Lightweight breathable Hi Viz jacket to go over Paramo

oldmcgroin

Good evening all,

Just got back from my first bike ride this evening. I was wearing a Rab technical tee underneath a black Paramo Velez smock and over the top of that I had a cheap 10 quid Hi-Viz jacket from decatholon over the Paramo.

Anyway when i got home i took the Hi-Viz jacket off and i was absolutely drenched. Never seen so much sweat before in all my life haha!!

Does anyone have any recommendations for a very lightweight, breathable Hi-Viz jacket....

Or do i really need one? I have a Sam Browne reflective belt and wear a rucksack with a silver Hump rucksack cover and reflective bands round me ankles.

Will I be visible enough without a Hi-Viz jacket?

Thanks,

Dan

amaferanga

Do you have good lights? I always have at least 2 good rear lights. IMO good lights and well placed reflective bits make much more difference than yellow clothes.

oldmcgroin

I have two red rear lights, one Smart R2 on steady and a cateye flashing. Hump rucksack cover with a red reflector in the mesh bit at the back and refelctive ankle bands...

MichaelW

I think you are reflective enough. The Velez jacket has reflective stuff on as well.
Paramo are known to be warm, I find them very comfortable but if you want to reduce sweating, use the zips, try and shift that load off your back onto the bike.

cougie

Not too much point in a hi viz jacket if you've got a backpack on anyway. And if its dark - then Fluoro isnt that great - its great big reflective strips you want. A cheapo mesh builders vest would do the job - but I reckon you're OK anyway so long as your lights are good.

danlikesbikes

Sounds like the jacket was one too many layers if you were that hot.

Jackets are never going to breathe 100% & if yours was a cheap version it propably just made you like a boil in the bag meal.

If its not raining then ditch the rain jacket and make sure you layers have vip options to vent out excess heat as you'd be surprised by how much heat your body gives off during a good ride.

If protection from rain is a must then you really have 2 options. The first being a simple rain jacket which is just that small to pack up and throw in the back pocket and keeps out some/most of the rain depends on how much you want to pay but are pretty cheap to buy. Second being a wind proof & water resistant softshell which should be a bit like your current smock, basically a cross between a mid lay top and the rain jacket and again you can pay a little or a lot and you do tend to get what you pay for with softshells i.e. more vents, better fit, more pockets etc.

oldmcgroin

Danlikesbikes wrote:

Sounds like the jacket was one too many layers if you were that hot.

Jackets are never going to breathe 100% & if yours was a cheap version it propably just made you like a boil in the bag meal.

If its not raining then ditch the rain jacket and make sure you layers have vip options to vent out excess heat as you'd be surprised by how much heat your body gives off during a good ride.

If protection from rain is a must then you really have 2 options. The first being a simple rain jacket which is just that small to pack up and throw in the back pocket and keeps out some/most of the rain depends on how much you want to pay but are pretty cheap to buy. Second being a wind proof & water resistant softshell which should be a bit like your current smock, basically a cross between a mid lay top and the rain jacket and again you can pay a little or a lot and you do tend to get what you pay for with softshells i.e. more vents, better fit, more pockets etc.

Cheers for the advice guys.

Dan you're right i did "boil in the bag." Quite terribly, the outside of my smock was drenched!! The only reason i got the raincoat was because it was something Hi Viz to go over the smock, which unfortunately is black. The smock will provide me with the waterproof/windproofness i need just with it being black i though it might give me less visibility when riding at night than fluro yellow.

I wanted something that would make my arms a bit more visible too, otherwise just would have got a hi viz vest. Maybe i'm just being a bit too overcautious.....

MichaelW

You could get some fluorescent bands for your arms, they can stay on the jacket permanently. You could even sew them in place.

oldmcgroin

MichaelW wrote:

You could get some fluorescent bands for your arms, they can stay on the jacket permanently. You could even sew them in place.

Hmmm good idea that. I think i'll get some velcro reflective bands as don;t want to start sewing my paramo haha.

Cheeers Michael

millimole

I have the same issue with my Buffalo P6 Shirt, which is black.
I've tried a Sam Brown Belt, but it keeps slipping down my shoulders! With my Polaris RBS Gilet (my prefered HiVis garment) I get the 'boil in the bag' sysndrome with the Buffalo, as it impairs the breathability of the Pertex.
I'd agree about being cautious about sewing onto the Paramo (or my Buffalo for that matter)

vorsprung

Danlikesbikes wrote:

Sounds like the jacket was one too many layers if you were that hot.

Jackets are never going to breathe 100% & if yours was a cheap version it propably just made you like a boil in the bag meal.

The Paramo Velez is very breathable. It is better than eVent coats or Gore XCR
Unfortunately it is also a bit on the warm side
It has excellent side zips like a Buffalo but even with all these open and a tee shirt or underneath it can get hot if you are going for it
Paramo make mountain survival coats and the Velez was originally designed for things like snowboarding

I don't think there is a genuinely water proof coat that would breathe better than a Velez. But anything waterproof is not going to work very well if you are putting in an effort

father_jack

A hi-viz jacket is something you should wear on dull days and approaching dusk. Also in fog, and at night (hi viz have reflective strips) A workers jacket is thin and sleeveless so shouldn't find them hot & sweaty.