Altura Nightvision Zephyr Thermal jacket

It's best to think of the Altura Nightvision Zephyr Men's Thermal Cycling Jacket as a normal winter coat with a few good tweaks for cycling, rather than a cycling jacket per se. It's warm, gives great protection against wind and rain, and offers a good slim fit that works well on a bike, but any real effort on the pedals soon sees it getting hot and sweaty. For easy commutes and trips into town, though, it's great.

Check out our guide to the best cycling clothes for commuting for more options for the ride to work.

> Buy now: Altura Nightvision Zephyr Men’s Thermal Cycling Jacket for £82.50 from Altura

We've reviewed a very similarly named Altura jacket before – the Nightvision Zephyr Men's Stretch Jacket – but don't go thinking this is a just the same thing with minor tweaks and new colours. It's pretty different; for a start, it's not a stretchy softshell but a more traditional tough fabric outer.

It's also lined, hiding insulation made from 'post consumer plastic' – the stuff you put in your recycling rather than the other kind, which is 'post process'. That happens purely in factories when offcuts, sprues and misshapes are recycled; that increases efficiency, obviously, but does nothing to tackle waste plastic out in the environment. Post-consumer is the kind that does us all more good.

This plastic insulation is effective at keeping you warm, though that can be a problem... Create too much heat of your own and the Zephyr struggles to expel it, despite having permanently-open vents on the back over a mesh section that sits against your shoulders, and zip-up ones on each arm.

These latter are slightly weird as they're under your biceps rather than in the armpits, but they do at least point down and can be safely left open in the rain. They have a small but noticeable effect, but the obvious issue for all of them is that hot air rises, and there's no inner or outer air flow that wants to drag it out. Wear a backpack and the rear vents struggle even more.

Altura mentions commuting in its description, and that's a good hint. I found this jacket really good for gentle and mostly flat rides, where it comfortably provides a little bit of instant warmth and great protection from cold wind and rain. The neatly stitched seams are all taped, the 10K waterproof rating means it can deal with serious rain, and water beads up perfectly well on the DWR coating.

There's even a hood. While it does fit over a helmet, it's not quite tall enough and doesn't sit well (or cover the entire lid to the front), but it works pretty well when worn underneath. The hood sides will bulge out, but can be cinched in with elastic pullers, while the tall 'collar' gives yet more protection.

I also liked this Zephyr for adding instant comfort at the end of a ride, such as when you get back to the car park and have to dismantle your bike to origami it into a tiny car, or when hosing a filthy bike off at home, or just when stopping to eat cake and think about your life choices and eat more cake.

In my recommended size (medium) this proved a good fit, if not quite as 'relaxed' as you might expect – it's reasonably narrow across the shoulders and the sleeves are on the slim side. Good for eliminating flappage, at least.

There's more room in the main body and it all still fits over a chunky jumper, though it gets a little tight in the arms and shoulders if you're not using bike kit beneath. It also leaves regular clothes (as you might wear on a commute) hanging quite far below the high front. Okay, it means the jacket doesn't crease and ruck up as you pedal, but given its non-performance intentions the hem could usefully be lower for better protection and better off-bike looks.

Alternatively, it could keep the higher cut and slim, flap-free fit and ditch the insulation – that would only improve its performance for harder riding. And while I'm on the missed opportunities, though the front pockets are useful, at least one internal pocket would be very welcome here. Especially if it were a map-sized one.

The drop in the tail, meanwhile, works very well, and as it's slightly cupped it sits well to protect your waistband and bum from spray. The whole silvery lower panel is very reflective, too.

At 489g it's easy to carry and worth its weight for the protection it brings, but it's not something to stuff in a jersey pocket. It's a jacket for a frame bag or Camelbak type rucksack.

Value

At £165 this isn't exactly cheap, but it's still a fair bit less than many bike-specific jackets. For instance the Jack Wolfskin Bike Commute Mono Jkt M is £270, and not even insulated – though that probably helps it to its usefully superior 15K breathability rating. The Mono is also going to keep out heavy rain for much longer with a 20K waterproof rating. If your commute is long, fast or hilly, you're going to appreciate the extra performance.

For a properly casual look (and properly relaxed fit), the £260 Vulpine Men's Regents Mac is an excellent choice, and it has more pockets too. Okay, at 767g it's really not something to take off and pack away, but it too has superior stats at 20K/15K for waterproofing and breathability.

You could also look to Altura's own Grid Men's Parka Waterproof Jacket for a more 'street' style (and a usefully longer front), and while it has the same weird, not-really-armpit vents and low-ish 10K/10K ratings as the Zephyr, it's well priced (despite a £25 rise since our review) at £180.

Conclusion

Overall, so long as you're not working too hard – or wearing a big long jumper – this jacket is great. It's cosy, comfortable and doesn't flap, and it feels built to last. It even gives you loads of reflective area without looking dorky. While some will want either better ventilation for fast riding or greater coverage for easy riding and walking, if you're in between, where this jacket lives, it will serve you well.

Verdict

Sturdy and protective while rocking great reflectives for town use, though the cut doesn't quite reflect the performance