London-based Vollebak seems to be outfitting the population for the apocalypse, what with their Kevlar hoodies, pitch-black-visible activewear and relaxation-inducing jackets.
Thankfully they have a playful side as well, as evidenced by their new Solar Charged Jacket.
Evidently, “solar charged” is their trend-hopping way of saying “glow-in-the-dark.” The windbreaker soaks up luminosity just like the stars on kids’ ceilings — whether it be sunlight or artificial — though the company is mum on the specific technology. On a full “charge,” the company claims the jacket can glow for 12 hours “in the green spectrum at around 530 nanometers.”
In the apparently Malick-inspired video above, Vollebak tests the jacket in a U.K. forest. Despite being in the thicket and out of direct sunlight, the glow is impressively bright at night — on par with Slimer from Ghostbusters. In the final shot, a runner dons the jacket on a pitch-black road. Note to self: you definitely want to be the wearer and not the person seeing a glowing figure emerging from the woods in this situation.
While a sleek glow-in-the-dark garment alone may fulfill the childhood dreams of some, others may be interested in the specifics of the actual rain jacket. The garment is fully waterproof, with a storm guard on the front zipper and all seams insulated with a transparent tape that doesn’t inhibit the glow. As Gear Junkie notes, the ventilation of three small eyelets under each arm is minimal, but Vollebak touts their their-layer fabric construction as “breathable.”
The peaked hood, easy-access drawcords and elasticity of the fabric round out the technical aspects, putting an emphasis on outdoor activity as opposed to running from the car to the office. But since the jacket tones down to a smart light grey during the day, it can get the job done in the city, too. And at $350 a pop, it should.
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