Vulpine Men’s Ultralight Quilted Gilet

The Vulpine Men's Ultralight Quilted Gilet is aimed firmly at commuter and casual use, and it hits the target bang on. It's warm, protective and doesn't look odd when you get off the bike, and it breathes pretty impressively given it's insulated all over and lacking any vents, too. If you're looking for something slimmer fitting, check out the options in our best cycling gilets buyer's guide.

Vulpine says this has been redesigned to use new fabrics, and as a result it's 100 per cent recycled. Despite the 100gms insulation being made from recycled plastic bottles, it's impressively unsweaty for the kind of riding it's aimed at, and never stifling even if you do need to work hard.

> Buy now: Vulpine Men’s Ultralight Quilted Gilet for £100 from Vulpine

By the way, by '100gms' Vulpine means 100 grams, as in 100 grams of insulation per square metre. That's typically enough for a spring/autumn coat, and for winter too if you're active. I wore this down to about 3°C during the test, and found it brought useful extra core warmth and wind protection.

The collar is high to protect your whole neck, and the dropped tail is a valuable shield against wheel spray – it doesn't look very dropped, which is good when you're not on the bike, but actually the whole gilet is quite long so it reaches just fine.

Wearing this over cycling gear instead of regular clothes demonstrates several things. Firstly, it's sized very well for regular winter jumpers, but ends up baggy over slim Lycra. Size down if you intend to do that. Secondly, the windproofing and insulation are very effective; when that long front and baggy fit conspire to lift up a gap, you can instantly feel the chill it's otherwise keeping off.

> 6 top tips to help keep you cycling through the winter

I never felt any draughts at the arm holes or up the back, but its actually the lack of breathability or venting on the rear that limits this for hard riding. That said, it's still not the sweatiest cycling top I've worn, even on fairly long climbs. You shouldn't reach the office or shops looking like you've been water cannoned, anyway.

If you do get too hot it's just about scrunchable enough to pack into a (stretchy) jersey pocket, but then again you're unlikely to be wearing one; you're more likely to have a backpack or bike luggage to stuff it into, in which case the 294g weight won't be a meaningful issue either. In use it feels light for the warmth it provides.

Pleasingly, the shoulders have reinforced nylon patches to protect against pack straps.

The two hand pockets feel soft and warm, and they zip up securely when you're riding. The usefully large inside pocket – positioned in that high 'Or am I reaching for a gun?' spot that's so fun to use – also zips up.

The final pocket is on the back of one hip, but I found it less useful. It opens at the top and only seals with a single, central popper; okay, this pocket is just big enough to drop a phone into, but there's no flap to stop rain running in, it's low and exposed to spray, and the closure is hard to trust with madly priced electronics. Weirdly, it's narrow too; I can only easily get four fingers in, but not my thumb, which makes it hard to get things out. I don't really know what this pocket is for.

Still, it's easy to ignore, and otherwise this is a well-made, well-designed and very effective gilet.

Value

At £100, the price seems reasonable for its ability and quality. It's only a penny more than the Northwave Extreme Trail Vest which Mike tested in February, for instance, and that's stuffed with (also synthetic) Primaloft – and is also very good.

Alternatively, you could look at the Pas Normal Studios Men's Escapism Down Vest that Dave tested earlier this year, as it uses real down insulation and is very stylish, and then you can stop looking because the sizing is odd, the DWR doesn't work that well and it's a frankly hilarious £225. Interestingly, since we tested it, the Escapism looks to have been renamed the 'Off-Race Down Vest' and gone up to £240, then been discounted to £165. I'd take PNS's lead and discount it too.

If you're cycling hard for training and fitness, you're better off with something like the Santini Redux Vigor Insulated Gilet at £145. Stu tested that earlier this year and said it's great for warmth and windproofing at higher intensities, and the fit is lovely. It also packs down very small, and at the time of writing Santini had reduced it to £87. Tragically it hasn't been renamed the Reduced Vigor Insulated Gilet.

Cheaper still, if your budget is tight, is the excellent Galibier Izoard Quilted Gilet that Dave tested in 2020. It's gone up in price since then, but is still only £53.45. 

Overall

For its intended commuting, leisure and off-bike uses, this Vulpine gilet is great. It provides really useful warmth and wind/shower/spray protection, fits perfectly over regular clothing and doesn't look odd about town. For my money, in fact, it actively looks good – better than a hedge full of unrecycled bottles, that's for sure.

Verdict

Warm, protective against wind and spray, and very versatile – this is ideal for chilly commutes and tours