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review

Santini Redux Vigor Insulated Gilet

7
£145.00

VERDICT:

7
10
On the pricey side, but very warm and a great fit
Noticeable extra warmth over the chest
Small pack size
Good access to jersey pockets
High price
Smaller sizing than many brands
Weight: 
102g

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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The Santini Redux Vigor Men's Wind Vest offers a little more protection than many, thanks to the addition of insulation. It's warm, fits really well and packs down small, although the price is steep.

This windproof has the extra benefit of a Polartec Alpha thermodynamic lining on the chest, over the shoulders, on the neck and to the upper back. All the places that catch the wind, basically. The rest is Ghisallo stretch woven fabric, and the whole garment is very light and packs down to a tiny size.

The non-insulated parts give decent windblocking on fresh rides, and the insulated panels give a noticeable boost to warmth when temperatures drop to single figures.

2022 Santini Redux Vigor Insulated Gilet - shoulders.jpg

Santini's sizing is typically Italian, so you'll need to go up a size at least – but follow its size guide and you'll be fine. With that dialled, you'll find the cut is close with little in the way of bunching or flapping.

2022 Santini Redux Vigor Insulated Gilet - chest.jpg

The neck is tall to stop drafts and, while there isn't a zip garage as such, there is a tab of fabric between the zip and your skin for comfort.

2022 Santini Redux Vigor Insulated Gilet - lining.jpg

The back panel has a decent drop for time spent in the drops, and while the Redux doesn't come with its own pockets, there are two horizontal slits for access to your jersey pockets beneath.

> 19 best cycling gilets – get to know this wardrobe essential

Between these you find a strip of reflective dots to help out in the dark; also, while this version is all black, there are options with the insulated panels in either orange or green.

2022 Santini Redux Vigor Insulated Gilet - gripper.jpg

Overall, the quality is very good, and the material works well, being breathable even when you are working hard. The full zip is easy to use with gloves on, so it is easy to open up should you overheat on a long climb or something.

Value

Priced at £145, this is not cheap when you can pick up a decent gilet for a third of that (or, with it currently reduced to £108.75 on Santini's site, around half).

Altura's Icon Rocket Insulated Men's Gilet impressed Stef enough to earn itself four stars, and it costs just £60.

dhb offers the Aeron Polartec Alpha Gilet which is (surprise!) also lined with Polartec Alpha, just like this Santini. That has an rrp of £100.

Overall

The Redux Vigor offers great comfort and temperature management, and if you want a slim cut that won't flap about it's definitely an option you should be considering – especially if it's at that discounted price.

Verdict

On the pricey side, but very warm and a great fit

road.cc test report

Make and model: Santini Redux Vigor Insulated Gilet

Size tested: Large

Tell us what the product is for

Santini says, "Aero-fitted for race performance, insulated for thermal protection, and with a windproof front for cold conditions."

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

Santini says:

LIGHT AS A FEATHER

Ghisallo stretch woven fabric engineered to reduce drag, with an internal checkered flock printing layer to keep the temperature. The light windproof fabric on the chest and shoulders

EXTRA INSULATION

Internal lining in extremely insulating POLARTEC®'S ALPHA® thermodynamic fabric

EASY STORAGE ACCESS

Double rear opening allows easy access to your jersey pockets

HIGH VISIBILITY

Reflective microdots on the rear for extra visibility on the road

SIZING

Wearing the right size is key to having a much better experience on your bike, in terms of comfort and performance. Please ensure you consult our size guide before making a purchase.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for fit:
 
8/10
Rate the product for sizing:
 
7/10

The sizing comes up small compared to the typical UK market, but that is reflected in Santini's size guide. Definitely check that first before buying.

Rate the product for weight:
 
9/10
Rate the product for comfort:
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
4/10

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

I followed the simple washing instructions and had no issues.

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

A handy gilet for those chilly rides, and easily packs down small enough for jersey pockets.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Insulated fabric works well at regulating temperature.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Pricey.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

It's a chunk more expensive than dhb's offering which uses the same insulation. The Altura mentioned in the review is great value for money at just £60.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Possibly, at a discounted price

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

It's an all-round good quality gilet with the ideal cut for windcheating. It's pricey against some similar options though.

Overall rating: 7/10

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,

Since writing his first bike review for road.cc back in early 2009 senior product reviewer Stu has tested more than a thousand pieces of kit, and hundreds of bikes.

With an HND in mechanical engineering and previous roles as a CNC programmer/machinist, draughtsman and development engineer (working in new product design) Stu understands what it takes to bring a product to market. A mix of that knowledge combined with his love of road and gravel cycling puts him in the ideal position to put the latest kit through its paces.

He first made the switch to road cycling in 1999, primarily for fitness, but it didn’t take long for his competitive side to take over which led to around ten years as a time triallist and some pretty decent results. These days though riding is more about escapism, keeping the weight off and just enjoying the fact that he gets to ride the latest technology as part of his day job.

Add new comment

3 comments

Avatar
Freddy56 | 2 years ago
2 likes

Nearly three time the price of my Izoard gilet!!

Avatar
Secret_squirrel replied to Freddy56 | 2 years ago
0 likes

Galibier for the win (again!)

Avatar
Dadams7378 replied to Freddy56 | 10 months ago
0 likes
Freddy56 wrote:

Nearly three time the price of my Izoard gilet!!

But it's half the weight, and packs down very small, which is a big plus point IMO.  I love mine.  Warm in the right places, but doesn't feel like you've got a rugby ball stuffed in your back pocket when you take it off.

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