Planet X 365 Illuminati Maximus Jacket

A good waterproof jacket is something every cyclist needs, and with the addition of its standout retro-reflective safety feature, the Planet X Illuminati Maximus fits the bill nicely.

First impressions straight out of the packaging were good. It looks stylish and the material feels well made. On closer inspection the seams are near-invisible, all of them neatly taped internally to aid with the waterproofing, and decent zips on the side vents and rear pocket.

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The two main features of the jacket are the reflective material and the waterproofing. Planet X makes a cheaper Illuminati jacket (RRP £79.99) with the same retro-reflective fabric, but the Maximus has a 'laser perforated outer shell for enhanced breathability' as well as a breathable waterproof membrane.

I've seen these kind of reflective jackets advertised, but never actually seen anyone wearing one on the road, and I must say I am seriously impressed. Even in normal daylight the surface has a silveriness to it as light plays off the surface, but in low light and darkness it quite literally shines, almost lighting up as street lights and car headlamps reflect off it.

Yes, I'm easily pleased, and yes, I did possibly spend too much time taking pictures of it with a phone camera with flash in a dark room... but the resulting shots did show just how well the tech works. I also noticed cars giving me more space on the rural roads around my area, the jacket really standing out – probably well before they would have spotted the rear light on the bike.

In terms of fit, the jacket I tested was a medium; I'm tall with a slim build and the fit was just about right – not restrictively snug and not baggy enough to flap about in windy conditions (it's not me in the photos). The sleeves were a little short for me – my usual go-to rain jacket, which is around the same size, has much longer sleeves, which help with stopping rain getting in, and when on the bike don't ride up your arm, leaving your wrists exposed.

Sizing up would cure the sleeve issue but then possibly lead to the jacket being too baggy. Those with less ape-like arms probably won't have an issue. The waist has a draw cord to aid with fit, but I didn't need to tighten this at all.

Other features of the jacket are the open (covered) vent on the back at mid-level, a zipped centre pocket at the rear centre and two zipped vents, one under each arm for extra cooling. These three zips have long tabs on them to make opening and closing them easier, and were manageable with thick winter gloves on. As well as the pull cord at the waist the cuffs have a Velcro adjuster to loosen or tighten the fit.

The testing period saw a real mix of weather conditions, from sunny and warm days to absolute torrential rain. Starting with the bad weather, it coped admirably, shrugging off drizzle, light rain and snow without issue. I only saw evidence of water ingress in the heaviest downpours or long weekend rides in sustained wet conditions, and even then it was only in small patches on the back by the vent and at the wrists.

In dry but windy conditions it did a great job of keeping the wind out, but if the temperature picked up it could get pretty warm, despite that laser perforated outer shell and breathable membrane. But after a bit of experimentation with layers I found a good balance to suit most rides.

On the flipside, despite having a thin lining it did keep the worst of the cold out, so worked fine in temperatures below five degrees down to around freezing. One thing to note is that, owing to the material itself being a little stiff, it did form up into a wedge at the front when riding (aerodynamic maybe?) and meant packing it down still left quite a big parcel – it would just about fit in a jersey pocket but it is bulky.

> Buyer's Guide: Yellow cycling jackets for commuting

All in all, it's an impressive jacket, though in terms of value at RRP it's £20 more than the very similar Proviz Reflect360+, at £109.99 – an upgraded version of the one Stu tested in 2014, it now having enhanced breathability and waterproofing too. As Planet X frequently has offers on, though, you might be able to pick it up for a bargain price – at the time of writing it's on sale for £65.

Verdict

Amazing reflective properties plus waterproofing and breathable fabric all add up to a great jacket