Let's get the price out of the way first – £300 seems a silly amount of cash for a jacket. But, and yes there is a but, if that jacket is incredibly versatile, the only one you’ll ever need, then maybe such an investment isn’t quite so daft?
The outer of the Radiation Insolito isn’t groundbreaking and on its own doesn’t justify the spend. It’s a light, snug fitting, stretchy, well proven, breathable and water repellent Gore Windstopper shell with plenty of pockets, vents for breathability and removable arms for conversion into a gilet.
The ‘magic’, though, is on the inside – there’s a perforated silver ‘space blanket’ liner. Why? Well it reflects back your body heat to keep you warm. It really does work and even on the coldest days this winter the Radiation kept us toasty warm.
However, unless the temperature is constantly around freezing, it doesn’t take long before it gets too warm. The liner is removable, though, and stashes into a rear pocket – as does the removable Lycra hood. (Zipping the liner back in during coffee stops worked a treat.)
Our Radiation liner was long-sleeved and felt a little uncomfortable against bare arms, but a sleeveless version is an option. In the UK the Insolito comes in any colour as long as it’s black, but it does have reflective detailing. (There’s also the £250 Quantum without zip-off sleeves and hood which comes in white.) So, is the Insolito worth £300? Well, if you’ve got it …