Assos

sV.emergencyVest - Men's

Have you ever stopped to think just how archaic it is for racers to be stuffing their jerseys with newspapers at the summit of a climb? Seriously, though, this has been going on for over a hundred years. Frames have turned to carbon, and our apparel has likewise turned to technology. However, L'Equipe still seems to reign supreme on race day. Well, true to form, Assos set to turning the status quo on its head with the new sV.emergencyVest. Now, Assos has introduced what it calls "micro-volume chest protection" to shield you on chilly descents, all while creating the most compact layering piece in the Assos line.

For the construction of the sV.emergencyVest, Assos eliminated anything that it deemed non-essential. Essentially, this resulted in the pattern of the vest resembling that of a bolero. However, this design serves a very specific function. You see, the sV.emergencyVest is meant to stave off wind chills on long, chilly descents. However, do to its translucent composition and reflective appliques at every hem, it also doubles as a reflective piece to wear over any jacket come wintertime.

This has all been made possible through the vest's "ultracompact" seam structure and fabric composition. In fact, the resulting piece is acceptable for usage across every Assos ALS ClimaRange — especially for hot summer racing and training (Outfit 3). More importantly, though, the ultracompact design allows simple storage of the vest. Assos is so certain of this that it recommends you to keep it with your bike at all times in case of emergency. According to Assos, you should store it in a second waterbottle holder or in your saddle pack. This way, you'll always be ready for Mother Nature to take a turn.

The Assos sV.emergencyVest is available in the color White Panther and in seven sizes from X-Small to TIR.