Giordana Body Clone Activa jacket £99.99

Giordana’s Body Clone range is the Italian company’s high end offering and is aimed at those riders who want the best fit, the best materials and a dose of smart styling.

The Activa jacket is made from, and indeed gets its name from, the Activa Plus GTB material. The fabric consists of three separate layers; a Meryl Actisystem outer layer features titanium treatment, the middle layer has a Windtex membrane that keeps the wind and water out, and finally the inside layer is lined with an insulating polyester material.

As is often the case with Italian clothing, Giordana tends to come up a little smaller than some brands, but the size L fitted the 11 stone tester perfectly. The jacket is shaped for the best possible fit, with multi-panels and stretchy material running the length of the arms and down the sides adding to the excellent fit and shape.

Cuffs are always a tricky area to get right, and happily the Giordana gets them bang on. The multi-panel arms are pre-shaped, with the final six inches of the arms made from a separate piece of material which tapers to the cuff. The smart bit here is the zip which allows the cuff to expand, with a section of mesh remaining. The jacket is abound with reflective material on the arms and back so you can be sure of good visibility riding home in the dark.

The three layer material lends itself very well to keeping the body warm, with ample protection from the wind. It does struggle a little in heavy bouts of rain, but then it’s not designed to be 100% waterproof. As it is then, it copes with most typical weather conditions superbly well.

There’s plenty of features making it a lovely jacket to live with on a daily basis. Music on the move is aided with an internal mesh pocket for a small MP3 player, with one solitary loop to keep the cables tidy. This is perhaps the neatest option tested for listening to music whilst riding. Not something that RCUK recommends though…

The tail isn’t dropped a huge amount, but provides a decent amount of bum coverage. The waist is lined with gripper tape so you won’t find it moving about, but the great fit ensures the jacket stays in position anyway. Three rear pockets and one zipped pocket provide enough storage capacity, though they’re not the most generous pockets ever tested. The high collar is topped with some stretchy Lycra to prevent any cold air sneaking down your neck, and the main zip is lined with a generous strip of fleecy material.

Six sizes from S to XXXL, and in black/red or white/black.