Proviz Reflect360 Men's Performance Cycling Jacket

Made almost entirely from highly effective Reflect360 material, the Proviz Performance jacket is probably the best way to stay visible on your bike without looking like a French economic activist.

• Pros: Fantastic reflectivity, excellent performance fit, very good breathability
• Cons: No insulation, not entirely waterproof, no pockets (if that matters)

I tested the Proviz Reflect360 Performance jacket's more utilitarian sibling – the Nightrider – a few weeks back, and despite it having a quite impressive array of talents, one thing that was missing was a certain 'wow factor'. In use, as an effective commuting jacket it was nigh-on faultless, but it also felt a little bit too much like a traditional high-vis garment.

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That's certainly not a charge that can be levelled at the Reflect360 Performance jacket, which – save for areas of black mesh at the top of the back, sides and under the arms – is constructed entirely from the Reflect360 wonder material. This looks like fairly demure grey fabric in daylight conditions – old-school lurid high-vis yellow it ain't – but it reflects like a beacon with just a bit of light at night-time.

Design

In fact, the Reflect360 material seems more brilliant than ever. When Proviz launched its first Reflect360 products some years ago, the technology – minuscule reflective glass beads embedded in the fabric – was a breakthrough and the results were impressive. But it generally required direct light to bounce off it to provide its most remarkable effect. This modern Reflect360 fabric seems to have gone one stage further and can pick up and reflect almost any ambient light – it's quite incredible.

As I've mentioned, the great advantage of Reflect360 fabric is that you can wear this jacket during daylight without looking like a high-vis road warrior. That said, with this 'Performance' version you can't hide the fact that you're a cyclist. It's cut perfectly for road riding or fast commuting, with a nice balance of form fitting, stretch and a deep drop tail. The fitted waist is very effective for keeping it in place and it's very comfortable without being too roomy. Essentially, you can wear it when you want to get somewhere fast without feeling like you're making too much of compromise in the safety-to-speed stakes.

Practicalities

In many ways, Proviz has thought sensibly about who the likely owners of the Reflect360 Performance jacket will be and tailored its talents to suit. It's very light and packable, almost like a rain cape with night-time benefits (if that doesn't sound too seedy). Actually, it's probably more apt to think of it as a nightcape with some modest weatherproofing benefits.

Proviz doesn't overstate these talents – in fact, on its website it doesn't even mentioning any wet weather ability – but in my time with the jacket, I found the Reflect360 material to be very good at protecting against a shower (the black mesh section on the upper back less so!). Meanwhile, it's also a fairly decent windproof barrier, although this is somewhat undermined by the fact that there is no other insulation. In cold weather, you will need to use it as a last layer over proper winter garments. Don't be concerned about moisture build-up, though: because of all that mesh, breathability is excellent.

Build and features

There's little to moan about in terms of build either. It's all put together sturdily enough without being over-engineered, and there are the expected details, such as a zip garage and soft collar. I slightly criticised the Proviz Nightrider jacket for not feeling like a premium garment (to be fair, at £74.99 the Nightrider's asking price isn't premium territory either). However, the Reflect360 Performance jacket has a much more satisfying sense of quality and specification.

Ironically, part of that might come from the fact that Proviz has kept the spec so simple, with no pockets to be found anywhere. That could appear to be a negative to some cyclists, but I think for the kind of riders this jacket is aimed at – road riders and fast commuters who want to be seen when caught out in the dark – it won't cause undue concern. They'll far more appreciate the benefits of easy storage and light weight.

> Buyer's Guide: 10 of the best high-visibility cycling jackets

Because of this nicely directed focus at a specific market and function, the Reflect360 Performance's asking price of £99.99 seems perfectly fair. (The PEdAL ED Hikari jacket is £236.) This is a specialised garment, aimed at a specific target market, and which does its job very well. If you want a lightweight, packable jacket to keep you visible in the dark and which won't hamper your performance, this is an option you can't miss. And thankfully, neither can other road users.

Verdict

An excellent jacket for roadies and fast commuters who want to be seen when caught out in the dark