This comfortable Sportwool T1 jersey from Torm is well made and includes some useful high-quality features.
The fabric is a reasonably lightweight merino wool (39%) and polyester (61%) blend that feels super-soft next to your skin. Even the most sensitive types aren’t going to find it at all itchy. It’s doesn’t feel as light and airy as some man-made fibres in hot weather but the merino is naturally anti-bacterial and resistant to odours – so you carry on smelling beautiful right through your ride and it comes out of the washing machine all fresh and lovely rather than reeking of a gym locker room.
Being a halfway house between pure wool and a synthetic, Sportwool shifts sweat well and you have to work pretty hard to get this jersey heavy with moisture. It doesn’t dry as fast as 100% polyester but it’s not especially cold or unpleasant when a bit damp – it still feels okay next to your skin. It's quite easy to pull a thread so you need to be fairly careful if you're going to maintain the stylish good looks – but you can say that about most wool/Sportwool jerseys.
The cut is classic cycling fare. You know the deal: slim in the body, high, close-fitting neck, long at the back… sporty. You get an adjustable drawcord around the waist to fine-tune the fit while a silicone gripper inside the hem helps hold the tail in place. The YKK neck zip is good too – it has a lockdown puller so it stays put and doesn’t rattle, and a little fold-over chinguard at the top stops it from scratching. All good features.
Most of the seams are flatlock stitched so they don’t annoy you, and you get the regulation three pockets around the back plus two extra zipped ones on the outside. These two are waterproof and they’re slotted for an earphone lead so you can put an MP3 player in there without it getting all misted up with perspiration, and each one has a horizontal reflective stripe on the outside to improve visibility.
It's fair to say there has been some discussion lately about the similarities between Torm and Rapha garments. Well we’ve got to say that the T1's pocket design is pretty similar, similar but not identical. The zips have ring-style pullers, for example, the side pockets have slanted tops for easier access, and that reflective stripe design is something we’ve not seen on anything but Rapha previously. In a review though it's performance that counts and the pockets are plenty big enough for all your ride bits and pieces and they don’t get pulled out of shape especially when loaded up.
All in all, this is a well put-together jersey with some really high-class features, and it’s available in red/white as well as the grey/white version we have here.
Oh, nearly forgot: you can put the T1 through the tumble dryer without shrinking it too.
Verdict
Comfortable and stylish Sportwool jersey with some high-quality features
road.cc test report
Make and model: Torm T1 Jersey
Size tested: Medium, grey
Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
Torm say, "Arm yourself with the a T1 - the definitive, all purpose, high quality SportWool™ jersey. This superbly fitting, incredibly comfortable jersey easily takes the rough with the smooth. Teamed with a pair of arm warmers the T1 can take you right through the year.
"Without any compromise to fit or integrity this jersey can hold all your valuables safely and accommodate your music gadgets too. Cool when warm, warm when cool, the T1 also keeps you nice and fresh – no nasty niffs here! And as it’s machine washable and low maintenance too."
We wouldn't be wearing it right through the winter. Short sleeve jersey and arm warmers on a cold January morning? No thanks. The rest is fair enough, though.
Rate the product for quality of construction:
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
7/10
Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
8/10
Rate the product for value:
9/10
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes, it's a really good jersey
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Age: 39 Height: 190cm Weight: 74kg
I usually ride: My best bike is:
I've been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, sportives, general fitness riding,
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