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Reflectives
Vespertine Vesp Reflective Mini-WaistcoatVespertine Vesp

Vespertine Vesp Reflective Mini-Waistcoat

9
by Elaine Curtin
UPDATED Thu, Oct 15, 2015 04:24

First Published Mar 3, 2013

37
£45.00

VERDICT:

9
10
Light, well made and incredibly portable. If you like the option of a hi viz over vest this is £45 well spent
Weight: 
48g
Contact: 
www.vespertinenyc.com
How we test

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£45 may seem a lot for a reflective waistcoat/vest type affair, but there are a few ways in which the Vesp from New York designers Vespertine differs from the average.

First off, it packs down into its own integral pouch to less than the size (and weight) of a pair of gloves, making it super easy to pop into a pocket and therefore usefully available, rather than never where you need it to be when you need it.

Second, it's well made and uses high quality materials - 100% recycled/recyclable Eco-circle polyester, making it that little bit more environmentally friendly and the reflective tape is top notch 3M Scotchlite so it'll last well and do what it's supposed to.

It comes in a variety of colours, some higher viz than others (not sure how genuinely visible the metallic ones would be in low light, but they do look very cool!) and it's nice to have a choice of traditional yellow, but also pink and orange.

Finally, it's designed with a woman's shape in mind, yet still has plenty of scope for layering up underneath AND there's no Velcro involved in the process so it'll not eat precious jerseys or merino tops, or that favourite fuzzy scarf.

Verdict

Light, well made and incredibly portable. If you like the option of a hi viz over vest this is £45 well spent.

road.cc test report

Make and model: Vespertine Vespertine Vesp Reflective Mini-Waistcoat

Size tested: n/a

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Aimed at style and safety conscious female riders.

Spot on.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

100% Eco-circle recycled/recyclable polyester

3M Scotchlite tape

One size

Packs into its own integral pouch

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10

Very well made and uses high quality materials.

Rate the product for performance:
 
10/10

Incredibly light and super visible.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

Very tough apart from the slightly finer straps that do up at the front.

Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
10/10

So light there's no reason NOT to pack it.

Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
9/10

Light enough that you don't really know you're wearing it.

Rate the product for value:
 
8/10

Very well made and high quality materials mean it's not at all bad value for the money.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Very well indeed.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Quality, choice of colours, weight.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Nothing.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.

Would you consider buying the product? Definitely.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.

Anything further to say about the product in conclusion?

Incredibly light and super super visible. A sound £45 spent on hi viz.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 37  Height: 1.65m  Weight: 67kg

I usually ride:   My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, touring, general fitness riding, mtb,

 

waitcoat
Vespertine
reflective
high-viz

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37 comments

Avatar
jollygoodvelo replied to crikey | 11 years ago
0 likes
crikey wrote:

The price appears to have been made up like a scary story for children, and the garment looks like the Anne Summers fancy dress Traffic Warden top.

As for it being 'designed with a womans shape in mind', yes, ok; but £45 for a Hi Viz bikini top....

Exactly.

Good value? Ridiculous.

Avatar
notfastenough replied to crikey | 11 years ago
0 likes
crikey wrote:

looks like the Anne Summers fancy dress Traffic Warden top.

Yeah, but that's about the same price, and includes the cap and fluoro panties, although the latter do chafe.

Allegedly.

Avatar
ped | 11 years ago
0 likes

For 'Verspertine' read 'Rapha', and let the usual comments commence …

Their stuff looks lovely, and if I had a SO who cycled, I'd be a customer. Perfect gift purchases.

Avatar
nbrus replied to ped | 11 years ago
0 likes
ped wrote:

For 'Verspertine' read 'Rapha', and let the usual comments commence …

Their stuff looks lovely, and if I had a SO who cycled, I'd be a customer. Perfect gift purchases.

Granted, the garment photographs on their website look much better than those portrayed here, and just like a lot of 'fashion' that looks fine when worn by a suitable skinny model and photographed under appropriate lighting, the same garments worn by a 'normal' person and viewed under normal conditions can look pretty silly, or sometimes just plain awful(?). 16

Avatar
purplecup replied to nbrus | 11 years ago
0 likes
nbrus wrote:

Granted, the garment photographs on their website look much better than those portrayed here, and just like a lot of 'fashion' that looks fine when worn by a suitable skinny model and photographed under appropriate lighting, the same garments worn by a 'normal' person and viewed under normal conditions can look pretty silly, or sometimes just plain awful(?). 16

still, you can look 'stylish' in a triumph-branded buff, i seem to recall. so i guess it's not really an issue for you 39

Avatar
nbrus replied to purplecup | 11 years ago
0 likes
purplecup wrote:

still, you can look 'stylish' in a triumph-branded buff, i seem to recall. so i guess it's not really an issue for you 39

You're right, but I bet I don't look half as stylish as you do wearing a Vespertine Hi-Viz mini-waistcoat. 3

Avatar
nbrus | 11 years ago
0 likes

Do any road.cc readers think this is £45 well spent?

Standard Hi-Viz vests don't exactly look good, so it is nice to see something different, and despite looking like a giant Bikini Top, this one looks ok (?) (in comparison to alternatives).

But standard Hi-Viz vests can be had for £1.99 from Lidl/Aldi when on offer, look functional rather than stylish, and pack down small enough to easily fit in a jacket pocket. They also tend to come with evil Velcro, so care needs to be taken around anything that might fray, but for £1.99 you can't really complain. 16

Alternatively, a Sam Brown Belt would cost considerably less (£5.99 on Amazon), pack down just as small, look relatively stylish, cooler in summer, is more durable, and it doesn't have Velcro.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B003XEE7TK/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_r...

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