Endura Pro SL Lite Gilet II

The Endura Pro SL Lite Gilet II is a practical, windproof, waterproof and easily packable gilet that is ideal for changeable conditions.

In autumn, spring and early summer it can be difficult to dress correctly for a ride: start off in the morning and after a few hours in the saddle the chances are the conditions will be completely different. It is why kit like arm warmers and gilets are so important, offering protection when you need it but being easy to stow away when not. Endura's Pro SL Lite Gilet II manages to do both parts of this effectively, offering protection from the elements and easy stowability in a jersey pocket.

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There are a couple of materials used in the gilet. The majority of the panels are made from a nylon and elastane mix, which gives the material a certain amount of stretch while maintaining waterproofing, with the centre of the back being a perforated fabric that allows for heat build-up to escape more easily.

It's relatively close fitting without feeling tight thanks to the stretch in the fabric. There's no excess material, and to help keep everything in place and maintain this close fit Endura has included a silicone gripper across the bottom of the armpits.

In terms of protection against the elements, the gilet offers a decent amount of waterproofing and very good windproofing. You wouldn't necessarily choose any gilet if you were going out in the pouring rain, but this one does the job if you want to keep the rain off your core in showers. Windproofing, as I say, is very good. I must admit that in the past few weeks I haven't really had an opportunity to test it in genuinely cold weather, but down to around 6°C it worked well in keeping the chill off, and I would be confident that it would do the same in colder temperatures.

At the front of the gilet is a good quality YKK zipper with a nice stiff cover which helps with the windproofing and also makes it difficult to get the zipper caught midway through use. The zip pull is also nice and big, so it's simple to use with full finger gloves and it also stays under the zip cover when fully zipped and doesn't swing around.

The front also has two large reflective stripes across the chest and an Endura icon, which all helps with being visible in low light conditions, and there's another high-vis logo on the middle back pocket and two stripes running down the back of the neck.

There are three large open rear pockets and a zipped one for valuables on the central pocket. These offer enough storage for most long distance rides, although generally, in the temperatures I was testing in, after about an hour I was generally transferring the contents and the gilet itself into my jersey pockets.

At the top there is a neat loop for wrapping around the gilet when folded; it's hidden in a Velcro compartment to prevent it from irritating your neck when riding – a small but nice touch. I also found it handy for hanging up the gilet at times.

Putting it on, taking it off, and tucking it away in a pocket is all very easy, with that robust zip making the job simple even in full finger gloves. It doesn't fold down as small as some gilets I have used, but I could easily fit it and a pair of arm warmers into one jersey pocket.

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Its RRP of £89.99 is a little steep, especially for a gilet that only offers wind and water protection rather than insulation. It's the same price as the Orro Cycling Gilet that Jez tested in 2018, with broadly the same features, which Jez also thought was a little pricey.

You can pick up a similar gilet, albeit without some of the added features like silicone grippers and the hidden loop, for quite a bit less. The Lusso Aqua Challenge, for example, comes in at £64.99, though the Endura has more visibility elements and better breathability thanks to the back panel.

Overall, I liked this gilet. It has a good fit, with the stretch in the fabric allowing it to sit close without being restrictive, plus it keeps out the elements while also packing away relatively small. The only slight negative is the price, but it makes a good fist of justifying it.

Verdict

Very good gilet that keeps out the elements and stows easily, if a bit pricey