Cycling Gilets and Vests for Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and Touring

It's too cold for a jersey, but too warm for a cycling jacket – a cycling gilet is the ideal garment for those conditions! It offers good protection from cold, yet without being as bulky as a jacket. As no tour is like the other, there's a large choice of cycling vests and gilets available on the market. Thus, you'll surely find the perfect model for your needs! You can choose from windproof vests for protection against cold draughts, waterproof vests for rainy days, warm thermal gilets for the cold months of the year and versatile softshell gilets for sport and leisure. Packable and lightweight vests pack down small enough to fit e.g. into your jersey pocket. Thus, they serve as emergency vests when heavens suddenly open or temperatures drop.

We stock a wide range of cycling gilets and vests for women and men in all common sizes and price ranges by popular brands like VAUDE, GORE WEAR, Castelli and ENDURA. We offer cycling gilets with a windproof membrane (e.g. GORE WINDSTOPPER, VAUDE WINDPROOF) as well as lightweight rain vests and gilets made of elastic softshell. Browse through our online shop!

Windproof Vests Against Cold Draughts

When riding on windy days, it is recommended to wear a special wind vest with an integrated membrane.

No membrane is like the other – basically, one can distinguish between windproof, wind-resistant, waterproof and water-resistant membranes. A windproof membrane integrated into a cycling wind vest primarily helps reduce wind chill. With increasing wind speed, the wind chill effect makes the air temperature feel colder than it actually is. An air temperature of 5°C for instance may feel like -18°C for the body at moderate wind speeds. Therefore, it is recommended to choose a membrane that prevents blowing air from penetrating the wind vest. So, windproof membranes protect you from wind and wind chill. Some of the popular windproof membranes are GORE WINDSTOPPER by GORE WEAR and VAUDE WINDPROOF membranes.

Cycling gilets with a wind-resistant membrane on the contrary cannot completely stop the wind from passing through but provide light protection from cool air. That's why they are primarily suitable for days with no wind or a slight breeze, while protecting from light rain and wheel spray.

Waterproof Vests for Rainy Weather

For riding on rainy days or dashing through puddles, you should wear a cycling gilet with a waterproof or water-resistant membrane. A water-resistant membrane offers protection against wheel spray and light rain, as it lets water run off the surface. Yet, a water-resistant cycling vest is not designed to withstand heavy or constant rain.

Therefore, you are well advised to wear a rain vest with a waterproof membrane when riding in heavy rain. Its waterproof membrane and taped seams stop rainwater from passing through the material. A rain vest also reliably keeps you dry in moderate rain. A rule of thumb is: The heavier the rain, the higher the waterproof rating of the membrane should be. However, in heavy rain, you should rather wear a waterproof jacket. Some popular waterproof membranes for cycling clothing are for instance GORE-TEX by GORE WEAR, VAUDE CEPLEX, VAUDE SYMPATEX and JACK WOLFSKIN TEXAPORE.

Softshell Cycling Gilets – Gentle Protection in Wind and Rain

Softshell fabric is becoming increasingly popular. Softshell is an especially elastic, soft fabric with wind-resistant and water-resistant properties that feels pleasantly soft on the skin and follows all your movements. When equipped with a membrane like GORE WINDSTOPPER, softshell fabric is even windproof. As softshell is highly versatile, softshell cycling gilets are true all-rounders – whether for sport or lifestyle.

Two in One: Convertible Jerseys and Jackets

Those who want to be flexible in changing weather should think about buying a convertible jersey or cycling jacket. These garments allow you to zip off the sleeves to get a cycling gilet. A clever solution for all those who don't know whether the weather will change during their tour. Jackets and jerseys with zip-off sleeves often also feature a windproof membrane to protect from cold draughts. Please keep in mind that not all zip-off jerseys and jackets can be converted into a gilet – some of them have fitted sleeves and thus convert into a short sleeve jersey.

Warm Winter Cycling Gilets with Insulation

Those who ride through the winter appreciate a cycling gilet that is especially designed for the cold months of the year. Throughout the winter, it is recommended to wear a cycling gilet made of fluffy, soft fleece fabric or featuring a brushed fleece inside for additional insulation. Padded or insulated cycling gilets are also a good choice. Apart from a classic down insulation, you can also choose synthetic insulations like PRIMALOFT or THINSULATE that don't absorb any moisture, while offering good cold protection and high fill power. An insulation effectively stores the body heat so that you can even do long bike tours on cold days.

High Visibility Cycling Vests

For increased visibility in twilight and darkness, it is recommended to wear a cycling gilet in bright fluorescent colours with reflective details. Thus, other road users will see you better. Many of our cycling vests are suitable for use after dark. If you want to further restrict the choice, you can browse through our range of hi-vis vests.

No matter if you are looking for a windproof vest, a waterproof vest, a warm thermal gilet or a versatile and breathable softshell gilet – the choice of cycling gilets and vests is huge. You are sure to find what you are looking for in our online shop, as we offer gilets in all designs and for any intended use – ranging from road cycling vests via MTB vests through to leisure gilets. Take your time for choosing the right garment! Our experts will also be happy to help you.

We stock a wide range of cycling gilets for women and men in all common sizes and price ranges by popular brands like VAUDE, GORE WEAR, Castelli and ENDURA. We offer cycling gilets with a windproof membrane (e.g. GORE WINDSTOPPER, VAUDE WINDPROOF) as well as lightweight rain vests and gilets made of elastic softshell. Browse through our online shop!