Review | Vanucci VAJ-5 jacket/Tour Fun II trousers/VAB-7 boots/VC-3 gloves

Vanucci is the in-house brand of German kit giant Louis Moto and generally represents a solid combination of quality, features and price. Available on mail order here in the UK, we tried this top to toe outfit of textile jackets, trousers, boots and gloves to see how they could handle a typical British winter. If you like the look of it keep an eye on the Louis website for the latest deals and prices, on the basis much of the kit can actually bought for considerably less than the prices above due to discounts and exchange rate fluctuations.

Vanucci might not have the brand recognition of some of the better-known kit Louis Moto also sells but its clothing looks well thought out and of decent quality. Supplied with CE Level 2 shoulder and elbow protection installed, the VAJ-5 is rated AA for abrasion and has a sleeve for a back protector available at extra cost. It’s certainly a substantial item of clothing, the main fabric reassuringly thick and all fixtures and fittings suitably reinforced. Velcro torso straps and popper tabs on the arms help fine-tune the fit, the 50 we tried one up from the smallest available but still on the generous side. With a range going up to 70 we’d venture Vanucci’s sizing suits fuller-framed north European physiques over the skinnier ones of Italian or French brands, which is worth consideration depending on your build. The jacket is packed with features, including a zip-in thermal liner, zips to attach to various trousers and hoods, large waterproof hip pockets. There’s a full water- and windproof liner, plus vent zips to keep the air flowing on warmer days. On a long motorway trip in pretty foul conditions the jacket did a good job of keeping us warm and dry, the option to remove the liner when the ambient temperatures rise meaning it should do us through winter and into spring as well. If conservatively styled and lacking the kudos of a recognised brand name it feels a solid choice.

If not as fancy or perhaps as breathable as Gore-Tex the SympaTex lining on these Tour Fun II trousers does a decent job of keeping the wind and rain out without getting too sweaty on warmer days. The style and cut is a good match for the VAJ-5 jacket, though the zip in function is restricted to a smaller tab rather than the full waistband style. Again, a substantial piece of kit the trousers have a relatively relaxed fit around the leg, zipped lowers meaning you can get them over your boots before tightening to keep out spray and wind. Saying that they still rode up over our left leg in stop-start riding, leaving a chilly strip of shin and calf. Adjustable armour in the knees is good, though it’s a shame additional padding for the hips is a cost extra, even if it’s a cheap one. Like the jacket this feels like good, solid kit for commuting or touring.

With leather outers, Michelin soles and a waterproof/breathable SympaTex liner these boots are packed with features and well insulated for riding in all weathers. That can make them a bit of a heave to get on and off, though zips on both sides of inner and outer help and, once in place, they felt nice and snug even on our skinny feet. Which isn’t always a given. They kept our feet warm and dry even on a long and very wet motorway ride, and the build quality looks decent even if the leather outer has scuffed up its surface with one foot-down incident to catch a sliding bike. A minor war wound, and not one that seems to have affected how they work. Vanucci meanwhile recommends proper ‘functional’ socks to ensure breathability, so if you’re buying them invest in some proper wicking ones to get the full benefit.

Heated grips are a godsend for winter riding but, even if you have them, you still need a proper all-seasons glove. Made of a mix of goat leather and synthetic fabrics, these are properly cosy mitts, with a thick fleecy lining and an elasticated waterproof inner cuff to go inside your sleeve and a substantial zippered outer one to go over the top to seal the join between glove and jacket. A water- and windproof Hipora lining keeps the elements out without getting too sweaty while knuckle armour offers suitable protection. Other than finding the fingers a little long on our medium test examples the fit was otherwise spot-on, the only other annoyance being that the fleecy liner sometimes pulls out when you take them off and then bunches in the fingers when you try and put them back on. Once in place, though, these are proper all-season gloves and just the job with or without those heated grips.

You’ll not be buying this Vanucci kit for the name or, necessarily, for fancy looks. But winter kit is about function first and foremost, and clothing that keeps you warm and dry is more important than style or flashy branding. Seemingly the Vanucci kit delivers on that, and at a competitive price compared with some of the snazzier alternatives. True, they also feature more breathable and technical fabrics like the widely recognised GoreTex liners but, for the money, the SympaTex used by Vanucci is a cut above the boil-in-the-bag feel of cheapo kit and first impressions are good. We’ll report back with any further updates after putting in some more winter miles, meanwhile.