Altura Night Vision windproof

Altura might not have the heritage or the racer-chic desirability of some Euro brands but – and here’s the important bit – most of their stuff works incredibly well. In fact, we can’t think of any Altura clothing that we’ve tried that hasn’t been there or thereabouts in terms of function.

The newly redesigned Night Vision Windproof Jacket is another solid offering and you’ll get your money’s worth out of it with plenty of year-round use. We’ve been wearing it on top of a base layer on spring evenings, but we can see it coming in handy on summer’s mornings and on top of a couple of other layers in the winter too.

It’s made mostly from a fleecy polyester/spandex fabric that’s mid-weight and stretchy with the front of both the body and the arms being windproof polyester. These panels aren’t as breathable as the rest but they really do stop cold air in its tracks. A baffle behind the full-length front zip prevents anything getting through there, while a high, close-fitting neck, elasticated waistband and stretchy cuffs provide more defences.

The cut isn’t the skinniest ever but it’s certainly towards the sportier end of the scale and three deep pockets around the back – plus a fourth bonus zipped one – provide enough stowage space for all your ride gubbins.

The biggest difference between this jacket and most others, though, is in the level of reflective material you get to keep you safe on the roads. There’s loads basically, so you’re visible from all angles and you even get a loop on the tail for attaching an LED or Altura’s own Night Vision Lightstick (£12.99).

Available in red, blue, yellow and black.

Verdict

Very good windproof-fronted jacket for year-round use with the added bonus of exceptional visibility at night