Vests-Gilets

Vests-Gilets

Shop cycling vests and gilets built to block wind over your core. Keeps your arms free to breathe while your chest stays warm.
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Layer it over a long sleeve

  • Castelli Men's Pro Thermal Mid LS Jersey, 2022 - Cycle Closet
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View all 20% off - Winter Long Sleeves - cycling jackets and jerseys

Cycling gilets and vests for Australian riding

A gilet solves one specific problem: your chest loses heat faster than the rest of you because it takes the full force of the apparent wind, while your arms are working hard enough to stay warm on their own. Covering the torso and leaving the arms free is why a gilet feels warmer than its weight suggests, and why it stays comfortable on a climb when a jacket would have you overheating.

Windproof shells and insulated gilets do different jobs

A windproof shell gilet has a treated front panel and a light mesh or perforated back. It weighs almost nothing, packs into a jersey pocket and covers 12 to 20 degrees, which is most of the Australian riding year. This is the one that lives in your pocket from September through to May and comes out on descents.

An insulated or thermal gilet adds a brushed lining or light fill. It suits 5 to 14 degrees over a long sleeve jersey, and it works as the outer layer on dry winter mornings where a full jacket would be too much once the sun is up.

Match the gilet to the ride profile

Dawn starts and long descents are where a gilet earns its place. A 300 metre descent at 50km/h undoes an hour of climbing warmth in a few minutes, and a packable gilet fixes that without a bag. Variable spring and autumn days are the other case: 8 degrees at the start and 22 by mid-morning is a gilet day, and a jacket suits the days that stay cold throughout.

Layer it properly

A gilet works with what is underneath it. A merino or synthetic base layer moves sweat away so the air the gilet traps stays warm, and arm warmers let you match a short sleeve jersey to a cold start and strip back later. That combination covers a wider temperature band than any single garment.

Fit matters more than it does on a jacket

A gilet that flaps is a gilet that lets air in at the hem and sides. Look for a silicone gripper at the waist, a dropped tail and a cut close enough that the front panel stays flat against your chest. Italian brands including Castelli and Santini cut smaller than Australian sizing, typically by one size. MAAP, Pearl Izumi and Isadore run closer to true.

Our Adelaide showroom at 122 Pirie Street carries most of this range if you would rather try the fit before you commit.

Vests and gilets questions

What is the difference between a cycling gilet and a cycling vest?

They are the same garment. Gilet is the European term and vest is the North American one, and both are used interchangeably in Australia. What actually differs between products is the construction: a windproof shell with a mesh back, or an insulated version with a brushed or lightly filled lining.

What temperature is a cycling gilet for?

A windproof shell gilet covers roughly 12 to 20 degrees and is the one you keep in a jersey pocket for descents. An insulated or thermal gilet covers roughly 5 to 14 degrees worn over a long sleeve jersey. Below 5 degrees, or in sustained rain, a jacket is the better choice.

Should I buy a gilet or a jacket?

Buy a gilet when the day swings more than about 10 degrees between the start and the finish, or when you are climbing hard and want to shed warmth quickly. Buy a jacket when the temperature stays low for the whole ride or when you expect sustained rain. Most riders who ride year round end up owning both, and reach for the gilet more often.

What size should I order?

Italian brands including Castelli and Santini run smaller than Australian sizing, typically by one size. Pearl Izumi and MAAP run closer to true. Each product page links the brand's own size chart. If you are between sizes and want a race fit, size down. For a layered fit, size up. Our Adelaide showroom carries most of our range if you want to try before you buy.

Can I try this on before buying?

Yes. Our Adelaide showroom at 122 Pirie Street carries most of our range and staff can fit you properly. Sizing across Italian and Australian brands varies enough that this is worth the trip if you are new to a brand.

How long does delivery take?

Orders start processing within one working day of your payment clearing. Australian orders of $100 or more ship free, and worldwide orders of $190 or more ship free. Express Post within Australia is $19.95, and orders placed before 4pm ACST go out the same day and typically arrive in 1 to 3 days. Helmets and shoes carry a shipping surcharge and are excluded from free shipping.

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