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review
Jerseys - short sleeve
Rapha Women's Souplesse Jersey Rapha Women's Souplesse Jersey Rapha Women's Souplesse Jersey Rapha Women's Souplesse Jersey Rapha Women's Souplesse Jersey Rapha Women's Souplesse Jersey Rapha Women's Souplesse Jersey
Rapha Womans Souplesse Jersey

Rapha Women's Souplesse Jersey

9
by Lara Dunn
UPDATED Thu, Oct 15, 2015 04:24

First Published Jul 30, 2015

0
£120.00

VERDICT:

9
10
Well made, well designed and super-high performance hot weather jersey
Weight: 
171g
Contact: 
www.rapha.cc
How we test

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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Supple by name (well, almost), supple by nature, the Rapha Women's Souplesse Jersey aims to please demanding female riders looking for the optimum combination of performance and comfort with a hefty measure of style thrown in as a bonus. It does the job admirably, at a price.

It's hard to find fault with Rapha's ability to produce a coherent and desirable collection of cycling clothing and accessories every season, even if you'd argue with the pricing. The Souplesse range (including bib shorts, mitts, socks, baselayer and jacket as well as the jersey) is all designed with the sportier cyclist in mind. The fabric is extremely technical, works hard to give enduring long-ride, hot-weather comfort, and even the details are fine-tuned towards performance.

Buy this online here 

This jersey is certainly very easy on the eye, with bold, not overly-girly colour options and some great contrast colour accents to liven up the block colour. The stripe pattern at the back also does a great job of lifting the design, and is a nod to the company's overall love of stripes this season.

The fit of the Souplesse Jersey is definitely more 'race' cut than others from Rapha's range such as the Classic and the Brevet, but it's not unbearably snug and the sizing is still on a par with the brand's other clothing, just with a closer cut.

Features include 20 per cent more storage for 2015 than previous incarnations of the jersey, with slanted rear pockets for easy access while riding, a central pump sleeve and a zipped security pocket. To make up for the soft, pliable fabric, the pockets are reinforced to make load carrying more effective.

Check out our buyer's guide to summer jerseys here 

On the bike, the fabric really stood out, both for its soft, barely-there feel and also for its superior moisture wicking and breathability. This is a jersey that excels during those rare hot weeks of the British summer, but is equally appropriate for those working hard in slightly cooler climes. I found myself maintaining a steady and equable temperature, no matter what the my levels of exertion. The hem gripper meant everything stayed put, and the fabric really was a joy to wear.

There will be those who complain (as ever) about the price of Rapha's kit, but this is a well designed, attractive jersey with top end performance, so it's not surprising that it commands a top end price to match. If you're happy to spend the money, this is well worth buying.

Verdict

Well made, well designed and super-high performance hot weather jersey

road.cc test report

Make and model: Rapha Women's Souplesse Jersey

Size tested: Women's, Blue, Large

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?

Rapha says: "The Souplesse range is for female riders who demand top-level functionality without compromising on sophisticated looks, and the Souplesse Jersey combines streamlined tailoring with advanced fabric technology to create high-performance style. Designed for all-day riding in hot conditions, the Souplesse Jersey is cut from a proprietary fabric with a soft matte finish that is very breathable. It is elegant and lightweight, yet tough enough to withstand demanding use, and to be your companion on all your summer rides."

It's an extremely high performance top that really excels in hot conditions.

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

78% nylon polyamide

22% elastane

Reinforced pockets

2 rear pouch pockets

1 small zipped security pocket

Pump sleeve

Reflective logo

SPF 50 fabric

Hem gripper

Full length front zip

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
10/10

Superb quality fabric and attention to detail in finish.

Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10

Excellent hot weather jersey.

Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10

The soft and silky fabric needs to be looked after well, washed at the correct temperature and kept well away from Velcro.

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

As light as all but the very lightest summer jerseys.

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

Extremely comfortable, both in terms of fit and feel, but also the fabric and its temperature maintenance properties and ability to wick moisture quickly.

Rate the product for value:
 
9/10

It's a lot of money, but this jersey shows some real effort in both design and performance.

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

Very well indeed.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Style, fabric feel, fabric performance.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Nothing.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your score

Very well designed, extremely high performance and really rather lovely.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 42  Height: 1.65m  Weight: 73kg

I usually ride: Boardman Hybrid Fi  My best bike is: Specialized Ruby Elite

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, touring, sportives, general fitness riding, mountain biking

 

Rapha Women's Souplesse Jersey
Rapha 2015
Rapha
Lara Dunn

Lara has been riding bikes for longer than she'd care to admit, and writing about them nearly as long. Since 2009 she has been working as part of the road.cc review team whilst championing women's cycling on the side, most notably via two years as editor of the, sadly now defunct, UK's first and only women's cycling mag, erm, Women's Cycling. 

Believing fervently that cycling will save the world, she wishes that more people would just ride a bike and be pleasant to each other. 

She will ride anything with two wheels, occasionally likes to go fast, definitely likes to go far and is always up for a bit of exploring somewhere new and exciting. 

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