuffs, so you do get a lot of features for your money.

I tried a size 10, and found it very generous in size. This works fine if you are wearing layers underneath the jacket to keep warm while waiting for trains, or on slow commutes, but you may want to size down if you want a more snug fit.

So does the Reflect360 visibility thing work? Oh my goodness yes it does! It’s the brightest item of clothing I have ever seen! Any light triggers the reflective material, so even cycling in daylight hours will create a visible flash of light, but when it is hit by any lights in the night-time you really see the benefit of the 100% reflective outer-shell. It may even be too much for some people!

My only concern would be using this on a dull foggy morning or damp dusk. Without car headlights to lighten it up there is a risk that you could merge into the greyness that permeates our country at this time of year. But wearing it after dark and you will definitely not be missed!

Verdict

The Proviz Reflect360 Cycling Jacket is ideal for any night-time winter commuter who is worried about visibility.

Pros

– 100% night-time visibility – no question.

– Lots of technical jacket features for your money.

Con

– Heavyweight and warm so not suitable as a packable jacket, or for a high intensity commute.

Price:  £74.99, available from Proviz.