10 best reflective high-vis cycling jackets for men and women, tried and tested on the road

Proviz products are in themselves a fabulous marketing strategy: if you see someone wearing one, you simply can’t ignore them. The company has made its name by creating jackets that turn you into shining beacons of light when a set of headlights hit you – but, we’ll be honest, we assumed until now this was a bit of a gimmick. It’s been lovely to have been proved wrong: although yes, the tiny glass beads in the material make it a little odd to the touch, the inner mesh means you don’t feel it on your skin, and the tough waterproofing and excellent breathability served our testers very well during winter commutes.

In terms of practicality, we like the four well-placed pockets with sealed zips (although we would have appreciated a zip pull on the under-arm vents) and the good-quality Velcro fastenings for the cuffs. The construction feels more expensive than we expected, placing it into the realm of a high-end buy. Our male tester thought the proportions were slightly off, finding the sleeves too long, but our female tester loved the shape – as with anything, try before you buy. The new colourways for this product divided opinion – from “hideous” to “better than the silver”. We’ll let you be the judge of that (the classic silver is still available).

Buy men’s now £64.99, Provizsports.com

Buy women’s now £64.99, Provizsports.com

This is a fabulous jacket. Although Gore-Tex infinium (white tag) doesn’t guarantee to keep you bone dry like the brand’s black-tag products, we can confirm this jacket’s waterproofing is exceptional. Our commute lasts nearly a full hour, which means we’re no strangers to shells wetting out in a downpour. But when we arrived at the office after riding in this, we stripped off to reveal no damp patches from either rainwater or sweat – the former because of the taped seams and three-layer fabric, and the latter because the breathability is exceptional.

This jacket also kept us looking the coolest of all the ones we tested, and we found that we felt so sleek in it that we were much more likely to saddle up on a rainy morning, rather than plump for the tube. There’s also plenty of well-placed pockets that are all reassuringly well-constructed in a way that means you’re confident to pop expensive tech in there. The little details – the shape and materials around the cuff and neck, mainly – really stood out, making us feel like this was a properly premium product. Which at nearly £300, it is.

It is absolutely no surprise that the classic winter jacket came top in our review of the best men’s cycling jackets, and if we were judging it on the same criteria, it would absolutely be top. However, its reflectiveness is at the bare minimum to be included in this round-up, which is why we’ve docked it a smidge. It’s also worth keeping in mind that the cut is intended for “on the bike”, with the shoulders feeling a bit puffy until you’re hunched over the handlebars. This was fine for us, but if you’re looking for a coat that will also do you for when about town, this isn’t it.

Buy men’s now £300, Rapha.cc

Buy women’s now £300, Rapha.cc

These Decathlon jackets were the big surprise of our round-up – some clever details convinced us of their excellent value. A hood is a welcome addition for when it’s properly pouring and gives it a bit of off-bike versatility, and the shaping means it will go under some helmets and over others. The pockets are big and we found the proportions to be sensible on both the men’s and women’s models. It’s also lined with an internal mesh and comes with armpit vents to minimise that binbag feeling (although, of course, it’s nowhere near as breathable as the fancier coats in our line-up) and the waterproofing with taped seams kept us dry when the rain came on.

We’re not particularly impressed by the “certified” nature of the reflectivity – we aren’t going cycling on a building site – but both the men’s and women’s versions undoubtedly boast good visibility. The dipped hem means the reflective stripe on the bum isn’t obscured if you wear a backpack, and there’s even a little flash of reflective material on the breast bone that can be exposed or hidden according to your preference using a little magnetic tag – although perhaps not the best for those who like to keep their iPhone close to their heart.

This jacket is close to sold out, with just a few sizes of the men’s jacket still available.

What can we say: we just had to review this. When it comes to visibility, there is simply no more attention-grabbing design on the market, and we’re even including the Proviz jacket in that estimation. That’s because this model from Portland-born brand Shower’s Pass not only has huge panels of reflective material with a funky map print, but also hi-vis sections and even mini “beacon” lights that slot into the back and cuffs of the coat (they are, sadly, not rechargeable). The brand has really thrown everything at this jacket, and as a result, well, you might get a bit of a shock when you catch yourself in a shop window during your commute.

It’s designed for those riding an e-bike, so it’s intentionally not very breathable, as Shower’s Pass doesn’t imagine you’ll be exerting yourself too much. We found it got very hot even on relaxed rides, however, and we thought the ventilation vents and pockets were a little oddly placed. But ultimately, this is a three-layer shell that does exactly what it promises: keeps you warm, visible and bone dry in wet conditions – seriously, the rain ain’t coming in. The price is a little punchy, but considering the brand is small, we can see how all the bells and whistles would come to this amount. Shower’s Pass also has a variety of more breathable options, should you be operating a stone-age pedal cycle.

Buy men’s now £199, Amazon.co.uk

Buy women’s now £175, Amazon.co.uk

If you want a slice of Rapha’s stylings but can’t quite face the cost of the winter jacket (£300, Rapha.cc) – and who could blame you – the brand also does this not-too-shabby coat that you’ve probably already seen on the roads. Favoured in the company’s own particular shade of pink (although there are 12 colourways), the jacket’s minimal stylings make it an attractive option for those that wish to moonlight as a public transport user or even, gasp, a driver.

The reflectivity is subtle in the day but impressive at night, while details like an off-centre zip, so it doesn’t impact any other zippered layers you’re wearing, make good sense. The soft cuffs remind you every time you insert your arms that this is from a premium brand, but your bank balance will have no idea. The fabric also offers a bit of stretch, and there’s no rustling when you shove it on in a hurry.

The only drawback? It is not as breathable as some other £100 coats, even with the vents on the shoulder blades. But if you want to be visible while not looking like a Christmas tree, at the kind of price that means you might find it under said tree, then nothing will keep you feeling cooler (just not in temperature).

Buy men’s now £120, Rapha.cc

Buy women’s now £120, Rapha.cc

This is another option that surprised our testers: we thought it looked a little too “bringing a plane in to land” from the pictures, but in reality it’s a fabulous commuter jacket that will take a lot of abuse. Fully seam-sealed with a two-layer construction, it kept our reviewers totally dry in grim weather, and the fit was generous enough that we could layer up underneath to keep toasty. We liked the hood and side and inner pockets too, meaning it felt like we were wearing a normal coat when we left the bike at home.

And it actually looks a bit more subtle in reality than we expected – one tester reckoned it was positively pubbable. A good-value buy for someone who maybe doesn’t have a full cycling wardrobe, and needs their shell to effortlessly cover their workwear while they commute.

Buy men’s now £79.99, Freewheel.co.uk

Buy women’s now £79.99, Freewheel.co.uk

It was only a matter of time before other brands started to get on the glass-bead hype that’s made Proviz’s jackets so popular. Pinnacle’s version is just as impressive on the reflective front: in RiRi’s immortal words, you’ll shine bright like a diamond. It’s also got lovely, sensible shaping for a commuter coat, being a bit longer than a regular jacket but not quite in the same lower-buttock-scraping territory as many other cycling-specific models.

Breathability wise it’s… not great. We cycled in it for an hour on a cold morning and removed it to discover our mid-layer was wet. It was condensation generated by our body heat rather than rainwater, however. This coat is concentrating on being seen and being waterproof, and it does those things well. If you want to glow on the roads but can’t stump up for the pricier product, this is still a decent option.

Buy men’s now £64.99, Evanscycles.com

Buy women’s now £64.99, Evanscycles.com

These Altura jackets made us feel pretty svelte when out on the bike – the matte fabric in a range of autumnal colours, along with a soft panel of fleece in the collar, makes them seem both fancy and snug. We also particularly liked the fit here – generous without being shapeless – and Altura’s particuarly unfussy approach to reflectivity; the panels of dots are sizeable enough to offer excellent visibility, particularly from the side, while still feeling subtle enough not to blind your colleagues as you make your way from the toilets to your desk.

The taped seams means the rain isn’t coming in, but it certainly isn’t the most breathable, and the slightly tacky inner fabric doesn’t help with this, either. There are back and underarm vents with sturdy zip-pulls, however, offering some fresh air, while we also really loved the pocket positioning, and how the zip on the chest is disguised by a flap of fabric.

Overall, it’s a fantastic choice for a commuter than wants to be certain of not getting soaked, but still has the facilities to towel off when they arrive. In terms of price, it’s RRP is halfway between the Pinnacle and dhb options above, and we reckon it performs slap bang in the middle while also, we think, looking the best of three.

Buy men’s now £80, Amazon.co.uk

Buy women’s now £79.99, Amazon.co.uk

When you don’t have time to mess around, you go to the source of the technology, and in the case of windproof and waterproof shells, that’s Gore. The brand is well-known for its technical fabrics, and also has a penchant for keeping things highly visible and reflective, which is handy for this round-up.

We loved this softshell jacket with its subtle but effective reflective details on the sides of the lower back (ie, they’re not going to get covered by a backpack) and on the cuffs (which we thought felt very expensive and soft). It’s also mainly high-visibility yellow, which is always a plus. The C5 is designed to keep you warm in the deepest of winter conditions, but we found it’s exceptional breathability also made it perfect during milder weather with just a T-shirt underneath.

This jacket is not waterproof – the seams aren’t taped and Gore doesn’t guarantee it will keep you dry – but it is remarkably windproof, breathable and water resistant, so you won’t get soaked through if you’re caught in a freak downpour on your way to the tea room. It also feels much nicer to wear than a hardshell. There’s a good argument that this sort of jacket, supplemented with a cheaper shell for when the rain arrives, is a better buy for the British winter than a classic commuter coat. Ultimately, it will come down to the size of your existing cycling wardrobe and your budget. If this ticks your boxes, we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it.

Our only qualm? There’s no women’s version of this design. We did, however, like another model from the brand that does come with a larger waist-to-hip ratio…

Like the C5 above, this is not a waterproof jacket in the same way as many of our other picks on this list. Instead, it’s a toasty, windproof and weather-resistant jersey-come-jacket that’s designed to keep you comfortable when the weather isn’t exactly “training ride from Las Palmas”.

It’s also got the delightful novelty of also being able to cosplay as a short-sleeve cycling top for the warmer months. Pulling off this act of subterfuge via removable, zippered sleeves, but also by being so breathable that you don’t become encased in slippery sweat while wearing it, no matter how many watts you’re laying down. We loved it and found ourselves reaching for it on all but the most hurricane-like of commutes as our outermost layer – we understand why it’s been a Gore bestseller for 15 years.

As with the C5, whether it’s right for you will depend on how it complements your existing cycling wardrobe, but if you need a multifunctional windproof jacket that can stand up to a good dose of spray, you can’t do better than the phantom.