The Lusso Dryline Baselayer promises to be lighter and more insulating than merino. Performance is indeed very good and it fits like a glove.
When something only weighs 78g, arguing the toss about lightness is only relevant to the most weenie of weight watchers. That said, the Dryline Baselayer is indeed very light. It's made from Dryarn, an Italian fabric that's claimed to be lighter, more breathable and more insulating than pretty much anything else. I'm a huge fan of merino baselayers – mesh and normal – for warmth, cooling and moisture control, so approached the claims of the Lusso base with a sceptical eye. The bottom line is that the Dryarn fabric is indeed very good at keeping you warm, cool or dry, or a combination of the three.
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It's very comfortable next to the skin, and 'made-in-Manchester' Lusso has styled the fit body-hugging to sit well under racy kit. I really liked the sleeves – wide, black, laser-cut grip strips keeping them in place, and working well with jerseys that weren't overly generous in length (avoiding that no-no of a gap between it/your jersey sleeves and arm warmers).
On a muggy 20-24°C day, working hard (in a Zone-5 training session), the Dryline baselayer kept things cool. I didn't feel the need to unzip my jersey at all, despite repeated multi-minute uphill forays into the red. Sweat transferred very well through to the jersey for evaporation – my saturated phone screen (in a waterproof case, naturally) testament to the amount of moisture being passed outwards.
On a cooler 16-21°C day, wearing it underneath an excellent windproof jersey, I had to use the zip to keep cool on the hills but never felt that moisture build-up was an issue.
In preparation for the 300km Mighty Corinthian ride I knocked out a hilly 110km in 14-20 degrees, underneath the classic road.cc merino jersey and occasionally the rather excellent Endura FS260 Pro shell. Again the Lusso Dryline Baselayer kept things balanced and non-sweaty.
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On the Mighty Corinthian ride itself, the Lusso base performed perfectly – which is to say I forgot I was wearing it. Over nearly 16 hours and temperatures ranging from just 8 up to 23 degrees, with over 4,500m of climbing and again under the road.cc merino, I was dry and comfortable.
Although £28 isn't the cheapest technical baselayer out there, by no stretch is it the most expensive. What you get is excellent fit, generous, stylistically assistive arms, and control over perspiration and temperature. That's well worth the price – and it's made in the UK. No sweat.
Verdict
For under 30 quid this is an excellent option for staying dry, and warm or cool. Great sleeves too
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road.cc test report
Make and model: Lusso Dryline Base Layer
Size tested: Medium
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?
It's a well-priced technical baselayer that does a great job of keeping you cool/warm/dry when working hard.
Lusso says: "Our Dryline range is made from Dryarn which is more breathable than polyester, more insulating than wool and lighter than any other fibre.
"34% lighter than equivalent made from Polyester!"
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
* Lightweight & Soft
* Polypropylene Fabric
* Moisture Transfer
* 4-Way Stretch
* Good Insulation
* Body-Fit
* Made in Manchester
Seams aren't flatlocked, but I didn't notice any irritation.
It does the job very well indeed.
Still looks great after a fair number of washes.
Excellent. Especially the sleeves.
Pretty much spot on.
78g is very light.
The fact that I forgot I was wearing it on a 300km ride is testament to the comfort.
For the performance it's great value.
How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?
30-degree normal wash, and it came out fine every time.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Very, very well indeed.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
The sleeves. Generous length and they stay in place.
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
It's hard to think of a reason to mark it down, apart from price which is middling for premium baselayers. Polyester is always going to have the drawback of smelling much more readily than merino, so this probably isn't the base for multi-day trips. Other than that, it's a great product.
About the tester
Age: 43
I usually ride: Merida Ride 5000 Disc My best bike is:
I've been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: A few times a week I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: cyclo-cross, club rides, general fitness riding, mountain biking, Dutch bike pootling
4 comments
Hi,
Was looking at buying one of these summer base layers.
Howver I don't seem to have seen any riders in the TdF wearing them or similar.
Does this mean these base layers are just hype?
Cheers
Paul
I wear one simply to act as a second skin for any tumbles.
I don't feel like I am any hotter and the wicking action makes me feel fresher.
Certainly Contador had a sleeveless one on during his crash, but Sky didn't appear to wear them on stage 8. Some tops are a mesh design so the base layer isn't needed for cooling needs, but I'd prefer to keep hold of some skin if a took a fall.
In the summer a wear a base layer of comfort, and I'm looking for a new/2nd one. Would this do a good job come Autumn time too?
Yes. The benefits of wicking moisture away are relevant to all seasons.