Pearl Izumi Transfer Sleeveless Baselayer

'Infused with crushed volcanic rock.' That's the blurb behind the fabric used on the front panels of the Pearl Izumi Transfer Sleeveless Baselayer. With claimed properties of excellent moisture absorption, great wicking and odour elimination, it covers everything an underlayer needs to provide. And do you know what? It delivers.

The Transfer baselayer feels great in your hands even before you put it on, and you just know it is going to sit softly against the skin with no part itching or scratching as you ride.

> Find your nearest dealer here

The fit is close – 'form fit' as Pearl Izumi calls it – which I found perfectly comfortable no matter how long I was wearing it. Things like the arm holes are dropped quite a bit below the armpit, which means there is no irritation here from seams if you move your arms about a lot, and the shoulder straps are wide enough to offer a nice base between skin and bib short straps.

With such a close cut the Transfer touches your skin everywhere it should, which really aids getting the sweat away from your body and out into the atmosphere.

So that volcanic rock, or activated charcoal, used in the front panels... The fabric is called Minerale and Pearl Izumi uses it across its entire range. In the marketing video Pearl Izumi explains that, 'The volcanic rock is seamlessly infused with the fibres. The yarns are extruded yielding a broad, porous structure with a surface area that is eight times larger than any other performance fabric.

"This is why garments made with Minerale dries up to 50% faster than fabrics made with more traditional polyester.'

Claims that we can obviously not confirm or deny, but I will say this for the Transfer: when we had those few weeks of 30°C temperatures, this baselayer kept me feeling much more comfortable than the other basic mesh designed baselayers I was wearing. I still got hot and sweaty, but when I stopped for a mid-ride photo opportunity or café refuel I didn't get that clammy feeling or felt like I was wearing a wet piece of apparel. Whether it's 50 per cent more efficient, though, I don't know.

Another claimed benefit of activated charcoal is that it gets rid of nasty whiffs from bacteria. Again the Transfer scored very highly here.

Round at the rear the Transfer uses a mesh material which is much lighter than the rest and really helps with removing body heat in addition to the main fabric of the baselayer.

> Buyer's Guide: 14 of the best cycling baselayers

Priced at £29.99, the Pearl Izumi offers very decent value for money considering the all-round quality and performance of the kit. It is well made with what looks to be very close attention to detail, plus the sizing comes up pretty much spot on to what the sizing charts show.

Another one to consider is the Lusso Race baselayer, which for me had a much more snug fit, though the Transfer has the edge when it comes to performance.

The Altura Dry Mesh also scored highly, but here the Pearl Izumi just nips it on price, with the Altura costing £34.99.

On the whole, the Transfer is comfortable, well made and performs better than most, so I'd say the £29.99 asking price is well justified.

Verdict

A very comfortable baselayer that also delivers on performance, especially when the temperature is very hot