If you are doing a 6 hour AR event in Britain or flogging your guts out in a 2 man 24 hr MTB team in the dust of Queensland you will quite likely see a reasonable portion of the field wearing a pair of i-RULE knicks and a smaller portion wearing the high tech shirts; it’s very rare to see anyone in the inVEST. The reason this is a little strange is if you talk to i-RULE’s Founder and Designer Daryl Foy he will swear ( he does that a lot anyway – he is Australian) until he is blue in the face that the inVEST is the best product he has ever done ( along with the new RONIN I’d say but more on that later) and among the athletes they have supported over the years it’s the one thing they choose to take with them every time they train. I had to find out why.

As is the case with i-RULE kit, the garment looks a million dollars although the predominantly black livery will preclude it from use in hot conditions and if not for smart use of reflective piping on front and rear then it would not be a night option for urban warriors.

Although light enough at a bit over 200 grams there are lighter ( and far less effective) products around. Structurally, it sports a full length front zip which is a godsend for ventilation; it’s a zip which goes all the way up to the chin as the inVEST makes use of a high collar. I for one find this collar design fiendishly smart as it keeps the cold winds off a very vulnerable heat loss region – the throat.

The front wind-facing section of the vest is fashioned from a fantastic Toray(Japan) fabric typically seen on the slopes; Dermizax. It is windproof and waterproof but breathes very well and stretches like a yoga guru so your range of motion is not impeded when running, paddling or mucking about trying to get supplies from the rear storage pockets.

While the front panels work to minimise the draining effects of wind and cold; the rear centre panel pumps excess sweat out relentlessly. The balance between front and back helps maintain energy levels and a feeling of even temperature.

The front panel incorporates a handy well constructed vertical zipped pocket big enough for maps, sunnies, food bars. At the back, the traditional Quadstowe 4 pocket storage pockets provide excellent options for clothing, food and bit and pieces with the handy zipped centre pocket ideal for keys.

In terms of cut, the inVEST is a snug race fit and I would advise you to look at getting a size larger than your shirt size to make sure you can breathe! I wore the vest over a few weeks while testing the new RONIN long-sleeved top and this sizing recommendation worked for me. If you are not sure, the thing with i-RULE is you can try before you buy with their patent-pending Just Try Me web-based system.

Having given the top a right old flogging I have to agree with the iRULE nerds such as this character from the UK, lifted from the iRULE site:

“The best bit of kit that I think iRULE produce is the inVEST. A truly great and versatile bit of kit! The high collar means that when it’s cold you’re nice and toastie, when you’re doing a long downhill section, the windproof front keeps your core warm, but allows you to sweat freely through the mesh backing. This season on all races I have worn my Ninjas, Neo and inVEST – nothing more, nothing less.”

Always best to leave the real verdict to paying customers! Of course, you an always ask World 24 hr MTB Champion Craig Gordon what he thinks of it; apparently, a lot.