Visijax Highlight Jacket with LEDs

The Visijax Highlight Jacket is aimed at cyclists, horse-riders and walkers, and it has a lot of potential. Performance is generally good, and the LED technology is user-friendly and seemingly durable. The jacket has come down in price from an original RRP of £89.99, and is only available in limited sizes, but the paucity of pockets will alienate some.

Materials

The Highlight is made from 100% polyester, boasting a genre-typical 10,000mm waterproof rating. It's thinner than I've come to expect, with a strong, synthetic odour that fades after the first week or so's use. There's a fluoro yellow version but I much prefer this red, which is still quite striking on overcast days. (A hooded version is available too, with an RRP of £85.99.)

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Big bold Scotchlite strips along the body and sleeves give plenty of presence along dark roads and town centres, and accentuate hand signals. Velcro cuffs and a decent zipper tag allow easy regulation of airflow, while these and taped seams keep blustery wind and rain firmly outside.

A thin-pile fleece collar continues the weather-cheating theme. At the other extreme, vented panels situated at the chest and back do a reasonable job of diffusing rider-generated heat.

Aside from the lithium-ion battery pouch, pockets are limited to two: the traditional large 'poacher' at the rear that will manage a medium sized mini-pump, tube, multi-tool and keys, and an internal 'phone' pocket. The latter would benefit from the security of a Velcro closure – not that I've lost a compact camera or 5-inch smartphone to a lumpy lane, but I was concerned a sharp jolt might launch them.

Sizing is generous; medium fitted me perfectly, although I would have preferred a fraction more length in the tail, since it had a tendency to gather. Draw cords help accommodate layers underneath, and even when I've been battling serious headwinds, there's been no annoying, energy-sapping flutter.

Electrical components

There are 11 LEDs in total: two sets of three located diagonally, just below the collar bones, and another five laid horizontally across the tail. These are fuelled by a fairly boxy but user-friendly lithium-ion battery-cum-switch that is a doddle to operate in winter weight gloves and discreet enough for workplace refuelling. There are four modes, including constant, pulsing and flashing.

Charging takes a few hours, three hours zero to hero from the mains, and I've managed 23 minutes past the 20 hours cited as the run-time in flashing. Plus it gives a nagging, intermittent flash long before powering down.

Constant has returned 10 hours, defaulting to pulsing 40 minutes before reserves are completely depleted. Spares/replacements are available for £19.95 (£15.95 at the moment) should you/your significant other bundle it into the wash, although it's pretty hard to miss and easily disconnected.

The Visijax range also includes ICE technology (In Case of Emergency), programmable tech that stores your details, including those of a nominated contact and any significant medical info. This data can be summoned up by holding a smartphone over the zipper tag. Hopefully none of us will ever need it, though this could be a lifesaver in the event of an accident. It's pretty straightforward to set up, but even so Visijax has included an almost foolproof video on its site.

Performance

Overall performance has been much better than I was expecting. It's held up well in heavy, persistent rain and sleet, and despite my reservations about the tail length I've remained dry after two hours in persistently heavy rain. The fibres also do an excellent job of blocking chill; with long-sleeve baselayers beneath, I've felt fully temperate between -2 and +12 degrees.

Much beyond 12°C and at 18-23mph tempo, its wicking prowess is more pedestrian – things have felt quite clammy at the close of an hour's blast, but having removed it, I've remained pretty dry. At a more moderate 15-18mph, I've arrived at my destinations looking and feeling pretty fresh.

I'm not so sure how materials would fare in a spill and I've been reluctant to take scenic routes via bridlepath and overgrown no-man's-land. That said, canal towpath shortcuts haven't worried me or the fabric, which also washes pretty well at 30 degrees with minimal detergent.

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The integrated lighting has been another pleasant surprise and produces a decent arc of light in all four modes. Visijax reckons visibility is up to 400m, closer to 300m along unlit roads by my reckoning, but still very impressive. Even allowing for bike-mounted lighting, I've felt reassuringly conspicuous round town and when tackling larger roundabouts, especially at rush hour.

Given the specification, the Highlight represents good value for money, but competition is very fierce. Taking the electronic technology out of the equation, there are plenty of jackets boasting better properties and more pockets – but if you want the extra safety the LEDs bring, the Highlight is well worth a look.

Verdict

Practical outdoor shell, but cut and middling breathability might be dealbreakers for faster/longer distance commuting