Vermarc Vento Kaos Trevalli Gilet

The Vermarc Vento Kaos Trevalli is a stretchy, slim-fitting gilet that does a top job of keeping out cold air and even rain, as much as a gilet can. It has become my gilet of choice over the past couple of months.

First off, I really like the fit (that's not me in the photo). Being tall and quite wiry, I often find jerseys, jackets and gilets too loose, especially around the middle where they can bunch up when I'm leaning forward on the bike.

Find your local dealer

That doesn't happen here, though, because the Vermarc gilet is slim-fitting. The brand actually refers to the cut as 'tight', although to me that could imply that it's restrictive. That hasn't been the case for me; all the fabrics used here are stretchy and I've felt perfectly comfortable.

I have a hatred of flappy clothing so the fit is cool with me. I've found that the close-fitting armholes, for example, do a great job of sealing out cool air, and the same goes for the collar which has enough give that you don't feel like you're being throttled. It's very much a sports cut throughout. If you're more of a chunky build, the best approach would be to try before you buy.

The front, side and shoulder panels are all made from a polyester that's both windproof and waterproof, and a flap inside the top of the rear is made from the same fabric. It goes down far enough to cover your shoulder blades, protecting you from the wind even when you're bent low over on the drops.

You might think that using a waterproof fabric for a gilet doesn't make much sense on the basis that something without arms only offers limited coverage, but sometimes you just don't want to put on a jacket because it'll make you too hot. In those situations this gilet helps keep out mist, light rain and spray.

The inner face of the fabric can get a little damp with sweat if you start to overheat, but it's easy to just whip off the gilet and sling it in a jersey pocket if you turn up the intensity. It'll fit easily enough.

The full-length front zip goes up and down really easily and it stays in place wherever you position it. A flap behind the zip stops any cool air tiptoeing through there.

The polyester/elastane back panel is really lightweight and breathable. It looks a lot like a summer base layer mesh and it's very stretchy in all directions, helping to give you that close and comfortable fit I mentioned.

The whole of the bottom hem is elasticated so there's no chance of any draughts and a silicone strip inside there keeps it from riding up.

Overall, I like this gilet a lot largely because of the slim fit and the fact that it completely stops the wind getting through. It's a really good option.

Verdict

Slim-fitting gilet that blocks the wind and also offers some protection from rain and spray