Galibier Izoard Pro Gilet

The Galibier Izoard Pro is an impressively warm gilet that's just about packable and very nicely built. It's showerproof too, and the price is good.

If this looks familiar, perhaps you remember the Galibier Izoard Quilted Gilet that Dave reviewed a year ago. In fact, it's hard to distinguish between the two – Galibier even uses exactly the same sentences to describe them.

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The Pro is only about £5 more, and as far as I can tell is functionally the same except it has a DWR coating to repel showers, packs a different weight insulation, and is not reversible from black to orange. Instead it comes in either this all-black design, or in orange and black.

At 49g/m (grams per square metre), the recycled synthetic insulation provides slightly more warmth than the reversible version (40g/m). In fact its warmth is very impressive, and too much once you're into double figures – even with a single winter layer beneath.

This is partly thanks to the back being insulated too, which can trap a lot of heat. On sub-10°C rides I found it fine for all but the hardest of climbing efforts, and even when I got sweaty I felt comfortable. It's not super-breathable, but it's fine and I've worn lighter things that are worse. Anything over around 12-13°C and personally I wouldn't even think about it.

I like the stylistic changes: the herringbone stitching (which is reflective) looks smarter than straight lines, and the big logo on the tail is great. With its slim but not restrictive fit and well-shaped arm holes, it looks more expensive than it is.

The silver highlights on the main zip, on the front zip garages and down the rear panel sides are strongly reflective under headlights, too.

At 208g it's a whopping 7g heavier than the more lightly padded version, and (thanks to the Super-Roubaix side panels) rolls up just small enough to wedge into a jersey pocket. It's lumpy, but entirely packable.

The Super-Roubaix sides continue around the waist, and it all stretches to maintain a good, close fit all over. Which is super.

You get both inner and outer chest pockets, and while they're both just big enough for my stupid-size phone (16.5cm tall), they're odd shapes thanks to being tucked right under the arm, which wedges it at a funny angle. It's not ideal.

The inner pocket also has a protective flap over its hidden-toothed zip, and it's easy to get it jammed in the fabric. It feels like an unnecessary holdover from the reversible design – which would actually need the protection – so it's a bit aggravating. Still, the flap is there for comfort should you ever wear this gilet next to your skin, which would of course be weird, so please don't.

The rear pocket is also weird, as it unzips on either side and forms a tunnel. It's entirely possible to shove something in only to have it fall out the other side, and small items are free to slide around even if you have remembered both zips.

In his review of the non-Pro version, Dave said, 'Most insulated gilets we've tested are north of £100, so less than £50 is a steal.'

> Buyer’s Guide: 19 of the best cycling gilets

At £53.48 the Pro is only slightly over £50, and just £5.23 more than the original. For the extra you get a DWR coating, slightly heavier insulation and arguably even smarter styling, though you lose the reversible feature. The choice is yours – but now they're both a steal.

Verdict

Very warm, just packable enough and a great price