Sportful Bodyfit Pro Wind Vest

The Sportful Bodyfit Pro Wind Vest is constructed with Gore Windstopper on the front-facing panels and Aero Stretch fabric around the back, so it's windproof where it needs to be and more breathable in places where you don't need protection from the wind.

Sportful call it a vest, but it's essentially the same as a gilet. Many gilets are very lightweight garments designed for emergency use, when the weather makes a turn for the worse, or for early morning starts. The Sportful is a step up from that type of gilet, it's a little heavier and as a result provides a decent level of insulation.

I've been finding the Pro Wind Vest ideal for the entire duration of recent rides, worn over a long sleeve jersey with a short sleeve base layer underneath. You get the full wind protection from the Windstopper panels which keeps your torso from getting chilly, without getting overheated arms that you would if you donned a jacket. The vest isn't waterproof, but in light showers the Windstopper fabric does keep a good deal of the rain from penetrating through to the inner layers.

Fit is the usual Sportful quality, so the medium is comfortably snug. The Bodyfit series is essentially the same clothing as worn by the Saxo Bank squad, just here you can choose more palatable colours than the kit the pros wear.

Talking of colours, if the trendy yellow is too bold for you, there are black and white options too. The yellow is used sparingly however and at this time of year a little extra visibility on grey days doesn't go amiss. There aren't any reflective details though, a couple of flashes around the back wouldn't hurt.

It's a very well finished top. The Pro Wind Vest is robustly made and has been very durable, the yellow even remaining clean after a good dose of riding on mud covered roads and through the wash a few times. The front is cut a little higher and the back lower, so it sits nicely around the waist when you're hunched over the bars. The collar has good height for keeping the neck warm and the full-length zip provides enough ventilation when you need it.

Small enough to roll up and pack into a jersey when you don't need to wear it, though it's perfectly breathable enough that it is comfortable for the whole ride, the Pro Wind Vest is the ideal addition to any cyclist's outfit for the time of year.

Verdict

A high quality windproof gilet that keeps your torso insulated on windy days.