Altura NV2 Thermo Long Sleeve Jersey

The Altura Night Vision 2 Thermal long sleeve jersey is a great option if you want a warm top that looks great during the day and even better by night thanks to an array of stylish reflective panels. A well-thought-out design to suit the everyday rider. For winter commuting I was always a fan of the Night Vision (NV) range, owning the bib tights and jackets because they were just so damn visible in amongst the heavy rush hour traffic. This NV2 Thermo jersey has a much more discreet way of making you seen; it's a little less shouty but still with very impressive results. The NV2 Thermal has two reflective strips running either side of the centre of your back, but rather than being the usual silver Scotchlite type, they are actually black until light is directed at them. It doesn't quite bounce the light back as effectively as a more traditional reflective (you can see the difference as Altura has used silver reflectives for the label on the rear pockets) but you still show up well from a decent distance away. The sleeves receive the same treatment, with a strip down each one from shoulder to cuff, and it's positioned for visibility from the front with your hands on the hoods. It'd be nice to see another one 180 degrees from this, though, to aid rear visibility especially when signalling. From a performance point of view the NV2 has a lot going for it. The cut is what Altura calls semi-fitted, and using its Ergofit 3D body mapping system the jersey is designed to be perfect for riders in the saddle. It's close enough to the body to remove excess flappy material without being restricted to those riders with a body fat percentage in the single figures. A jersey for the average sized man, shall we say, although the arms are noticeably slim fitting so if you are muscular you might need to size up to be comfortable. Verdict Medium-weight jersey for chilly rides, especially in failing light, having the added benefit of discreet reflectives.