Reviews > Clothing > Jackets and Vests > Proviz Reflect360 CRS Plus Vest > Test Report by Marina Batzke

PROVIZ REFLECT360 CRS PLUS VEST
TEST SERIES BY MARINA BATZKE
LONG-TERM REPORT
January 21, 2019

CLICK HERE TO SKIP TO THE FIELD REPORT
CLICK HERE TO SKIP TO THE LONG-TERM REPORT

TESTER INFORMATION

I converted from day hiking and car camping to backpacking in 2013. My backpacking trips are one or two weekend excursions per month in Southern California. The locations range from Joshua Tree National Park desert areas in the cooler months to mountainous elevations in the summer months. I always hike with a group and like the gear talk in camp. While I am looking for ways to lighten my pack, I am not an ultra-lighter: I like sleeping in a tent with a sleeping bag on a comfortable pad. In January 2017, I added snowshoeing to my winter activities.

INITIAL REPORT

PRODUCT INFORMATION & SPECIFICATIONS

Manufacturer: PROVIZ USA
Designed in the USA. Manufactured in China.
Manufacturer's Website: http://www.provizsports.com
MSRP: US$125.00
Listed Weight: N/A
Measured Weight: 8.47 oz (240 g)
Other details: available colors: blue, purple, red.
US 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS

The PROVIZ REFLECT360 CRS Plus Women's Cycling Vest arrived by mail in a lightweight postal envelope with the vest protected inside a clear plastic bag. I noticed a prominent seal on that clear plastic bag: Please do not remove the tags if you wish to return me! That seal was cut and the plastic bag looked resealed with clear tape. I pulled out the PROVIZ vest and a close inspection showed no flaws, no loose threads - all good and new.

Do not remove tags SEAL

A cardboard tag was applied to the center front zipper pull. This tag shows the product bar code on the face and lists the REFLECT360CRS (Colour Reflective System) features on the backside.

Front view

Backside

The outside of the vest feels cold to the touch and my hand easily slides over the purple surface. The black, dull inside feels rubbery. The vest makes a bit of a squishy sound. The fabric feels a bit firm. The vest is NOT made of a silent, soft, warm, loose-flowing fabric material.

Black inside vs purple outside

The REFLECT360 CRS Plus Women's Cycling Vest is made of 100% reflective material. It has millions of tiny reflective beads embedded in the material, designed to make me brightly visible in the dark against a shining light source, like car headlights or a flashlight. When I look at the purple outside really close up, I notice small black dots. Just having the vest next to me while I am writing this report, the living room light makes the tiny black dots shine brightly. A pretty sparkle effect.

Other features are breathability of 10,000+gm/24hr and waterproofing at 10,000mm.

The black front zipper is 22.5 in (57 cm) long and has a handy, almost 2 in (5 cm) long zipper pull. The vest has two zipped side pockets. Each pocket opening is about 5.5 in (14 cm). The side pockets have a short metal zipper pull.

The PROVIZ vest has a 3 in (7.6 cm) tall black micro-fleece collar.

The vest has a fitted shoulder and black elastic around both arm holes. The PROVIZ REFLECT360 CRS Plus looks really great with its purple main color and black color accents near the side pockets and the black elastic around the arm holes and the low hem. In the left chest area, PROVIZ is printed on in black. In the right chest area, REFLECT360+CRS is printed on in black. On the backside, REFLECT360+CRS is imprinted in black at the top near the collar.

READING THE INSTRUCTIONS

A white fabric tag sewn into the left inside seam says this vest is 'for use in conditions that are neither exceptional nor extreme. Minimal risk only.' Interesting statement.

This Reflect360 Gilet has a shell made from 100% Polyester, made in China.

This same fabric tag also shows the Washing Instructions in very small print, a little hard for me to read.
Wash the vest at maximum 30 C (86 F) with a normal cycle. Do not use bleach. Do not tumble dry, do not dry over direct heat but use line drying instead. Do not iron and do not dry-clean. Do not use biological agents. There is some additional text below but in such small print, I cannot make it out.

TRYING IT OUT

I had selected the PROVIZ vest in size UK 12/ EU 40 / US 8. I put the PROVIZ vest on and it fit. The vest is described as having a tailored fit and that is usually my problem but I feel I chose wisely going with EU 40.

Elastic low hem: 32 in (40.6 cm) diameter (wider if I extend it)
Distance from underarm elastic to Vest low hem: 14 in (35.6 cm)
Shoulder from top left to top right: 18 in (45.7 cm)
Arm holes: 16 in (40.6 cm) diameter (wider if I extend them)

The two side pockets allow me to insert a fully spread-out hand completely.
The fleece-lined collar is nicely soft and pleasantly warm.
When I shine a flashlight on the vest, all the purple fabric completely changes color to an all-over reflective silver-rose colored shine. Pretty amazing.

SUMMARY

The PROVIZ REFLECT360 CRS Plus Women's Cycling Vest is lightweight and has superior reflective fabric.

INITIAL LIKES:
pleasant purple color with amazing reflective sparkle
black accents look great
two large side pockets with zipper, so I can't lose contents
soft, tall micro-fleece collar nicely covering my neck

NOT SO GREAT:
fabric a bit squishy, a bit firm

FIELD REPORT

FIELD LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS

Bicycle Trip from Schaerding to Vienna, Austria
6 days of average 37 mi (60 km) bike riding
Sunny, mornings with a breeze, no rain in sight
Temperature: 80 - 60 F/ 27 - 16 C

Mt. Pinos, Southern California, USA
Navigation Dayhike: 4 mi/ 6 km
Sunny as day unfolded
Temperature: 75 - 58 F/ 24 - 14 C

Beartrap Bluff, Southern California, USA
2 days/ 1 night backpacking: 12 mi/ 19 km
Sunny (I wore a long sleeve jacket on the breezy peak)
Temperature: 79 - 42 F/ 26 - 6 C

Cedar Springs, San Jacinto area, USA
2 days/ 1 night backpacking: 7 mi/ 11 km
Sunny, no rain in sight
Temperature: 73 - 35 F/ 23 - 2 C

Six local evening hikes with around 5 mi (8 km) each
Dry, no rain in sight
Temperature: 65 - 55 F/ 18 - 13 C

PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD

On the Danube cycle path Passau - Vienna, I started biking wearing the PROVIZ vest on several mornings. Initially I had it zipped up all the way to the top and really liked the soft inside of the collar. When we rode through forested areas, it was often a bit cooler and the vest provided good cool air and wind protection. As the day progressed and the weather got warmer and sunnier, I opened the front zipper more and more. Finally once it got too warm, I took the vest off, rolled it up and placed it in my bike pannier bag. While I love the wind blocking feature of the vest, I noticed that my shirt was moist and sweaty in my upper back each day. Several of my friends were wearing bike vests with a mesh back and they did not get a moist back. I clearly noticed the moisture along my shoulder area. At one stop when I noticed that my T-shirt was wet in the upper back, I held the black (I call it rubbery) inside of the vest into the sun and the moisture dried up in less than a minute: I was able to observe how quickly the black vest inside dried up. Yet I also had to point my wet back into the sun to let my T-shirt dry and that took a while longer.

on the Danube bike trip

moist vest inside

I also noticed a sweaty back on my backpacking outings. During a break I took my pack off and pulled the vest off. When I turned it inside out, I again noticed the moist black rubbery back.

The PROVIZ vest fit is excellent. I was able to bend forward while riding the bike and I could turn back to look at the end of our group: the vest stayed put. While hiking with my backpack on and moving my arms with the hiking poles, the vest maintained its great fit, did not restrict at all and did not ride up. The vest continues to make a bit of a squishy sound with movement.

One of my favorite features is the PROVIZ vest micro-fleece collar. I can pull the front zipper closed all the way to the top and the soft, cozy fleece collar embraces my neck and chin. All zippers run smoothly: they never snag. I have used the two side pockets for smaller items like a tissue and lip balm. Yet both pockets are big enough for me to stick my hands in, should my fingers have gotten a little cold and I want to warm them up.

So far I have not had to wash the PROVIZ vest. It does not smell and does not look dirty. I notice no signs of wear and tear.

The most impressive feature of the PROVIZ vest is its retro-reflectivity. Our local evening hikes start in a parking lot. We initially hike along the side of a street or on a side walk until we get to enter the local hills. The purple daylight color of the vest turns into a very impressive white reflection when struck by car headlights. Clearly noticeable. Very safe for me due to being well visible to drivers. Wow!

on a local hike

SUMMARY

The PROVIZ REFLECT360 CRS Plus Women's Cycling Vest has a great purple daylight color combined with a very well-visible retro-reflection against a light beam at night. While the fit is excellent, I keep noticing a sweaty vest and shirt back.

LONG-TERM REPORT

LONG-TERM TEST LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS

Joshua Tree National Park, Southern California, USA
2 days/ 1 night car camping with navigation: 5 mi/ 8 km
Sunny and windy; cool and overcast
Temperature: 58 - 38 F/ 14 - 3 C

Mission Creek Preserve, Southern California, USA
Elevation: 2450 ft
2 days/ 1 night car camping with navigation: 3 mi/ 5 km
Rain, at times heavy, cold, some wind Sat; sunny and cold Sun
Temperature: 54 - 39 F/ 12 - 4 C

Three local evening hikes with around 5 mi (8 km) each
Windy, cold, misty
Temperature: 55 F/ 13 C

PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD

During the last couple of months, the weather on my hiking trips was mostly cold and windy, at times rainy. I faithfully took the PROVIZ REFLECT360 vest along, yet once I was out there in nature I wore warmer clothes to combat the low temperatures and the wind.

Vest rolls into compact small bundle

I was able to wear the vest on three local evening hikes and I feel as it goes for hiking, that is where the PROVIZ REFLECT360 vest with its retro-reflective feature works best. When crossing the street at an intersection in the dark with cars driving way too fast on city streets, that is where the vest makes me brightly visible to drivers and alerts them to stop.

So far I have not washed the vest once. It emits no odor, since I have always worn short sleeve or long sleeve shirts underneath. The vest is in fine condition. It has not suffered any damage during the testing period.

SUMMARY

The PROVIZ REFLECT360 is excellent to make me visible when hiking along city streets in the dark. I will continue to wear it for my local evening hikes whenever the temperature is right for a sleeveless vest.

LIKES:
amazing, incredibly effective reflectivity at night
good-looking purple daylight vest color
micro-fleece collar
excellent fit
good cool breeze/ wind protection

DISLIKES:
rubbery vest inside makes my shirt back sweaty

Thank you to PROVIZ USA and BackpackGearTest.org for the opportunity testing this innovative REFLECT360 vest.

Reviews > Clothing > Jackets and Vests > Proviz Reflect360 CRS Plus Vest > Test Report by Marina Batzke