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Chapeau Men’s Long Sleeved Etape Merino Jersey

8
£129.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Lightweight but very warm, breathable and versatile jersey for three-season use
Impressive warmth
Highly breathable
Well cut for a road bike position
No bright colours in the range
Weight: 
281g
Contact: 

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Soft, breathable, incredibly warm and with a performance fit – that pretty much sums up the Chapeau Men's Etape Long Sleeve Merino jersey. If you want a great quality, comfortable three-season top then this one is worth the investment.

The Etape LS Merino jersey is something I've been wearing a lot over the last four to five weeks as it is just so versatile and comfortable.

> Buy this online here

The majority of the jersey is made from Australian Extrafine Merino Sportwool which feels very soft against the skin, with no scratchiness or anything. Merino is often touted as a wonder fabric and it does have some very impressive qualities highlighted by the Chapeau.

First of all, it's unbelievably warm for a jersey that is so thin – in the latest cold snap I've been wearing it with just a long sleeve baselayer underneath, though the temperatures have dipped below freezing.

2021 Chapeau Mens Long Sleeved Etape Merino Jersey - chest.jpg

Its lack of bulk makes it ideal for layering, as you can wear it comfortably beneath a close-fitting waterproof or windproof jacket.

2021 Chapeau Mens Long Sleeved Etape Merino Jersey - shoulders.jpg

While also being warm it's also impressively breathable. Even when riding hard on the climbs I never felt it get overwhelmed with sweat, in temperatures up to around 12°C.

The cut of the jersey is close for performance riding, and real attention to detail means the fit is spot on when in the saddle. There is plenty of length in the arms for when stretched out in the drops, and a lengthy tail section keeps your lower back covered.

2021 Chapeau Mens Long Sleeved Etape Merino Jersey - cuff.jpg
2021 Chapeau Mens Long Sleeved Etape Merino Jersey - back.jpg

The front sits quite high, which stops any bunching of the material here, and also keeps the bottom of the zip from rubbing your shorts when in a crouched position.

2021 Chapeau Mens Long Sleeved Etape Merino Jersey - hem.jpg

The neck is reasonably high and close, which stops cold draughts from entering, and there is a zip garage too, to avoid irritation of the skin.

2021 Chapeau Mens Long Sleeved Etape Merino Jersey - collar.jpg

Round the back are four pockets: three in a traditional style, with a zipped valuables pocket sitting on the outside of the central main pocket. That zipped pocket has a water-resistant lining, giving some protection against road spray, so it's ideal for your more delicate cargo.

2021 Chapeau Mens Long Sleeved Etape Merino Jersey - pockets.jpg

The pockets have plenty of depth and width, and the two side pockets have sloped openings, making it easy to get your hand in while riding.

All of these small details are what make the Etape Merino such a great jersey.

True, it's not cheap, but when you see and feel the overall quality, this seems like a jersey that is going to last and last. For a fair bit of the test period I've been carrying a rucksack over the jersey and there have been no issues.

> Buyer’s Guide: 17 of the best winter cycling jerseys

It's not the most expensive out there, either: it's £15 cheaper than the 7Mesh Callaghan jersey, for example, which is of a similar design.

It is more expensive than some, though, such as the Craft ADV long sleeve jersey, but that doesn't use merino in its construction, and I'd say the benefits it brings to the Etape are worth the extra cash.

> Winter cycling clothing – 49 of the warmest garments you can buy

Overall, I'm a big fan of the Etape Merino thanks to its performance and fit, but also the fact that you'll get so much use out of it. The only real criticism I can come up with is that the two colour options, Grey and Deep Ocean, aren't exactly bright for when riding on dull gloomy days.

Verdict

Lightweight but very warm, breathable and versatile jersey for three-season use

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Chapeau Men's Long Sleeved Etape Merino Jersey

Size tested: Medium

Tell us what the product is for

According to Chapeau: "Quick-drying, lightweight, breathable and natural, our Etape Merino LS is a high-performance long sleeve for Autumn, Winter and Spring. It's as perfect under a jacket in the depths of winter as it is worn over a base layer in the spring.

"Simply put, the Etape is the very best long sleeve jersey in our collection."

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

Chapeau says, "The main body of the Etape is made from Australian Extrafine Merino Sportwool, which is a fast-drying, natural fabric that quickly draws moisture away from your skin. It is also bacteria inhibiting, keeps odour under control and offers enhanced UV protection.

"The Etape has three full-sized pockets for your riding essentials with enough room to store your layers as rides hot up. A zipped, water-resistant pocket will keep your phone safe for those cafe-stop selfies and to keep Strava running!"

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for fit:
 
9/10
Rate the product for sizing:
 
9/10

The cut makes this a close-fitting jersey but the size guide on Chapeau's website looks to be pretty much spot on. It does say on the website that Chapeau is happy for you to order two sizes and send one back, if you aren't sure.

Rate the product for weight:
 
8/10
Rate the product for comfort:
 
9/10
Rate the product for value:
 
6/10

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

Merino products can shrink if not treated properly, but follow Chapeau's guidelines and you should have no issues.

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

A very versatile jersey that'll cover a decent temperature range.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

A great balance of warmth and breathability.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

I really like the grey colour here, but some might want something brighter for dull days.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

For the standard of quality and performance I would say that the Etape is well priced, especially against something like the 7Mesh mentioned in the review. There are cheaper options, like the Craft, but I'd say the Chapeau is worth the extra investment.

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 overall score

In terms of performance and fit, the Chapeau Etape Merino jersey is one of the best I've worn, and all that is backed up by some excellent craftsmanship. A brighter colour option would make a welcome choice for winter riding, but there's very little not to like here.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 42  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: This month's test bike  My best bike is: B'Twin Ultra CF draped in the latest bling test components

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed,

As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!

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