dhb Flashlight Compact-XT Waterproof Jacket

The clocks have gone back and the rainy season has arrived so if you're after a waterproof hi-viz jacket then dhb's Flashlight Compact XT fits the bill. dhb is online store Wiggle's in house brand and over the years it's focused on value for money, quality garments for racers and recreational riders alike. The Flashlight range itself is designed for winter training rides and year round commuting. That's pretty much where my season is right now so let's see what it has to deliver.

For its £69.99 asking price there are a fair amount of technical details going on with this jacket. It's a 2.5 layer waterproof, which means it has an outer layer coated with some form of water repellencey followed by a breathable membrane. The membrane has thousands of tiny holes which are too small for water droplets to get through but allow sweat to escape as vapour.

The two main questions, then, are is it waterproof and is it breathable.

Is it waterproof?

Yes is the short answer. The Flashlight is rated at 10,000mm, the height of a water column needed to force water through the fabric. That means it should keep out moderate rain and road spray before getting overwhelmed and this is exactly how the Flashlight performed. On wet days where it is just that constant rain or drizzle it'll keep the water at bay for a good couple of hours. If things turn heavier, like a thunderstorm with torrential rain for instance, it will start to let the wet in after twenty minutes or so which is to be expected for this rating level. The seams are all taped and the YKK zips have covers behind them termed Aquaguard, all these little things help.

What about the breathability?

This is where the Flashlight XT lets itself down; it doesn't have any form of venting at the front. The majority of waterproof jackets have pit zips or holes under the arms to allow a through flow of cooling air from the front to remove warm air via the back. Without this the heat just builds up causing you to sweat more and you end up wetter on the inside than you do on the outside.

To put this in perspective, I did a 12°C, hour long ride at a decent but not flat out pace wearing the jacket and only a mesh summer baselayer. It was absolutely soaked. Wear anything thicker, like a merino base, and it gets overwhelmed in minutes leaving you cold once you stop moving.

It's described as a commuter cut so it's roomier than a full on tailored race jacket. The shape is good though, with decent length arms even when stretched out on the hoods. The tail is dropped a little too, though a little shorter than most.

The XT gets a few upgrades from the standard Flashlight with Velcro cuffs and an adjustable hem which let you tweak the fit a bit. You get two pockets on the chest which are ideal for keys and a mobile plus an extra deeper one at the rear.

The two main highlights of the Flashlight XT are the amount of reflective on display and how small it packs away.

Starting with the reflectives you'll find loads on the arms and the side of your torso. The majority of cycling accidents occur at junctions so plenty of distinctive patterns here are welcome. You also get some on the front and rear of the jacket. We've got the fluoro yellow here which is ideal if you ride in light and dark conditions. If you don't want to go down the day-glo route, Wiggle do blue and charcoal versions with the same amount of reflectives.

The Flashlight will easily fold down to fit in a jersey pocket which makes it a very good option for changeable weather especially considering its breathability issues.

Overall the Compact Flashlight XT is a decent waterproof that is really let down by poor breathability; it is just going to be too hot in pretty much all conditions unless you ride at a very sedate pace.

As far as the price goes I think it's asking too much especially when you take a look at the B'Twin jacket we reviewed recently for less than a third of the cost.

It is good quality, though, as we've come to expect from dhb and it should last plenty of seasons so you would get your money back in the long run.

Verdict

Well-made and waterproof but lack of breathability is a real issue