Klim Vantage Hi-Vis vest in yellow

Hi-vis clothing is not quite as prevalent as it used to be. Bright yellow, hi-vis helmets used to be all the rage, as were jackets with lots of hi-vis panels. Trousers and gloves too.

 

It was perhaps a desire not to be mistaken for somebody who works on the roads, or in a warehouse, that caused many motorcyclists to move a way from hi-vis. Yet of course, wearing hi-vis clothing still makes a lot of sense. Being more visible can mean that you stand less chance of a van pulling out of a junction in front of you, and so on.

 

But riding a motorcycle is not just about staying protected. If that was what it was about, you wouldn’t ride a motorcycle. You’d just lock the door, and stay at home. And that’s why not everybody loves to ride in hi-vis clothing.

 

But hi-vis vests and jacket do play a part. They are right for some people, in some circumstances. Those who do big miles in all conditions may just want to edge matters a little in their favour. Ditto those who commute a long distance into, and out of, work all year round.

 

The problem with most hi-vis vests is that they are cheaply made from sheets of plastic. These vests may be highly visible, but they are not in the slightest bit breathable. And this is a problem if you are wearing such a vest over a jacket with a waterproof membrane, because a non-breathable vest will prevent the jacket from breathing. What this means is that, in hot weather or cold, your sweat will not be able to escape through the membrane. You’ll get wet from the inside, and you will get hot from the inside.

 

Until we came across this Klim hi-vis vest, we were of the view that the only truly breathable hi-vis vest on the market was one from Rukka. And it is a good one. It is perforated throughout for breathability, and the stretch contained within it enables it to be worn tightly, yet still comfortably.

 

Well the Klim hi-vis vest does the same job. And it too is both breathable and comfortable to wear. The only real difference is that the Klim version uses elastic straps at the side to adjust the fit for comfort, meaning that it can be worn over just about any motorcycle jacket.

 

The difference between the Rukka and the Klim vests really comes down to price. At the time of going to press, so to speak, the Klim costs £85; the Rukka one costs £130. And that’s quite a discrepancy for two products that do the same job.