Bisley cool mesh polo

Bisley builds the Cool Mesh Polo around a lightweight, breathable cool mesh. The mesh is 100% polyester at 140gsm, so it sits at the light end of the workwear range and is aimed at keeping you cooler when the day heats up and you are still expected to be seen on site.

The polo carries the day-only hi-vis colours (yellow and orange) and uses reflective piping rather than full tape: there is piping on the side panels and a shoulder to sleeve panel. The collar is a knit rib with grey tipping, a small detail that helps the polo hold its shape after a few washes. Bisley lists it against AS/NZS 4602.1:2011 Class D, AS/NZS 1906.4:2010 and the UPF standard AS/NZS 4399:2017.

One thing to be clear on up front: this is a Class D day-only garment. The hi-vis colour does the work in daylight, but the reflective piping here is decorative-style piping, not the retroreflective tape arrangement you would need for a night or low-light rating. If your crew works after dark, check the listing or datasheet before you commit. You can see the full current spec on the Done Right Safety product page.

Working out if it suits your job

Time of day is the first thing to settle. The Cool Mesh Polo is a Class D day-only polo, so it is built for crews who are out in daylight and need a hi-vis colour to be seen. If any part of your shift runs into dusk or dark, this is not the garment for that, and you should look at a top with proper retroreflective tape instead.

Then look at the conditions. At 140gsm the cool mesh is one of the lighter options around, so it earns its place on hot, active days where airflow matters more than abrasion resistance. If you spend a lot of time dragging gear across rough surfaces, a heavier knit may hold up better over time.

Sizing and checking it over

Pick your size the way you would any polo: enough room to move and reach overhead without the back riding up, but not so loose that fabric snags on plant or fixtures. When the polo arrives, check the reflective piping is intact and the seams around the side and shoulder panels are clean, since that piping is part of what makes the garment do its hi-vis job in daylight.

Washing and getting the life out of it

Follow the care instructions on the garment label. As a general rule with polyester hi-vis, wash in cool water, skip the harsh bleaches and softeners that can dull the fluoro colour, and avoid high heat that can flatten the mesh. The hi-vis colour and the reflective detail are what keep you compliant, so retire the polo once the colour has faded or the piping is damaged rather than pushing it past its useful life.

All four are work polos sold by Done Right Safety, so the comparison below is a genuine head to head on fabric, weight, sleeve length and what each one is rated against.

The cleanest reason to pick the Bisley is the hi-vis rating. It is the only one of these four that is listed against the hi-vis standards (AS/NZS 4602.1 and 1906.4) as a Class D day garment, so if your job actually requires a hi-vis top in daylight, the others do not list that. The DNC sits close to it on intent but in a slightly heavier 175gsm micromesh with a chest pocket and no listed hi-vis rating.

If you do not need hi-vis, the choice shifts to weight and feel. The Hard Yakka makes sense when you want sun and arm coverage from a long sleeve, and the JBs Raglan is the pick when durability matters more than airflow, since its 210gsm poly-cotton pique is the heaviest here and is set up to resist pilling. The Bisley remains the lightest at 140gsm, which is its whole point on a hot day.

For a hot-weather, day-only hi-vis polo, the Bisley Cool Mesh covers the basics well. The 140gsm cool mesh is genuinely light, the colours are the correct day-only fluoro, and Bisley lists it against the relevant hi-vis and UPF standards. Among the polos here it is the only one that comes with a stated hi-vis class, which is the deciding factor if compliance is the reason you are buying.

What is confirmed on the listing: the fabric (100% polyester mesh, 140gsm), the reflective piping on the side and shoulder to sleeve panels, the grey-tipped rib collar, and the three standards it is developed against. That is a solid, honest spec for the job it is meant to do.

What to verify on the product page or datasheet before you order: the exact UPF figure under AS/NZS 4399:2017, the available size range and fit, and the specific yellow or orange shade you need. The important caveat again is that the polo is day-only. The piping is reflective trim, not a night-rated tape layout, so do not rely on it after dark.