Test 2017: Wind waistcoats for road cyclists with reflective material - luminous protection factor: 22 wind waistcoats for men and women

High visibility waistcoats are as standard for car drivers as wind waistcoats are for cyclists. With one subtle difference: car drivers who cannot produce a waistcoat at a traffic check will be fined 15 euros. Cyclists are not obliged to wear either a wind vest or a high-visibility vest. However, anyone travelling without the flexible weather protection in the event of a sudden change in the weather or a long descent down a mountain pass will suffer a different penalty: freezing faster.

Admittedly, the comparison between high-visibility waistcoats and windcheaters is a bit of a misnomer, as the bright-coloured pellets are designed to protect drivers from being overlooked and run over in the event of a breakdown at the side of the road. Fit, cut and weather protection are of secondary importance. The purpose of a wind waistcoat, on the other hand, is primarily to protect the wearer from the wind or drizzle to prevent the upper body from cooling down quickly. The sportswear should also be close-fitting and flutter-free, whereas the high-visibility waistcoat is expected to be different. When it comes to visibility, however, the circle closes again - the one and the other should shine brightly and reflect the headlights of cars.

Better chic than safe?

There are probably fashion reasons why not everyone likes bright colours such as neon yellow or orange paired with bold, silver reflective stripes. More subtle colours are easier to combine with the rest of the wardrobe or the colour of the racer. But in autumn and winter, in fog and drizzle and poor visibility, you have to admit to a certain recklessness on the part of some fellow cyclists when they ride on the road looking smart but almost invisible.

In addition to fit, features and weather protection, safety-conscious cyclists should therefore make sure that their wind waistcoat has the right features. The decisive factor is the luminosity of the colour in daylight. Reflective material only becomes visible when it is directly illuminated by an artificial light source, such as a car headlight. The signal effect of the waistcoat therefore increases with the area of luminous colour and reflective material.

When selecting the candidates for this test, we placed particular emphasis on their signalling effect. You can find the entire test with these products in the download area below:

FOR LADIES:

• Bontrager Race Windshell Vest
• Craft Featherlight Vest
• Löffler DA.Bike Vest WS Active
• Mavic Vision H2O Vest
• Pearl Izumi Elite Barrier Vest
• Poc Avip LT Wind Vest
• Sportful Hot Pack Hi Viz Vest (TOUR tip: test winner)
• Vaude WO Air Vest II

FOR MEN:

• 7Mesh Resistance Vest
• Assos sV.blitzFeder_evo7
• Bontrager Race Windshell Vest
• Castelli Perfetto Vest (TOUR tip: test winner)
• Craft Featherlight Vest
• Gore Bike Wear Oxygen WS AS light Vest
• Etxeondo Gilet Team Edition
• Löffler HR.Bike Vest WS Active
• Mavic Vision H2O Vest
• Pearl Izumi Elite Barrier Vest
• Poc Avip LT Wind Vest
• Santini Ice 2.0 Vest
• Sportful Fiandre Light norain Vest
• Vaude ME Air Vest II

Downloads:
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