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At any party there is the nutter.  Dangerous, scary but at the same time fascinating and entertaining. The Vollebak Solar Charged Jacket is that kind of nutter at the Waterproof Jacket Party.

Material and Fit

By day this jacket is a semi translucent/ grey running jacket with a slight ‘Blade Runner’ look.  The fabric has a slight stretch to it making it more comfortable to wear, the arms are cut to have a natural curve in them so the jacket feels more comfortable and tailored as well. The jacket is waterproof and breathable and didn’t disappoint on its first run in the rain. There are small vent holes at the armpits to help dissipate sweat too. This jacket is effortlessly comfortable you don’t even notice its features.

Zips and and Pocket

The zipper is waterproof too helping to keep the rain out. The jacket weighs in at only 8oz. It also packs up small.  There is a minimalist approach to this jacket but I was pleased to see a decent sized pocket round the back for your phone and keys. A waterproof zip to that pocket helps keep valuables dry too. Its right hand centric though so left handed people will find this slightly more fiddly.

Hood and Drawstring

The hood and drawcord and created in such a way that the hood actually moves with you rather than your head moving inside the hood when you look left and right. The drawcord on the bottom means you can tighten the base of the jacket around you to keep heat in, or loosen it off to allow the jacket to breathe more in the rain.

Glow Like Kryptonite

Its when the sun goes down that this jacket really steps out. I uploaded a video to show just how much this jacket glows in the dark.

The entire fabric has a solar charged material woven through it that glows. It can be charged with the sun or even on a cloudy day in the USA. Its so reactive that shining a headtorch or phone torch on it close up allows you to draw or write messages on it.  Fully charged this jacket glows green and even after a few hours retains a ghostly white glow that lasts through the night.

Verdict

I actually look forward to darkness with this jacket and its my go to jacket now on shorter runs. I love it.

You can find out more here