Pearl Izumi Pro Barrier Lite Vest

The Pearl Izumi Pro Barrier Lite Vest is a lightweight gilet that offers excellent windproofing and packs small enough to store easily in a jersey pocket.

It's made from two different materials. The yellow rip-stop polyester fabric is windproof and it makes a big difference to your body temperature, especially on fast descents when cold air could otherwise quickly rob you of warmth.

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It's water resistant too. The fabric won't keep out heavy rain, but if you're caught out in a storm no gilet is going to keep you particularly dry anyway. It does, though, provide a reasonable amount of protection for those times when it's drizzly and not quite wet enough for a jacket, and it's certainly adept at keeping road spray from soaking through, and that's the key point for me.

That yellow fabric isn't stretchy but the black side panels – which are also polyester and windproof – have a lot of elasticity so you can get a close fit whether you're wearing just a short sleeve jersey underneath or something more substantial. I had a little bit of bunching around the stomach when bent over in the riding position, but not enough to flap around.

The armholes are much more stretchy than I expected, so there's no tightness there even if you're layered up, and the bottom hem is elasticated to avoid draughts too.

Although there's no stretch at the collar, I found it to be close fitting and comfortable, not so tight that it's going to throttle you. The front zip comes with an easy-to-grab puller and a garage at the top stops it from scratching your neck, irritating your stubble, or whatever.

As mentioned, by keeping the wind off your torso, the Pro Barrier Lite Vest makes a big contribution to keeping you comfortable in cooler temperatures and the fact that it packs down small is a definite plus. It takes up only about half a pocket's worth of space.

That means you can easily remove and store it mid-ride if the temperature rises or you hit a big climb, and it's equally convenient to carry in your pocket on an evening ride to be brought out when the temperature dips. You won't even notice the weight so this is a gilet you can tuck away just in case for rides when the weather is likely to be changeable.

> Check out our guide to the best cycling gilets

Bear in mind that the rear of the Pro Barrier Lite Vest is made from the same windproof fabric as the front. Some people prefer a mesh at the back for more breathability – not that breathability is a problem here. That's a matter of personal preference; I've got on with this gilet just fine over the past few weeks. I've been using it when the temperature is anything up to about 14 or 15°C (other people will do away with windproofing well below that) so that covers summer mornings and evenings as well as spring and autumn rides.

If this colour option doesn't do it for you, black, red, white and yellow/blue versions are available too. All of them feature reflective trim along the sides of the back to help you get noticed in low light conditions.

As for cost, it's well priced at £69.99, but it's exceptional value at £41.99 – as currently listed on Pearl Izumi's UK website.

Verdict

Lightweight windproof gilet that packs down super-small for easy stowing