Oxford Endeavour Gilet Fluo

The Oxford Endeavour Gilet Fluo is described as a ‘relaxed fit’, but don’t interpret this as meaning baggy, or just for commuters. The Endeavour is equally at home on a training run, and easy to pack in a jersey pocket.

Okay, so it’s a woven rather than laminated polyester which promises to remain breathable, but that had me questioning its weather-cheating properties.

The cobalt grey panels are ‘Nightbright 360’, a retro-reflective that turns a brilliant white when graced by car or street lighting.

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Retro-reflectives have long been a staple, but this is a definite notch better than generic offerings, and accentuated by sensible positioning.

The front panel has a zippered breast pocket, which will swallow a wallet or long-zoom compact camera without indigestion, but not a phone.

You get a fleece collar with zippered garage to keep chills out, but no rear pockets, and Oxford has gone for an elastic rather than silicone-gripper hem.

Sizing

‘Commuter’ tends to imply loose-fitting and, to a lesser extent these days, lower rent. But while this is slightly less figure-hugging than some racier gilets, including its Venture cousin, it’s still snug. The thin, woven fabric allows it to stretch, so it doesn’t bunch if you’re layering up or wearing regular clothes.

The snug fit ensures it doesn’t flutter like a builder’s tarp when it’s blowing a gale.

Comfort

Despite being thin (and therefore, very breathable) the fabric does a decent job of tempering unexpected gusts and to some extent, the retro-reflective panel also helps protect your shoulders and chest. I’ve worn ours in temperatures between 3 and 13°C.

At the lower end of the spectrum, it’s offered that extra insulation from unpredictable, gusty stuff, meaning I could get away with a long sleeve winter jersey and summer weight base layer.

On occasions where the temperature climbed into the low teens, I was pleasantly surprised by its breathability at a steady 18-20mph and didn’t feel any need to whip it off mid ride.

The zipper tag is reasonably proportioned, so getting the zip down for a bit more air cooling is straightforward, even in full finger gloves.

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While laminated fabrics will hold back brief showers, the Endeavour takes on water relatively quickly, but also dries in similar haste.

Presence

The very bright yellow is great for murky and overcast conditions, but I’ve also been pleasantly surprised at how conspicuous I’ve been while hustling along singletrack roads on bright days.

While the reflectives lack the outright punch of something like Proviz Reflect360, but is closer to it than I was expecting.

Durability

Washing is straightforward, and ours has emerged each time looking very fresh. Organic grime has vanished without trace, and oily stuff has faded almost completely.

Value

The £34.99 price is very reasonable for the performance. The B’Twin Men’s Visibility PPE Certified Sleeveless Reversible Gilet 560 is £39.99, but it’s also reversible, very bright and offers three pockets. On the other hand, it’s a bit hefty for milder outings and not really packable.

The Proviz Reflect360 Plus Gilet is incredibly bright, offers three pockets and better water resistance, but at £59.99 is a good bit dearer. The Respro Basic Waistcoat, meanwhile, comes in at £21.99 but is seriously low on frills – it has no pockets, and nor is it cycling-specific.

Summary

The Oxford Endeavour bridges the gap between commuter and training gilet rather nicely. The single (front) pocket might be a deal-breaker for some, though.

Verdict

Well-executed gilet with broader horizons than commuting, but single pocket may be a turn off

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