Reviews

Galibier Ultimate Foul Weather Gilet – review

Excellent windproof and water resistant protection

The Galibier Ultimate Foul Weather Gilet offers excellent windproof and water resistant protection, as well as coming with a sensible fit and at a fair price.

Galibier are a small British outfit who make a range of well priced clothing well suited to UK conditions. In the past we’ve been impressed by what they’ve had to offer and that continues here.

The first thing you notice about the gilet when you pick it up is the (relatively) heavy duty material, which is similar to the Mistral Foul Weather Jacket we’ve previously reviewed. It’s not a featherweight gilet and is instead made from a softshell which still remains just 1.1mm thick. The clue is in the name really – Galibier pitch this as a gilet capable of really standing up to the elements.

The Galibier Ultimate Foul Weather Gilet is made from a windproof and water resistant fabric

Specification
Price: £47
Sizes: S-XXL
Size tested: L
Website: Galibier

The fabric itself has a triple layer membrane construction designed to be windproof and ‘highly water resistant’. Throughout testing, I never felt any wind getting through the gilet, even in the coldest, windiest conditions, and performance on that front is very similar to the Mistral jacket – but, you know, without the arms – except I could wear this in a wider range of temperatures, down to freezing.

That windproofing doesn’t take away from the breathability, though, and I didn’t ever feel like I was overheating because I was simple wearing the gilet, though that’s obviously helped by the lack of arms compared to a jacket, which provides easy access for airflow.

The fabric is also extremely water resistant and I used the gilet in several showers without water really getting in through the material itself. Galibier claim the material itself is completely waterproof, but because the seams are not, water will work its way in that way. That said, you’re likely to get wetter from your arms being exposed than by any untaped seams.

What all this means is that the Ultimate gilet is very well suited to changeable conditions, when you want to keep the breeze at bay, your core warm and have some protection from rain, but still value ventilation and want some flexibility in what you’re wearing, without resorting to a jacket.

Three rear pockets provide plenty of storage

In terms of fit, the gilet is sensibly cut and the large tested falls into the fit we’d expect from a UK company; not oversized like some US brands or undersized like Italian clothing companies. The fabric sits well against the body with few creases to collect water in a shower. The dropped tail also helps protect against rear wheel spray and the gilet has effective silicone grippers on the hem at the back to keep it in place without it riding up. As a side note, it’s a smart looking piece, with subtle branding but a big high-vis stripe on the back alongside plenty of reflective detailing, and more high-vis on the arms.

Not all gilets have pockets but this one does. There are three large rear pockets providing an impressive amount of storage, plus there’s a zipped pocket on the inside of the chest, which is good for things like phones or valuables.

There’s also a zipped pocket on the chest

In terms of packability, despite the windproof and water resistant fabric, it still packs down fairly well to just about squeeze in to a jersey pocket – as you’d expect any gilet to do – but there are more compact gilets out there. This isn’t really the type of super-light gilet you’d take with you ‘just in case’ but something which will provide reliable protection from the elements – more so than a lot of gilets. It’s sensibly priced, too, at £47.

Conclusion

It’s difficult to pick out any major flaws with Galibier’s Ultimate Foul Weather Gilet. Sure, other gilets pack up smaller but this one offers a genuine line of defence against poor weather, which still being compact enough to get in a jersey pocket. If you want a gilet which offers almost all the protection of a jacket, then this is one to consider.