Altura Nightvision Electron Jacket

The Altura Nightvision Electron Men's Jacket is a very good waterproof option for urban commutes. With two light strips running over the shoulders and all the way down the back, the jacket aids visibility from the rear and the sides, and they last long enough for a lot of commuters before the compact power bank needs recharging. Waterproofing and breathability are both good and it's a very comfortable jacket to wear, but you can get waterproofing and visibility for significantly less money.

Generally, on the winter mornings that I'm in the office, I pop my office attire on, grab a casual, non-cycling-specific jacket, and head out for the 90 per cent downhill ride to work. As soon as the downhill begins, I remember why a cycling-specific jacket is actually a really good idea as my lower back and wrists begin to freeze.

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The Nightvision Electron is a thin, waterproof, windproof, and surprisingly warm jacket that has a perfect cut for use on bikes with more upright riding positions. Small touches such as a soft, fleece-lined collar make it really comfortable and the clever placement of the reflective pattern on the wrists and the light strips really should help with visibility.

Speaking of which... the battery-powered optic fibre light strips that run from the shoulders down the back of the jacket are the main features of this jacket.

There is no figure provided to indicate the brightness of the lights, but I'd place this in the supplementary category, like a blinker that you attach to a backpack. The lights are well positioned for visibility to the side and rear, and the distinctive flashing mode is noticeable, but you'll still, by law, need a rear light mounted on your bike – and I'd still be looking to this to provide the main part of my 'please see me' strategy.

The positioning of the strips not only means that they aren't obstructed by a backpack but that the jacket is also comfortable to wear when said pack is fully laden. I've had no problem with my 30L backpack from CamelBak, so the jacket should play well with most designs.

The lights are powered by a 250mAh powerbank that is about the size of a small smartphone. It lives in the left pocket, making it super easy to access when you need to turn your jacket on (I can't believe I've typed that) or when you need to recharge.

Altura says that the jacket will do up to 50 hours before the battery pack needs topping up, but there is a simple LED indicator on the battery to show a rough percentage of charge remaining.

With the powerbank connected by a dual-sided USB cable, it's really easy to pop out of the pocket for a quick recharge. I would have loved to see the powerbank get its own zipper pocket within that left pocket. That would have made it stow away a little better.

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There is more to like inside the jacket. Altura has lined the front and sides with a thin fleece. For me, this provides just enough insulation to keep me comfortably warm while riding. Anything thicker inside the windproof outer would have been too warm for much outside of the colder winter days, especially with the huge hill that I have to ride up on the way home. It means the jacket isn't too thick for use during the rest of the year when rides to and from work can still be happening in less than perfect light.

The back panel of the jacket has been left free of this fleece, the thinking being that many riders will be using a backpack and thus get insulation from that. As a backpack wearer, I find this a welcome omission.

The fit is nicely balanced, with a relaxed cut that isn't too baggy. Layering this over a big jumper or hoodie, for instance, is easy.

The arms have plenty of length to them, making combining this jacket with gloves really easy. On super-cold days, the Velcro tabs on the cuffs mean you can shut off any gaps and keep the pesky cold air out.

With a 10K waterproof rating the jacket should be capable of fending off heavy rain, and while I've managed to dodge heavier downpours thanks to only being in the office a bit over the past month, I did subject the jacket to a sustained hosepipe test. It had no trouble keeping this out. The detachable hood comes in handy too, and can be stowed away in the collar.

Breathability is one thing that I can properly test. While my ride in is a roll down the hill, the ride home, even on an e-bike, is a heart-rate-spiking effort. The jacket didn't leave me sweating buckets, though milder temperatures would be the limit of where I'd want to use this jacket for my commute. For comparison, I found this better for riding up hills than Shimano's Transit Hardshell.

My only real gripe is the price: for £190 you could almost get two Proviz Reflect360 jackets, or just the one Reflect360 along with a powerful rear bike light and a blinker to attach to your backpack. The Proviz is brilliant for adding visibility when car headlights hit its reflective surface, though it has to be said that the Altura's light strips are better for making you visible to pedestrians from the side.

There is also the Galibier Courchevel Storm Jacket to consider, for £92.40. It offers a huge amount of performance in wet weather for significantly less money.

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That said, the Altura Electron certainly isn't the priciest out there: Rapha's Hooded Rain Jacket, for example, is £230.

All things considered, the Altura Nightvision Electron is a very good commuter jacket for adding visibility when you're riding to and from work. The waterproofing is excellent and the breathability is good too. The lights are well positioned, and with the powerbank being compact and simple to recharge, it's an easy bit of tech to live with. Bear in mind, though, there are excellent jackets that aid visibility at much lower prices.

Verdict

Waterproof, good breathability and comfy fit, and the lights add visibility