Altura Kids Nightvision Waterproof Jacket

This scaled-down, kids edition of the popular Altura Night Vision jacket retains most of the features of the adult jacket, to produce a lightweight waterproof for 5-12s.

Weighing in at just 337g, the Kids Night Vision is light enough to be scrunched up in a pannier or school bag when not in use. It is made of a 'soft touch' polyester which looks matt. It remains waterproof and didn't let water through on any of the school runs which varied from damp to torrential.

The inside layer is a very soft mesh which Altura doesn't skimp on – even the arms are lined in this. Our tester liked the soft fleece lining to the collar, and a pull cord situated at the nape of the neck pulled tight to stop the drips getting in. An optional hood would have been appreciated for use off the bike. The zipped vents of the adult version aren't present on the children's version but there is a horizontal ventilation flap along the back which kept our young rider cool.

The most important part of this jacket is of course the reflective elements. There are two 'zebra crossing' style sets of stripes on the rear, along with the Altura logo and piping which extends from wrist to wrist along the shoulder blades. The sleeves also have (larger) reflective logos and there are two more sets of stripes on the top of the chest. In terms of reflective elements this positions the jacket somewhere between the adult Night Vision jacket and the higher spec Altura Evo.

The two side pockets are zipped for security but there are no back pockets for quick access to items. The slightly dipped tail gave enough coverage when on the bike, but didn't look too out of place on the playground. Adjustable velcro cuffs and drawstring cord around the bottom add to the cycle specific features found.

Our 9 year old tester wore the 10-12 years size, as it was too short in the arms for the 12 year old it was originally intended for; they're both tall or their age. As with other Altura items, she found the fit reasonable and there was certainly room for layers to be worn underneath.

It's telling that our tester found the jacket comfy enough that she chose to wear it to school even when not travelling by bike. It was warm enough over layers in the wintery weather and proved well-ventilated enough into the spring too. Asked her opinion, she said "I think that you couldn't change anything to make it better." She liked the raspberry colour of the sample, although yellow and black are also available.

Pricewise, at £49.99 (available for £44.99 if you shop around) it's one of the most expensive offerings in the field, and £20 less than the adult version.

Verdict

Pricy, but comfy all-weather night and day jacket for cycling kids