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review

Bontrager Specter Windshell Vest

7
£69.99

VERDICT:

7
10
Clever gilet with impressive temperature control and well-designed pockets
Weight: 
153g

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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A gilet is a really versatile piece of kit in the four-season-rider's wardrobe, and the Specter Windshell Vest from Bontrager's mid-range line is certainly clever. It keeps you warm, keeps you cool and even keeps your core dry. All that comes at a price, mind you.

Its name comes from the material used in the front panels, Profila Windshell. It's a very tightly knitted fabric that literally blocks the wind, stopping it from hitting your body even at speed. It works surprisingly well, and is most noticeable when the wind is on the chilly side; you warm up instantly.

> Find your nearest dealer here

> Buy this online here

Thanks to the close knit of the material, water doesn't tend to get through either, so as an added bonus you get a degree of water repellency. It's nothing too outstanding, but it'll keep drizzle off your core, and if you're riding in fog or mist you won't find it seeping through to the layers below.

Bontrager Specter Windshell Vest - detail.jpg

Even with a sleeveless top you can still get that 'boil in the bag' feeling, but to stop that here the rear is made from Profila Cool, which is pretty much what you'd expect to find on a summer jersey. You can see the ventilation holes, which allow excess body heat to be transferred out into the atmosphere, and it does a good job. It can take quite a lot of effort to overwhelm the Specter and even if you do you can just drop the zip a few inches to let a bit of breeze blow through.

Bontrager Specter Windshell Vest - back.jpg

Both materials are very thin, which keeps the gilet lightweight and highly packable so you can stow it in a jersey pocket. With a racer's cut, it's designed to sit close, but both fabrics have plenty of elasticity in them so it's not constricting in any way. An elastic hem with added silicone dots does a good job of keeping the gilet in position as you move around on the bike.

Bontrager Specter Windshell Vest - riding.jpg

You get a dropped tail to cover your rear when in the saddle, plus the usual three pockets across the bottom of your back. These are elasticated across the top to keep your contents secure, with the bottoms tucked under before being stitched; this means as you fill the pockets they have room to bulk out without stretching the material or causing them to sag. The left also has a hole for internal headphone routing.

Bontrager Specter Windshell Vest - pocket.jpg

Overall, the Specter Windshell is a great piece of kit that can easily be used year-round. It's well made and because it has rear pockets you could even wear it with just a long-sleeve baselayer.

> Check out our guide to the best cycling gilets here

At £70 it's quite pricey, especially when you take into account that there isn't much to it. Yes, the material choices are spot on, but there are also others on the market that do a very similar job for half the price – have a look at some examples here

Lastly, it's really nice to see some bright colours being used on a piece of clothing that is likely to see a lot of murky days, although it comes in black too. Bah.

Verdict

Clever gilet with impressive temperature control and well-designed pockets

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Bontrager Specter Windshell Vest

Size tested: Medium, High Vis Yellow

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Bontrager says: "Pedal through damp and windy rides in style with the Specter Windshell Vest. Profila Windshell and Profila Cool lightweight fabrics are breathable, windproof and water-resistant."

It is impressive at what it does, making it a useful all-seasons gilet.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Profila Windshell fabric is lightweight, windproof and water-resistant

Profila Cool fabric inserts for breathability

Three open back storage pockets

10cm drop-tail and silicone gripper for a precise on-bike fit

Reflective elements enhance visibility for maximum safety in all conditions

Fitted - Streamlined fit for all-around cycling performance

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10
Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
8/10
Rate the product for comfort (if applicable)
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
5/10

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Overall it's great against cold winds and light drizzle.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Surprising breathable.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

A touch pricey.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Possibly

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your score

I like the Windshell Vest, it works well in quite a few conditions and certainly looks well made. Although it's far from the most expensive gilet we've tested, I just feel it's a little on the pricey side for what it is.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 37  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: This month's test bike  My best bike is: Mason Definition

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed

As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!

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