Lusso Skylon Gilet

The Lusso Skylon Gilet is a fine example of a good gilet. It doesn't make a fuss, it just keeps the wind off your body and helps to maintain core temperature while being small enough to scrunch into a back pocket. Pretty indispensable then.

I'm a relative latecomer to the joy of gilets, but they really are an incredibly useful addition to anyone's wardrobe. The Skylon is a cut above the bargain basement Tenn gilet I tested a while ago. Build quality is considerably higher and a little more thought seems to have gone into the design. For example, there is no loose fabric to snag the zip, unlike the Tenn. The Skylon fabric which gives the gilet its name (and a whiff of 50's nostalgia, go Google it kiddies) has a slightly rubbery feel, a bit like latex workshop gloves. It's not unpleasant, just a little odd.

Lusso claim that it's showerproof, which you might expect given the texture, but a short ride into a rainy headwind left my jersey quite damp by the time I got home. It's not a huge problem; after all you wouldn't expect a gilet to offer much by way of foul weather protection, especially one with a full length mesh back. What you want a gilet for is wind proofing and the Skylon scores full marks on that front. The mesh back stops it from turning into a mobile sweat tent and the whole thing folds up into its own back pocket.

The fit is snug, but not race tight and the back comes down nice and long, although I did find that it kept riding up, but that's probably a flaw in the design of my wide backside rather than the gilet.

I'd be hard pushed to find anything to complain about, but the reflectives (a tiny sewn in tab and a logo on the pocket) could do with being a bit more generous. I do quite a bit of night riding, not everyone does, so that's only a very minor point. White would never be my first choice for any item of kit, but the Skylon washed up well after an outing with no mudguards.

Overall I liked the Skylon and it will be earning its keep over the next few months, when it's too warm for a jacket but not warm enough for just a jersey. As an extra bonus, it's made in the UK.

Verdict

Sensible price, good quality, works well and make in Blighty, if that's important to you