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TECH NEWS

Sugoi’s new Zap jacket takes reflectivity to the next level

UK exclusive first look at Sugoi’s new reflective jacket + video

Sugoi’s brand new Zap jacket uses an innovative new fabric with thousands of embedded glass beads that reflect light. Under normal daylight conditions it looks like any normal jacket, but shine a light on it and the entire jacket is reflective. We can’t think of any jacket that comes even remotely close to offering such a high level of reflectivity. Take a look at the video, you'll be amazed.

Being visible when riding at night, or even just in dim low light conditions, is a concern for most cyclists. Whether you’re commuting daily, or heading out after work for a training ride, being seen by other road users is something to take seriously.

The wonder of the material is that you have an otherwise regular looking jacket during the daytime, devoid of multiple reflective stripes and logos, so it looks smart and understated. Head out into the dark however and the entire surface reflects light. Even a jacket with a generous amount reflective details and stripes is going to struggle to match the Zap for outright visibility.

It’s claimed to be fully waterproof too, so should be ideal for year-round commuting and winter training duties. It has the sort of features you’d typically expect from a jacket, a dropped tail, tall collar, rear pocket and full-length front zipper. Expected availability is September, and it will cost £99.99.

There are studies that show it is reflective cycle clothing rather than fluoro hi-viz that is the answer to being seen in the hours of darkness. A lot more manufacturers are starting to incorporate reflective details into their clothing, so there is a lot more choice these days.

We'll be getting a closer look at this jacket soon. 

David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes

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37 comments

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Sakurashinmachi | 10 years ago
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I presume this is illuminite. If so, it has two problems:

1. It's completely non-breathable;

2. It doesn't shine when it's wet.

I have a Mont-Bell illuminite cycling jacket that's about 5 years old - since then Mont-Bell have added panels of non-reflective breathable material on the back and sides which I take as an implicit admission that my version wasn't a success ... or terribly well tested before being put on sale.

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alexholt3 | 10 years ago
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Very cool tech, nice to have a jacket that doesn't make you look like a lollypop lady. The strobe they use in the video however I dislike. Flashing lights (to this extent) are distracting to other road users and you can only see them for 50% of the time, meaning a quick glance may render the rider invisable.

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Chris Hughes replied to Neil753 | 10 years ago
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The jacket will be available in Fluo Yellow, Red and Black.

Chris Hughes - PR Marketing Coordinator - Cycling Sports Group

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Chris Hughes replied to Sakurashinmachi | 10 years ago
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That's why we created this jacket, the reflective parts are in little dots not covering all the material of the Jacket. Therefore there is more breathable material than not breathable sections. The reflective parts are made from glass NOT illuminate from 3M.

Chris Hughes - PR Marrketing Coordinator - Cycling Sports Group

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joemmo replied to alexholt3 | 10 years ago
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alexholt3 wrote:

Very cool tech, nice to have a jacket that doesn't make you look like a lollypop lady. The strobe they use in the video however I dislike. Flashing lights (to this extent) are distracting to other road users and you can only see them for 50% of the time, meaning a quick glance may render the rider invisable.

the strobe was mounted on the camera to show how the jacket reflects light back to source, the jacket doesn't actually flash itself..

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PhilRuss | 10 years ago
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[[[[[ Oh, come on! How long b4 it's superceded? It's like the flamin' arms-race. How about a jacket festooned with 50 blinking integrated LED's, half of them popping out on 12-inch stalks at weird angles? Now there's something drivers couldn't miss...could they?
I'll get me coat. (It's actually a race-cape)
P.R.

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Jenky replied to Neil753 | 9 years ago
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A secular amen to the suggestion that a combination of all approaches is the answer.
No one solution works in all circumstances.
I am somewhat baffled by cyclist wearing black (one killed near me recently, nice fella but I can't suppose his black thing helped)
I meet pretty mentally unwell people through work and one of the poorlier fellas I visited commented that any cyclist not wearing dayglow is votingfor suicide by proxy.
I am also mystified by cyclists with a big front light blazing but negligible consideration for their back - where they can't see whats coming at them.
Very visible but without being offensively dazzling has to be the way.

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