With the autumnal chills starting to arrive (well at least until the sun gets up in the valleys on those morning rides) I’m back in the inVEST and in my third year of ownership I can report it’s as good as it ever was and finding its place again in the on bike wear and in the bag that never really gets unpacked that I cart around between training sessions and races.

When it first arrived I wasn’t so keen on the collar in contrast to the many other gillets I have had but as the first winter arrived in force the damn thing proved its purpose.. toasty!! I love climbing.. but I love bombing down hills even more and it’s all good.

Over the years I’ve particularly appreciated the pockets riding out to evening TT’s – those skinsuits are kinda lacking in pockets – and even more the warmth for the 20k ride back home knowing that the house keys and change for entry fee’s are safe in the zipped pocket. Even after the inVEST has been quickly ripped off and thrown into the club trailer seconds before the start.

It’s not your lightweight scrunch up in the back pocket as the day warms up type vest, but never pretends to be that sort of piece of kit. They’d be way outclassed during an epic mtb ride or winter endurance ride where you really aren’t meant to go hard enough to get that core really humming temperature wise.

Any complaints? Yeah.. I’d buy a small womens specific version if I could for my partner.

As biased as I am as the designer I have to say this is the one item I never leave home without when training.

Great balance between front weather protection and rear moisture mgmt. High collar gives exta protection; 4 pockets do it for me.

Need to add a zip pull toggle and add a new colour (front) – red.

Still always interested in inVEST ideas.