Le Col Pro Air Jersey

The Le Col Pro Air Jersey is a superlight option for keeping you cool and comfortable on the very hottest summer rides.

• Pros: Extremely light and airy, deals with sweat effectively, no bunching
• Cons: Not the most hardwearing fabric

The most noticeable feature of the Pro Air jersey is the fabric. It's a polyester mesh similar to one that you might find on a baselayer. It's a diamond lattice with gaps between that aren't completely open like on a string vest, for example, although the fabric there is extremely thin – so much so that you can see through it. Bashful types need not apply.

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The idea, of course, is to offer the maximum airflow and breathability. I thought that other jerseys in my wardrobe were lightweight and airy until I used this one! You can easily feel the breeze blowing right through the fabric and onto your torso as you ride along, helping to keep you cool.

The fabric is also pretty good at shifting sweat away from your body and drying out fast, both of which work to keep you comfortable on a hot ride.

When I say 'hot ride', the temperature has to be well above 20°C for me to wear the Pro Air – more like the high 20s – although you might be different. It was great on a recent trip to southern France, for instance, particularly for keeping me cool on long, sweaty climbs although, as you'd expect, I've got less use out of it back in the UK. That said, on those really hot, sticky days that we occasionally get over here it makes a big difference to the way that you feel. One extra thing to consider is that the sun can get to your skin through the fabric, so you might want to apply sunscreen to your body as well as to your arms, legs and face.

> How to protect your skin from the sun

The Pro Air is a slim fit through the body and the neck is fairly low – there would be little point having a high neck on something that's so geared up to letting air in. The cut is designed so that there's no bunching when you're down on the drops and I'd say it works in that respect. Stretch in the fabric means you're unlikely to feel hemmed in despite the close cut – as long as you buy the right size, of course.

Speaking of size, my chest is 39in so according to Le Col's chart I should take either a medium or a large – I'm right where the two meet. I opted for medium and it has been absolutely fine.

The grippers at the ends of the sleeves have a tacky silicone print on the inside to help them stay in place on your skin – not that they'd be likely to ride up on many people anyway because, again, they're cut narrow. Those grippers are quite stretchy but they're still going to be tight on big guns.

The stretchy waistband features a silicone gripper on the inside too.

The front zip is full length so you can open it up fully for maximum cooling, or lock it in place partway open. A zip guard at the top stops it irritating your neck.

The tops of the three main rear pockets are elasticated to help keep the contents inside. A reinforcement bar running across the back panel prevents any holes forming in the thin fabric where they attach.

You also get a water-resistant zipped pocket back there. My phone, measuring 138mm x 67mm x 7mm, just squeezed inside. Any bigger and you might be in trouble.

The Le Col Pro Air is up there with the more expensive jerseys we've reviewed on road.cc recently (not including foul weather jerseys, which are generally more expensive), although it's cheaper than the Shimano Evolve and the Santini Redux. It's also the most lightweight jersey I've ever used and the quality is very high throughout. If your budget doesn't stretch to £120, Sportful's £80 Bodyfit Pro Light jersey was highly rated by Dave so is well worth a look.

> Buyer's Guide: 20 of the best summer cycling jerseys

Overall, the Le Col Pro Air Jersey is a very good featherlight option for the hottest summer rides. It isn't cheap but if you want to let the air flow in it'll probably be the coolest-feeling jersey you own.

Verdict

Extremely lightweight and airy jersey for the hottest summer rides