Jacket review: Germot Oxford wax jacket

Germot Oxford wax jacket, £239.99
Miles covered/time: 2000/three months

What’s good: This jacket combines retro charm with a degree of 21st century protection and I really love wearing it – it’s a jacket that genuinely does look good both on the bike and at the pub, too.

A Barbour-wearing colleague has taken to wearing an armoured vest under his traditional style International jacket but that’s not necessary with the Germot because it comes with CE-approved Forcefield armour at the shoulders and elbows.

Better still, the armour is fairly unobtrusive so you don’t end up looking like a shoulder-padded extra from Dynasty. For cooler days there is a removable quilted gilet but I prefer the jacket without it because it shows off the plaid lining better.

The detailing is spot-on – including brass buttons, a belt and corduroy collar plus a Union Flag for good measure.

What’s not: Well, that Union Flag is a tad cheeky because the jacket is, in fact, German! The justification is that the waxed cotton material is made in the UK.

Other than that, the phone pocket in the jacket itself isn’t big enough to hold a smart phone (although the one in the gilet is) and there’s just a pocket for a back protector so you will have to fit one or wear a separate one if that bothers you.

The outer pockets aren’t guaranteed waterproof, but mine have been fine so far. £239.99 isn’t cheap – you could buy a genuine Barbour International for similar money.

Contact: www.forcefieldbodyarmour.com
Rating: 3/5