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review

Castelli Seamless Sleeveless base layer

9
£35.00

VERDICT:

9
10
High performance base layer that is a man-made alternative to merino in the anti-stink stakes.
Weight: 
111g
Contact: 
www.saddleback.co.uk

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It might look like a string vest but Castelli's seamless sleeveless base layer is a top quality cycling undergarment that shifts sweat off your skin and doesn't get smelly despite daily use.

Comfort and good wicking properties are the two fundamental requirements when it comes to a good base layer.

Castelli gives the seamless sleeveless base layer great wicking properties by using two different materials, a polypropylene layer next to the skin and a nylon outer layer. Both have very little absorbency making them ideal for transferring perspiration and humid air away from the body through the mesh pattern of the base layer. The nylon provides some elasticity and as long as it isn't stretched too far it will retain its shape over a long period of time.

Castelli has varied the mesh pattern throughout the base layer so that it has bigger gaps in the material where you're likely to get warmer. The underarms, chest and upper back are the main parts to receive this treatment.

Both nylon and polypropylene can be melted which allows seams to be created without stitching and how the garment gets its seamless moniker. The joins run around the edges of the mesh panels adding strength to the base layer.

Versatile & comfortable

The Seamless Sleeveless is part of Castelli's Spring/Summer range and although its nominal temperature range is 20°C to 35°C it works very well in much cooler climes. Down to around 12°C has been fine in short sleeve jerseys and under a winter jersey it's been fine at low single figures.

Comfort is very good, the thicker material (compared to the likes of Craft's Cool Mesh that I normally wear) makes it feel a little bit odd as you pull it on but once in place it contours to the body and feels great. It's a good length and doesn't ride up when you're in the drops. The high close fitting neck stops any unwanted drafts.

Regardless of effort the wicking properties are some of the best I've known and whether you've finished an interval session or a 100 miler the Castelli is virtually dry having passed the perspiration out to your jersey to evaporate.

Low whiff

Surprisingly for a man-made garment the whiff-o-meter hardly registers a reading after a week's riding (2 hours a day commute) and when it has been bunged in the wash its come up clean every time and no signs of shrinkage.

Overall it's a top performer in the world of base layers and a price of £35 is hardly extortionate for the quality and performance you're getting. It comes in a sleeved version to and three sizes of small, medium and large. As per usual with Castelli kit its best to err on the larger size from the norm.

Verdict

High performance base layer that is a man-made alternative to merino in the anti-stink stakes.

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Castelli Seamless Sleeveless base layer

Size tested: n/a

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?

Castelli describe the Seamless Sleeveless as one to wear on every ride. Designed specifically for warmer temperatures I found it'll happily work on its own down to single figures.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Varying mesh sizes for specific heat transfer and the use of nylon and polypropylene means seams can be welded for brilliant comfort.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10

Very well put together.

Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10

Works a treat in all conditions.

Rate the product for durability:
 
9/10

Loads of washes and plenty of time stuffed screwed up in a kit bag hasn't bothered one bit. Still looks as new.

Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
8/10

Nylon and polypropylene are two of the lightest materials on the market.

Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
9/10

Very soft against the skin.

Rate the product for value:
 
8/10

Under forty quid is pretty impressive for a top-performing base layer.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Brilliantly.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The comfort and performance.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

You need to keep it covered up as a string vest isn't the greatest of looks.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.

Would you consider buying the product? Yes.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 34  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: Ribble Winter Trainer for commuting, Genesis Flyer  My best bike is: Sarto Rovigo

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed,

 

As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!

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