Rapha Men’s Brevet Gilet With Pockets

The Rapha Men's Brevet Gilet with Pockets is eye-catching in this bright pink fabric, and it performs just as well as it looks. With fabrics positioned to match the airflow, staying warm or cool isn't an issue, and with the addition of three deep pockets, there's no faff of having to get to your jersey's underneath.

Every cyclist needs a gilet. It'll get used countless times throughout the year to keep the chill off on its own or as part of a layering system, and while you can pick one up for less than 40 quid, if you want the full bells and whistles then I reckon this Brevet version is a great option.

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At £90 it does look quite pricey for a jacket with no sleeves – after all, you can get something like the Stolen Goat Men's Palace for £65, and Iwein was a big fan. Or the very capable Lusso Skylon gilet for just £39.99.

Rapha has really focused on attention to detail here, though, which goes some way to justifying the price tag.

For a start, it's used a variety of materials, and positioned them according to their function: the front panels are designed to block the wind, with the same fabric used at the rear for the lower back, while the Brevet uses a lightweight mesh on the shoulders, upper back and the side sections to aid breathability.

It works well. The weather has been a bit up and down lately, and I've used the gilet for rides of between around 8°C to 16°C and it does a great job of keeping cool breezes at bay without you feeling boiled in the bag on steeper climbs or if things warm up.

Should you need it, the zip is a two-way design so you can open up the bottom of the gilet for ventilation.

The tall neck is good for cooler days, and it has a zip garage to stop irritation. The zip is also offset, to stop cold winds getting through all of your layers if the zips are all running in line – not that it should be an issue anyway, as the Brevet has a strip of fabric running behind the zip as a baffle.

Around the back you'll find three pockets; not that rare, but a lot of gilets tend to be pocketless or give access to your jersey pockets via a flap.

The pockets are deep, but I did find the entrance to them quite narrow, making it difficult for me to get my hands in to pull something out. It'll be even more difficult on colder days with full gloves on.

Rapha has been quite clever when it comes to storage, though.

The central pocket has the same size opening, but inside it actually runs the whole width of the back panel, sitting over the top of the other two. I found it handy for arm warmers, knee warmers and light gloves when an early morning chilly ride warmed up.

There are – or were – three colour options, this high-vis pink, which I think stands out really well on the road (though currently only available in a large), plus a dark navy with a high-vis pink stripe, and – though currently sold out – a very intense pink version.

One of the stripes on each colour is reflective.

When it comes to the fit, the Brevet range is more relaxed than Rapha's Pro Team clothing, but it still remains close fitting and well tailored.

You get a long dropped tail for a small amount of protection from road spray (not that Rapha makes any claims about the fabrics being water resistant), and an elasticated hem to keep the gilet in position.

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I wear a medium in most clothing brands and the Brevet fits absolutely fine, leaving enough room underneath for a jersey and a baselayer.

It's a top-quality gilet, and very well made, and although you can buy good gilets for less, like those I mentioned earlier, it compares well with others such as the Chapeau Club Stripe gilet at £89.99, and the Endura Pro SL Lite Gilet, also £89.99.

It's also a fair bit cheaper than the ashmei Men's Cycle Gilet at £108.

Conclusion

Overall, I can't really find fault with the quality or performance of the Brevet gilet, only that slight grumble with the pocket width. It's a piece of kit I've worn loads of times over the last couple of months, and worth the money.

Verdict

Great fit and performance combined with a high level of attention to detail