Rapha Gilet

The Rapha Gilet, from the renowned London based cycle wear brand, is designed with milder weather in mind, the sort of changeable conditions for which the British summer and indeed autumn, depending on where you live, is famous for. It certainly ticks all the boxes that define all of Rapha's kit; stylishly understated - check, well made - check, exorbitantly priced - check.

The Gilet comes in a bag reminiscent of a suit bag immediately indicating that this is no ordinary gilet. The material itself 100% Nylon which has an almost shell-like feel, is very light and is claimed to be totally windproof. White piping runs down the sides and back breaking up the black panels and providing a degree of reflectivity for low light situations. The zip is stylishly off centred which, in conjunction with the soft material tab at the collar, helps prevent any uncomfortable neck rubbing when fully zipped up. The zip is discrete (read: small) which stops it getting in the way but also makes it difficult to manipulate with gloves on. This shouldn't be too much of a problem though, since you'd likely be wearing something much more substantial than a gilet if conditions called for full fingered gloves. A strip of elasticised mesh runs right down the back helping with ventilation.

Two pockets with angled entry are located on the rear which is something that I feel is often missing on gilets. Unfortunately though, whilst the lack of elasticity around the top of the pockets makes putting stuff into them a breeze, it also means that anything you put in there can come out quite easily too - it doesn't come as a surprise that gels hitting tarmac at 40 mph don't hold up very well. If you rarely get your hips above your shoulders then this shouldn't be an issue but it is worth bearing in mind before getting into that aero tuck. A discrete zipped pocket is also provided to the front left of the Gilet although I found that anything hard that I put in there tended to jab me in the stomach.

The fit is slim and cycling specific. The waist is cropped in before flaring out at the hem which prevents bunching around the stomach when bent over the bars. The hem itself contains an elastic cord which can be tightened if needed. The long cut back helps keep your tush dry whilst riding but isn't so extreme that it looks ridiculous whilst standing up.

Hidden away on the inside of the Gilet alongside the washing instructions, Rapha have inscribed a short tribute to Luis Ocana who crashed coming down the Col de Mente whilst defending his lead in the '71 Tour. Maybe this sort of thing floats your boat in which case that's great, but I thought it a bit contrived and unneeded. What is undeniable though is the feeling one gets when putting the Gilet on - it really makes you feel special.

The Gilet holds up well under the sort of changeable conditions that it was designed for. It provides just enough protection from a quick downpour, drying out quickly afterwards, and cuts through the wind keeping your core warm. I found that I'd instinctively grab the Gilet when heading out in anything less than perfect conditions - a testament to its performance.

With my confidence in the pockets dented, I ended up not really using them that much preferring to store my food in my jersey underneath. This uncovered another problem with the Gilet. The tight fit and lack of 2-way front zip means that getting into one's jersey pockets can be a bit of a mission. Other gilets sometimes feature a zip on the rear which allows the rider to place their hand through the gilet and access the pockets. This feature would certainly have improved the Rapha Gilet's functionality on the bike but it may have come at the expense of that oh-so-critical aesthetic.

Verdict

For its intended purpose of keeping you warm in changeable conditions, and doing so with a certain style, the Rapha Gilet performs admirably with its quality feel and classy design. As a performance race garment though, the Gilet lacks some of the functionality of other offerings which have been designed with this in mind.