Best cycling gilets 2026 — from windproof to reflective, find the best gilet for your needs

We’ve been impressed by both the men’s and women’s versions of Altura’s Airstream Windproof Gilet. They’re designed for changeable conditions, providing a good level of warmth on cold rides with enough space to fit a couple of layers underneath courtesy of a ‘semi-fitted’ cut. The price isn’t bad either.

The front is absolutely windproof with a DWR (durable water repellent) coating that performs well in showers, but as the back is a very lightweight mesh affair, the Airstream isn’t striving to be waterproof.

The cut is good, with gently elasticated armholes and a deep-drop tail with a silicone gripper keeping everything in place. A two-way zip allows you to undo the gilet from the top or bottom, to regulate your temperature and access jersey pockets.

A zipped pocket on the upper chest is ideal for keys, credit card, or cash, and it doubles up as a pouch for packing the gilet away.

As well as a reflective Altura logo on the front left shoulder, there’s reflective piping across the back of both shoulders and in two full-length strips down each side, with a strip on the back of the tall neck too

The Cafe du Cycliste Maya unisex insulated cycling gilet – aimed at long-distance cyclists – is perfect for cold mornings, night rides, and those times when the temperature threatens to plummet and then spike over the day. It’s versatile and will pack down into a saddle bag or even the rear pocket of your jersey.

The Maya keeps you warm, offering a snug fit and insulated baffles of ethically sourced down at the chest and across the back. Stretch panels at either side help deliver a streamlined fit and excellent comfort, while soft fabric at the collar offers more comfort and keeps the YKK zip well away from your chin.

The scooped rear and the elastic gripper at the base ensure that your lower back is always kept covered, and the two-way zip allows you to fine-tune the mix of insulation and ventilation as you need it. In use, it proved to be durable, well-designed, and easy to wash and look after.

You can buy it in vibrant orange or a dashing ‘Neon Pink’, both models featuring reflective detailing to improve visibility at night.

If you can cope with the whopping price, this is a genuinely excellent piece of kit.

The Endura Pro SL Lite Gilet II is a practical, windproof, waterproof and easily packable gilet that’s ideal for changing weather conditions.

Most of the panels are made from a nylon and elastane mix which gives a certain amount of stretch while maintaining waterproofing, with the centre of the back being a perforated fabric that allows for heat to escape. It’s relatively close fitting without feeling tight, thanks to the stretch in the fabric.

This gilet offers very good windproofing to keep the chill off and a decent amount of waterproofing to keep the rain off your core in showers.

You get a good quality YKK zipper with a nice stiff cover which helps with windproofing. The large zip pull is simple to use with full-finger gloves.

There are three large open pockets and a zipped one for valuables at the rear, plus reflective details that help keep you visible in low-light conditions.

It doesn’t fold down as small as some gilets, but you’ll have no trouble fitting it into a jersey pocket with space to spare for a pair of arm warmers.

The Galibier Izoard Pro is a well-made and impressively warm gilet that’s just about packable into a jersey pocket. It’s showerproof thanks to a DWR (durable water repellent) coating, and is an absolute steal

You get plenty of warmth courtesy of 49g/m (grams per square metre) recycled synthetic insulation. Both the front and the back are insulated, which can trap a lot of heat. On sub-10°C rides, reviewer Steve Williams found that he felt too warm on only the hardest of climbs. Once the temperature gets up to around 12-13°C, it’s best to leave the Izoard Pro at home.

The reflective herringbone stitching looks smart, and the big logo on the tail is great. The silver highlights on the main zip, on the front zip garages, and down the rear panel sides are strongly reflective under headlights, too. With a slim but not restrictive fit and well-shaped armholes, this gilet looks more expensive than it is.

The Super-Roubaix fabric used for the sides continues around the waist, and it all stretches to maintain a good, close fit all over.

The Gorewear Ambient Vest is an excellent packable gilet that’s amazingly good at keeping the wind off despite weighing a paltry 67g (in an XL size). A mesh back allows heat and sweaty vapour to escape, and the lack of bulk makes it easy to store in a jersey pocket when not in use. Ideal!

You get Gore-Tex Infinium fabric across the entire front of the gilet. Despite being extremely thin, Infinium is windproof and you’ll immediately notice the benefit of keeping cold air out. Although not completely waterproof, the fabric will keep damp air and spray from soaking in.

The mesh material at the rear allows excess body heat and damp air to get out and is the key to the gilet’s aggressive cut. While there’s no stretch in the Infinium front panels, the mesh offers an impressive amount, meaning various body shapes have a close fit without feeling restricted.

If you want the ultimate in visibility, the Proviz Reflect360 Plus Gilet will get you seen. Slate grey in daylight conditions, it turns brilliant white in vehicle or street lighting thanks to the retro-reflectivity of millions of tiny glass beads that impregnate the fabric.

It’s incredibly effective. Reviewer Shaun Audane reckons most drivers in town registered his presence from a long distance while friends reckoned they could spot him at 250 metres out in the lanes.

The polyester main fabric is windproof and waterproof, and the rear is perforated so moisture can also escape. As a technical, training garment, the shell does an excellent job of blocking chill, and the fairly slim cut stops wind and rain sneaking inside.

The rear doesn’t feature a traditional drop tail so you might find some jersey peeking out back there. The elastic gripper does its thing pretty well, though, Shaun having had no problems with the hem creeping up during a ride.

There are certainly more breathable gilets out there, but for getting you seen the Reflect360 Plus Gilet is brilliant – literally,

The Rapha Brevet Insulated Gilet, with its reflective signature stripes that give almost 360° visibility, is warmer than it appears for the chillier bits of longer rides. It might be pricey but it’s also light and packable, so easy to stash away when not required.

This gilet is light, scrunches up easily to hide in your rear pocket, and fits snugly to form a barrier to wind and maybe a bit of rain (thanks to a DWR coating). Hidden inside, a layer of soft waffled fabric lines the front and back to provide insulation. Spaces in the waffle pattern trap air and hold onto body heat, giving warmth while also contributing to its quick drying abilities.

The Rapha Brevet isn’t as warm as a more padded or quilted winter gilet, but it’s lighter and easier to leave unnoticed in a rear pocket, and there’s a definite thermal benefit over a standard windblocking gilet that might be a similar weight.

Rapha suggests that it’s best worn in cold and cooler (2-10°C) conditions, but we’d say it’ll also come in handy if you’re riding your bike through the slightly fresher hours of a summer morning or evening.

The Santini Redux Stamina Women’s Vest Gilet is form-fitting, light, and packs down very impressively given the level of warmth it provides. Well-positioned wind panels provide good defence against the cold while allowing good breathability elsewhere. It’s the best cycling gilet for women that we’ve found.

The Redux Stamina is made in Italy from Ghisallo stretch-woven fabric, and its checkered lining is Polartec Delta, which will keep you warm on chilly starts. The collar is cut high and feels wonderfully cosy thanks to the thermal lining.

Tester Anna Marie writes: “The Redux Stamina is an extremely well-crafted technical layer you’ll find yourself reaching for all the time – for all sorts of rides, across all the seasons. It’s effective at keeping you warm, while also being breathable, and small enough to carry with you on every ride.”

Exceptionally light and packable, the Specialized Women’s Prime Wind Vest is a well-made, sleek and effective piece of kit.

This ultralight windproof gilet is designed to provide good protection with minimal bulk and weight (our XL size was just 86g). It’s made from a light and stretchy fabric, with a windproof full front panel, and mesh at the rear of the shoulders. The stretch nylon fabric is soft and doesn’t feel at all fragile.

An elasticated hem with silicone grippers that runs around the rear and sides of the gilet (not the front) keeps it in place well, and the softly lined collar adds comfort too.

Although you get no real water repellency here, the fabric excels in terms of breathability. Mesh panels and the ability to unfasten the zip at either end further help you avoid overheating and sweatiness.

The cut is sleek and performance-oriented, and the overall performance is superb.

The Stolen Goat Men’s Bodyline Gilet fits really well, is windproof, and packs down small enough for you to forget it’s there until you need it. Flaps allow easy access to your jersey pockets, and it’s available in various colourways.

The Bodyline Gilet is a polyester and elastane mix that’s very stretchy and comfortable. It’s not a really tight racing fit – just figure-hugging, no-flapping snug. The stretch means it works over a winter jacket just as well as a thin summer jersey.

The front is windproof, with a breathable vertical mesh panel on the back. The windproofing is helped by a storm flap behind the YKK full-length zipper, and by the high, snug-fitting collar. You also get a layer of thin, soft fabric inside the collar for upping comfort levels, along with a zip garage. The arm openings are cut just right; tight enough not to let any wind through, but not noticeable when riding.

Stolen Goat doesn’t bill this gilet as waterproof or thermal but you do get some light shower protection.

All that’s really missing is reflective detailing. Beyond that, the strong design and comfortable, stretchy fit make this a very versatile choice.

The Van Rysel Hi Viz Cycling Gilet is a nicely thought-out and well-made gilet with a great cut, fit and overall performance, and you really can’t argue with the price

The gilet is made from polyester with a windproof and water-repellent laminate at the front and a relatively thin, perforated panel at the rear designed to let damp air out.

The front layer does a good job of blocking cool/cold air without rustling too much. Reviewer Shaun Audane found that those panels kept out persistent showery rain and drizzle. The laminate panels dried quickly, too.

Shaun reports that he wore this gilet over a long-sleeve jersey in temperatures between 7 and 14°C and had no problem with clamminess.

This isn’t really the type of gilet you can just shove in a jersey pocket if you get too warm, but dropping the front zipper to half-mast certainly helps and, given the snug fit, you’ll have no issues with billowing.

The neon yellow colouring ensures you’ll stand out in dull conditions, while bold and well-positioned reflective detailing will get you noticed at night.

The Vulpine Men’s Ultralight Quilted Gilet hits the target bang-on for commuter and casual use. It’s warm, protective and doesn’t look odd when you get off the bike. It breathes impressively given that it’s insulated all over and lacking any vents.

The 100gms (grams per square metre) insulation is made from recycled plastic bottles, and this gilet is impressively unsweaty for the kind of riding it’s aimed at, and never stifling even if you do need to work hard. Reviewer Steve Williams found it offered useful extra core warmth and wind protection in temperatures down to 3°C.

The high collar protects your whole neck, the dropped tail shields you against wheel-spray, and the shoulders have reinforced nylon patches to protect against wear from backpack straps. Nice touch! You get several pockets too.

The overall sizing is best suited to wearing over regular winter jumpers, so size down if you intend to use it with slim Lycra – although this isn’t a gilet that’s designed for training and fitness riding.

For its intended commuting, leisure and off-bike uses, this Vulpine gilet is warm, protective against wind and spray, and very versatile.