Endura Luminite II jacket

Endura's Luminite jacket has been a commuting staple for many years. The Luminite II has a fabric that's slightly thinner than the original, plenty of reflectives and a built in rear LED. It's a good choice for the daily schlep to the office.

The Luminite fabric is a 2.5 layer breathable and with fully taped seams it's very waterproof There's adjustable neck and hem cords to keep the chills out and there's plenty of chevrons for great all-round visibility after dark. The green base colour (yellow and black are also available) stands out in the day, too.

The generous cut means you can get a couple of layers inside, although if you're race shape you might want to size down. The thin fabric can be a bit flappy in the wind but it's not too bad, and it's surprisingly warm, mostly down to being a very effective wind barrier. If you work hard you'll find it's not the most breathable fabric out there, but for a commuter jacket it's fine.

There's three pockets at the front (two side and one chest) and one at the rear, protected with a storm flap and holding the Luminite LED which shines through a translucent window. It's a good little safety addition, although I found that it wasn't too keen on staying put in its little home, wandering into the pocket on occasion and disappearing from view.

The obvious comparison is with the Altura Night Vision Evo, which is similarly specced but with a slightly more luxurious-feeling soft-touch fabric and a better-located light to the rear. And a touch more reflective. The Endura is £10 less at RRP but the Altura can be had at a fairly heavy discount, so in terms of value at the till it probably edges it. They're both good options for a daily commute though.

Verdict

Good daily commuting jacket that's visible in all conditions, the rear light is a good touch but it'd be nice if it stayed put.