Ridgecrest Waterproof Cycling Gilet

The Ridgecrest Waterproof Cycling Gilet is a handy layer for keeping cold air out and protecting your torso from light rain and road spray, and it takes up very little space when stuffed in a rear pocket. Some roadies will provide a slimmer cut to avoid flapping, but the price is reasonable, going on cheap.

We got to know of Ridgecrest by a roundabout route. The head honcho at Cotic Bikes is a chap who goes by the name of Cy – Cy Cotic, geddit? – and Ridgecrest is a brand set up by Cy's father, Mr Cotic Snr.

> Buy now: Ridgecrest Waterproof Cycling Gilet for £44.95 from ebay

Mr Cotic Snr, also known as David Turner, used to run a clothing manufacturing company making motorcycle waterproofs, and about three years ago started making Cotic's frame bags. He's only just started to make gilets. He does everything himself – designs, material laying, cutting and sewing – so it's a small scale operation.

Some people struggle with the concept of a waterproof gilet – if you need to keep water out, putting a jacket on is going to be more effective. That's a fair point, but sometimes you just want to keep out drizzle or road spray and pulling a jacket on might be overkill. Plus, you can team up a waterproof gilet with water-repellent arm warmers, like Castelli's Nano Flex 3Gs, if you want to keep light rain out without having the additional warmth of a jacket. On top of that, a jacket is going to be bulkier in your pocket.

But I'm not here to convince you of the merits or otherwise of the genre. There are plenty of other waterproof gilets out there from the likes of Rapha, Assos and dhb, and you can make up your own mind about whether you like the idea.

Ridgecrest's Waterproof Cycling Gilet is made from polyurethane-coated polyester that does a really good job of keeping water out. The seams aren't taped, so water could leak in there, but a waterproof gilet isn't designed to keep you dry in the sort of prolonged heavy rain when that would be an issue. If the back of the gilet gets wet from road spray, even constantly over a long ride, that doesn't get inside.

The fabric is pretty soft to the touch and the outside doesn't have that cold, plasticky feel, while the inside of the collar has a cotton lining so it feels fine against your neck.

The fabric is also highly breathable, helping to stop you get sweaty on tough climbs. If you do find things starting to get humid, it's easy enough to adjust the YKK zip or to just whip the gilet off and stick it in a jersey pocket. Rolled up, it takes up about half a pocket's worth of space.

The collar sits high – I like that – and I found it close enough to stop any cold air from getting in without any discomfort. The elasticated armholes and hem do a similar job and there's the most generously sized flap behind the zip that I've ever seen.

The cut is also generous, but don't take too much notice of our pics – the mannequin that we've been using in the studio since social distancing became a thing is a medium, while the product sample we have is large.

The fabric isn't stretchy, so I get that a manufacturer has to size up to accommodate chunkier riders, but I'd have preferred a slimmer cut to avoid any flapping on windier days or at higher speeds. This isn't an aero roadie cut, it has a more relaxed mountain bike or gravel bike vibe.

In terms of length, the same is true. If you're in a low and stretched road position, the front panels tend to bunch up, but if you're in a more upright riding position, you want that coverage. The fact that the rear is cut considerably longer than the front is welcome, though, keeping spray from getting on to your lower back and – what's the physiological term? – ass.

Value

You can't baulk at the £44.95 price (post included). That's for sizes S (36in, measured over your other clothing) to XL (45in). XXL and XXXL can be produced as one-offs for £55.95.

> Buyer’s Guide: 10 of the best cycling gilets

Check out road.cc gilet reviews and you'll see that we haven't looked at too many at this price. Most tend to be at least £20 more, some much more than that.

The race-cut dhb Aeron Lab Superlight Waterproof Gilet that we reviewed, for example, is £100. Granted, the dhb gilet is a more technical garment, it's lighter and packs down smaller so they're not particularly comparable, but it still suggests that the Ridgecrest's price is very good.

The Lusso Hex Packable Gilet we reviewed recently came in a much slimmer cut too. This one is £55 – closer to the Ridgecrest's price but still £10 more.

Conclusion

Overall, the Ridgecrest Waterproof gilet is a well-made garment to keep you comfortable in changeable conditions. The generous cut won't be to everyone's taste, but you can't argue with the price.

Verdict

Good for keeping out cold air and light rain, with a cut more suited to mountain biking and gravel than sporty road riding