A 360-degree reflective cycling jacket seems like a no-brainer for the dark winter months and this is exactly what the Proviz Reflect360 delivers. The jacket's outer shell is made entirely of highly reflective material. When we say highly reflective, think of something that'd make Tron's eyes water – when the light hits it, the pale grey gives way to a burning white glow that seems to engulf the jacket. There's no doubt that you'll be well highlighted to other road users.
The interior of the jacket has a mesh lining and there's a fleece collar for comfort, but grind up a hill or up the intensity and things can start to get quite toasty very quickly, which in turn gives way to an uncomfortable sweaty coolness once the heart rate lowers. There are long zips under the armpits to allow some air in and out, as well as a vent on the back, but with only a thin baselayer underneath we were mostly riding with the front zip two thirds of the way down to avoid overheating.
Other road users aren't likely to miss you in this jacket
That said, when we toned down the intensity, things were much more comfortable. Given the fact that the arms are clearly cut for a flat-bar commuting position – the jacket stretches tight over the upper back when on the drops – excessive warmth shouldn't be too much of an issue for more leisurely commutes and rides. The dropped tail kept our bibs safe from most winter road grime and there’s a practical zipped, flapped pocket here, as well as two pockets on the chest. The Reflect 360 also shrugged off rain and the impermeable reflective outer means there's nothing to fear from ever the coldest headwinds.
Matching the cut, the sizing certainly doesn't have a pro rider in mind either – our small sample felt more like a large and we had to use the Velcro cuffs to their limit in order to close them around our wrists. There’s also an elastic drawstring around the hem. We'd recommend you size down if you're not going to be layering up too much underneath.
If your primary concern is to be seen by motorists, you won't find a better jacket than the ProViz Reflect 360 – but beware going too hard if you don't want a sweat-fest.