The Le Col Sport Logo Gilet is very light, has a soft feel and packs down small enough to go in your jersey pocket. More importantly it performs well, with windproof front panels that offer some water resistance, and a mesh back panel that lets unwanted heat escape.
Like many gilets the main fabric is 100% polyester, but this particular fabric has a much softer feel than many – some can just feel a bit plasticky.
The front panels are windproof and work well; on chilly, breezy mornings I’ve noticed the blocking effect, and it continues over the shoulders too.
It’s water resistant too. Le Col doesn’t say how, but I’m guessing it’s a DWR (durable water repellent) coating. It does the job of keeping light rain at bay for a good half an hour or so – assuming you’re riding straight into it.
To be honest, it’s difficult to determine exactly how well it works as the mesh rear panel (94% polyester/6% elastane) obviously just lets the rain in anyway.
It does let the heat out, though. After climbing hard with the gilet zipped up, my jersey does feel noticeably drier at the rear than the front.
The fit is great, and designed perfectly for the road rider in a crouched position. A short front and dropped rear gives plenty of coverage without leaving any material to bunch up, and the elastane in the mesh creates enough stretch to keep the cut close without feeling restrictive.
I’ve seen a few comments on Le Col’s site saying you need to size up compared to other bits in their catalogue, but I wouldn’t say that that is necessarily true. Going by their size guide this should fit me fine, and it does.
> 19 best cycling gilets — get to know this wardrobe essential
I like the tall neck with its fleece lining, and there’s a generous zip garage too. In fact, the overall quality is very good indeed. Everything is neatly finished and attention to detail is spot on throughout, with neat stitching for the seams and logos.
The only thing I’d really like to see is a choice of brighter colours. Personally, I have no issue with wearing black on the bike, but I know many riders do.
Value
Price wise we’re looking at £85. That’s £15 cheaper than the Rapha Men’s Classic gilet at £100. George was impressed with it and, while it only offers the same levels of windproofing, waterproofing and breathability, you do get a couple of pockets and a zipped-valuables one.
The Chapeau Club Gilet Stripe is a quality piece of kit and costs £89.99. That gets pockets too – three across the rear, plus a zipped valuables pocket.
Overall
I really like the quality, the fit and the performance of the Le Col Sport Logo Gilet, and while there are cheaper alternatives with a few extra features, the Sport Logo gilet is still competitively priced.
Verdict
Quality gilet with great fit and performance – an easy choice as long as you like black
All the deals displayed on our review pages are pulled from a constantly updating database feed of the best affiliate deals available. The criteria for deciding on what are the best deals is who is offering the lowest, delivered price. In most cases we will be showing the very best deal available online, but sometimes you may be able to find an item cheaper. If you can please feel free to post a link in the comments box below. To find out more about affiliate links on road.cc click here.
road.cc test report
Make and model: Le Col Sport Logo Gilet
Size tested: Medium
Tell us what the product is for
Yanto Barker, Founder of Le Col says, “The Sport Logo Gilet is lightweight, packable protection – for those days where the wind picks up, or the descent drags on. Offering wind and shower resistance, it’s simply whipped from a rear pocket to help you layer up and level up.”
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Key Details:
Full length zip
Reflective tab
Water resistant
Wind resistant
Packable
Made in Italy
Product material:
100% Polyester
Care instructions:
Machine Wash at 30°C / 86°F
Do not use fabric conditioner
Close all zippers/velcro fastenings
Dry flat, do not tumble dry
Do not bleach, iron or dry clean
We’d also suggest turning inside out prior to washing and keeping them separate from other items by popping them into a mesh laundry bag
How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?
No problems at all when following Le Col’s washing instructions.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
It performs very well, being both windproof and breathable.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
Great quality throughout.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Some might not be happy with black being the only option.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
For a quality garment it is well priced, as shown by the competitors mentioned in the review.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
This is a really good quality gilet in everything from the fit to the materials to the way it performs. It lacks some of the extras found elsewhere – such as pockets – but it’s hardly a deal breaker.
About the tester
Age: 42 Height: 180cm Weight: 76kg
I usually ride: This month’s test bike My best bike is: B’Twin Ultra CF draped in the latest bling test components
I’ve been riding for: Over 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,
Comments are closed.