Five cool things coming soon from Xplova, ArroWhere, Garmin, TaoTronics and Giro

Brrrrr! That's all there is to say about UK weather at the moment, but do spare a thought for road.cc's poor old reviewers who are still out there testing all the latest bikes and bike bits (here's some proof courtesy of Dave Arthur on our Instagram page) to give you our ratings and recommendations before you go and splash your cash. It's a hard life! 

ArroWhere Dark Waterproof Jacket

£100.00

You've heard of hi-vis, now get ready for... Dark Viz, courtesy of ArrowWhere. Described as "scientifically fashionable", this version of ArroWhere's waterproof jacket appears totally black in the day, but has a colour-infused retroreflective material to make the arrow appear visible in low light and at night. The arrow is supposed to help drivers work out how to pass and move around you; but does it do the job, and does the garment itself meet our standards when it comes to waterproofing and breathability? Mike Stenning will be pointing it all out in the coming days... 
shop.arrowhere.com 

Garmin Edge 1030

£499.99

The latest flagship computer from Garmin was announced at the end of August, and has now been on Mat Brett's handlebars for a good couple of months. Advanced mapping is mostly where you pay the premium in the Edge 1030, and compared to the previous Edge 1000 it's also said to have a much more responsive screen, better battery life and improved connectivity such as the ability to message other 1030 users directly on the unit. Are the new features impressive enough to call it a triumph? The verdict is coming soon.   
garmin.com

TaoTronics Universal Cradle Clamp

£10.99

This nifty-looking mount is universal, so it can hold any size or brand of Smartphone device with the help of its adjustable clamp, that extends out to 3.55 inches and can turn 360° so you can configure your phone vertical or horizontal. It mounts to your bars with no need for tools, and has built-in rubber grips for extra durability. Is it as simple and versatile as we're led to believe? George Hill's currently trying it out.  
taotronics.com

Giro Rumble VR

£84.99

The Rumble VR's look like walking boots... and in fact they sort of are, with a tough Vibram sole and comfy upper that makes them look indistinguishable from a light hiking shoe other than the SPD cleat shank underfoot. Breathable mesh is supposed to keep the foot well vented on the upper, and they've got an EVA footbed for extra comfort. The road.cc verdict on these do-it-alls is due before the festive break. 
zyrofisher.co.uk

Acer Xplova EVO Smart GPS

£379.99

Another GPS, but this one has a built-in action camera and polarised our reviewer's opinion in its previous iteration. The latest version has a built-in wide screen camera that offers the ability to record various action videos with modes including data-linked auto recording, time-lapse photography, loop recording (or dash-cam mode) and manual recording, potentially eliminating the need to buy an actual GoPro or similar camera. It's got two separate apps for connectivity and the camera function, has a Garmin-compatible mount and also has full route mapping. Is it up there with the GPS big boys? Jez Ash will be giving us his lowdown soon. 
nrg4cycling.co.uk

To read all of road.cc's latest test reports, head over to the reviews section. If you want some extra advice before splashing your cash, check out our buyer's guides.