Cafe du Cycliste Cycling Cap Sardine

Cafe du Cycliste's Cycling Cap Sardine is a hybrid of classic style and modern practicality. I found ours absolutely perfect for my head shape and generous shock of hair, which is pretty good going for a single one-size-fits-all.

Made in Italy, the Sardine is part of CduC's animal range, influenced, we're told, by local nature and landscape. When it comes to caps, I'm generally a merino man, with a leaning towards bold but simple retro styling. With that in mind, I really liked the bold navy blue backdrop and to my surprise, the quirky graphics were also a hit.

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It's a four-panel design made from a blend of polyester and cotton. This promises to keep the wearer temperate, whether its 37 degrees or slipping into single figures.

Standards of construction are high, although no less than I'd expect from this end of the market. Stitching is neat and uniform throughout, seams flat and the elasticated back snug, without becoming intrusive or branding your head after a few hours riding.

Inside the rim sits an anti-bacterial strip to prevent, or at least discourage, nasty niffs, and up front the porch-like peak is designed to defend against torrential rain and brutal sun. I'm pleased to report this is easily flipped up and doesn't hinder folding, should you want to whip it off and stuff it in a jersey pocket.

Staying with the peak a moment, it's aggressive, almost beak-like, and I'm used to shallower, rounded profiles. Worn beneath several road helmets, I found it restricted my field of vision, though some gentle manipulation corrected this without impairing protection. That done, it's offered decent defence against dust, sun and short but very intense downpours.

Wicking prowess

The poly/cotton blend is a world away from the cotton trade caps I remember from my late teens and early twenties. Cruising along at 20-23mph in glorious sunshine and temperatures hitting the mid 20s, that familiar glow creeps in after 30 minutes or so. From then on, fibres awaken and temperature regulation is pretty consistent. Blessed with a thick shock of hair (it's not me in the photos), I wasn't surprised to find it matted and sweaty after several hours, though it didn't reach the stage where I was worrying about catching a chill on late evening meanders.

Persistent, showery rain needed 30 minutes or so before making its presence known, but given 20 minutes with a stiff breeze and decent pace, materials are 70% dry – faster without a lid on top.

Sans helmet and in blustery conditions, the elastic keeps everything in place – no sensation of lift or incremental creep, even when haring along 1-in-4s at 30-odd.

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Remembering those trade caps of my 20s and their funkiness given a few hot-day rides, I resisted any urge to wash it, just to see how effective the anti-bacterial strip was. Credit where it's due, three weeks later things were still socially acceptable. Thirty-degree machine washes with minimal detergent is the cure, when it does. As with merino, avoid the tumble drier and bargain on 35 minutes line-drying time.

Overall, I've been impressed by the balance of comfort, style and performance. Admittedly, the peak wasn't my ideal shape, though it did everything I'd need it to – brilliant on those occasions when I'd left my shades at home.

The £25 price tag is pretty much my upper limit for a cap of this sort, and there are waterproof designs around for less. That said, I would much sooner a shower resistant design that dries quickly over something impervious, especially during the warmer months.

Verdict

Rugged, comfortable and generally practical cap, but the peak shape might not suit everyone