Lusso Skylon Gilet

The Skylon from Lusso is exactly what a gilet should be: simple, warm and packable. It keeps out the worst of the weather and thanks to plenty of reflective detailing it's a great option for those out after dark.

• Pros: Water-resistant panels keep the drizzle out, well made
• Cons: Interesting rear pocket design

The Skylon has worked well in loads of weather conditions lately and has become a staple of my kit, either packed up small in a jersey pocket or stuffed in the bottom of my rucksack.

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The front and side panels are made from the Skylon material, hence where the gilet gets its name from. It's a lightweight, showerproof and wind-resistant nylon fabric that works really well.

One bright, crisp morning ride, headed off into a nagging north-easterly headwind, and the chill was definitely noticeable through the majority of my kit, especially my arms covered only by a thin long-sleeve jersey.

My core, though, which was covered by the gilet, didn't feel any of it. I wasn't boiling hot, just a comfortable temperature without the windchill.

As the outside temperature warmed up, I did too, but thanks to the mesh back section which runs from the shoulders all the way to the hem, even incorporating the pockets, hot air escapes easily.

The showerproofing properties of the fabric are impressive too, especially against the likes of light drizzle and fog. The moisture just tends to bead off. When the rain gets heavy enough to soak through, you will obviously get wet, but you do at least stay warm.

Fit-wise the Skylon is cut close enough for a performance rider to not have loads of material flapping around, but you don't need to be a racing whippet to wear it. Lusso always has a knack of delivering what I consider realistic sizing for the typical UK cyclist.

To keep the draughts out the gilet has a really tall neck and thankfully comes with a zip garage to stop any irritation at the throat.

The rear is dropped nicely too, so it'll still give you plenty of coverage when hunkered down into the drops.

The hem is slightly elasticated, which holds it in place, and the cool thing is that it is reflective all the way round but subtle enough not to be noticed in the daylight. The Lusso logos front and rear are also reflective.

At the rear, the gilet has four pockets laid out like your traditional three but with the centre pocket divided down the middle. I like to use the middle pocket for my heavier items like a phone or multi-tool as I don't like the weight slipping around the side, but obviously I couldn't do this as the pockets are quite narrow, though they're ideal for a mini pump or energy gel.

The Skylon has crept up a fiver to 40 pounds over the previous edition but it still offers good value for money, especially considering Lusso stands by its policy of making pretty much everything in the UK.

> Buyer's Guide: 9 of the best cycling gilets

Shimano's Compact wind vest, for instance, is very similar but costs £54.99. Then there is the Orro which has the same benefits of water and wind resistance, but will set you back £89.99.

On the whole, the Skylon is a simple gilet that works very well in a lot of conditions.

Verdict

A great mix of packability, windproofing and water resistance in a well-priced package