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Gilets
Altura Airstream Women's Windproof Gilet2022 Altura Airstream Womens Windproof Gilet.jpg

Altura Airstream Women's Windproof Gilet

8
by Lara Dunn
Sat, Dec 03, 2022 19:45
0
£45.00

VERDICT:

8
10
Great cut and quality, with all the features and performance you need
Very protective front
Very breathable back
Packs down small
Good fit and cut
Weight: 
127g
Contact: 
www.altura.co.uk
How we test

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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There's very little to find fault with on the Altura Airstream Women's Windproof Gilet. It's reasonably light, packs down small enough to easily go in a jersey pocket and offers good protection at a decent price. While there are cheaper options on our best cycling gilets list, far fewer of the cheaper women's ones are water-resistant than the men's ones, which is a shame.

The Altura Airstream Women's Windproof Gilet is made from polyester with a DWR water repellent treatment. There's a full length mesh panel at the back, a two-way zip for easy access to rear jersey pockets, reflective accents, underarm venting, elasticated arm holes and hemline, a high collar, and a zipped chest pocket which doubles up as a stuff pocket.

Following Altura's size guide I tested the size 14, and being a high street 14-16 I was pleasantly surprised with the shape and cut. It fitted a treat. Torso length was good for my 5ft 5in frame, and should be suitable for most riders too.

2022 Altura Airstream Womens Windproof Gilet - hem.jpg

The front is very wind resistant and the water repellency works really well, keeping off even heavy showers. That said, with its mesh back it's not exactly waterproof...

2022 Altura Airstream Womens Windproof Gilet - back.jpg

Breathability is great, however, and underarm vents mean even hard riding doesn't overwhelm the cooling.

2022 Altura Airstream Womens Windproof Gilet - vent.jpg

The front zip has a nice smooth run and is easily operated single handed with its glove-friendly pull. The collar is nice and high and wide enough to cope with other zipped collars beneath, yet it's not so baggy it's draughty without them.

2022 Altura Airstream Womens Windproof Gilet - collar.jpg

The zipped chest pocket is handy for bits and pieces like keys and lipbalm but is not really large enough for a phone, though to be fair the weight wouldn't sit well there anyway, so it's not a big deal. Stuffed into this pocket the Airstream fits easily into a jersey pocket.

Value

At £45 it's well priced. The Bontrager Women's Circuit Vest at £49.99 is a bit lighter at 118g but the front isn't quite as weatherproof, while the dhb Aeron Women's Packable Gilet at £50 is lighter still at just 93g but has no pockets.

The Endura Women's Pakagilet seems to offer similar features for a bit less at just £42.99, though.

Overall

The Altura offers all the features you could ask for from a windproof gilet. Yes there are lighter gilets, but this one is light enough to be easily carried and packed and it's rugged too.

Verdict

Great cut and quality, with all the features and performance you need

road.cc test report

Make and model: Altura Airstream Women's Windproof Gilet

Size tested: 14

Tell us what the product is for

Altura says, "A PACKABLE, WATER RESISTANT WIND STOPPER WHICH IS IDEAL TO TAKE ON THOSE CHANGEABLE RIDES"

It does just what it's supposed to do.

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

FEATURES

100% nylon with a mini ripstop for extra durability

DWR coating to repel water

Full mesh back panel

Reflective trims for extra visibility

Packs away into zipped chest pocket

2-way front zip for jersey pocket access

Semi-fitted

COMPOSITION

Main 1 - 100% Polyamide

Main 2 - 90% Polyester 10% Elastane

Available in sizes 8-18

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10

Very well made and nicely finished, with good robust materials.

Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10

Performed very well at keeping wind out and protecting the rider from road spray.

Rate the product for durability:
 
9/10

Very durable fabric and components.

Rate the product for fit:
 
9/10
Rate the product for sizing:
 
8/10

Spot on as per the sizing guide.

Rate the product for weight:
 
7/10

There are lighter gilets out there, but this is far from being heavy.

Rate the product for comfort:
 
9/10

Very comfortable indeed, in both fit and performance.

Rate the product for value:
 
6/10

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

Washes well and is very easy to look after.

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

Extremely well.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The price, the performance and fit, and the broad range of sizes.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Nothing.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

It's middling, though while you can get cheaper ones - there are a fair few around £20-£25 – not many are water resistant as well as windproof (not in a female cut, anyway...). The Bontrager Women's Circuit Vest at £49.99 is a bit lighter at 118g but isn't quite as weatherproof, while the dhb Aeron Packable Gilet at £50 is lighter still at just 93g but has no pockets. The Endura Women's Pakagilet offers similar features and is a couple of quid less at £42.99.

Did you enjoy using the product? Very much. It's fast become a favourite

Would you consider buying the product? Definitely

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

Well-designed, effective and affordable, this gilet is reasonably light and packs small enough to take on every ride. It is an extremely versatile piece of kit and well worth the money. There are lighter gilets, if that matters, but there's nothing to seriously dislike here.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 48  Height: 1.65m  Weight: 77kg

I usually ride: Liv Invite  My best bike is: Specialized Ruby Elite

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

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

Altura Airstream Women's Windproof Gilet 2022
Altura Airstream Women's Windproof Gilet
Altura 2022
Altura
Lara Dunn

Lara has been riding bikes for longer than she'd care to admit, and writing about them nearly as long. Since 2009 she has been working as part of the road.cc review team whilst championing women's cycling on the side, most notably via two years as editor of the, sadly now defunct, UK's first and only women's cycling mag, erm, Women's Cycling. 

Believing fervently that cycling will save the world, she wishes that more people would just ride a bike and be pleasant to each other. 

She will ride anything with two wheels, occasionally likes to go fast, definitely likes to go far and is always up for a bit of exploring somewhere new and exciting. 

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