The Santini Watt Indoor Jersey is claimed to provide ‘exceptional levels of moisture management, comfort and airflow’, plus a ‘perfect fit’. Unfortunately, I didn’t find it to be great in any of these departments.
> Buy now: Santini Watt Indoor Jersey for £77.87 from Santini
It’s a good-looking top, with a relaxed fit. It’s quite stylish in my opinion, with a dappled colourscheme that I guess is designed so it doesn’t easily show up sweat patches, like a monochrome jersey would.
You might be wondering what the point is of an ‘indoor’ jersey – a concept that even 10 years ago would have drawn some amusement amongst the cycling community. However, with the exponential growth of indoor cycling with the advent of smart trainers, Zwift and other training platforms, there really is an appetite for specific products to meet the demands of indoor riding. Over the winter, roughly 60% of my riding time is spent on the roads of Watopia, and I’ve learnt that relying on old clothing, no longer suitable for outdoors, isn’t a good choice…
> Indoor cycling — a complete guide for 2025 and everything you need to get started
The construction here is very much as you’d expect for a standard cycling jersey, with three rear pockets and a wide gripper fabric at the waistline.
The material for the torso is Polartec Delta – a soft and slightly stretchy fabric that feels good when worn directly against the skin.
The sleeves are a much more elastic fabric, designed to adhere to a cyclist’s meagre biceps.
A well-made zip does up to a mid-height collar. My initial thoughts were that it would be extremely comfortable to wear.
Fit & sizing
I tested the medium size jersey, which according to the Santini size guide is the correct fit for my 33in waist, but marginally too big for my chest. I would strongly recommend taking a close look at the guide before you choose to buy, as I firmly sat in between size small and medium. Off the bike, the jersey seemed a good fit – I liked the length of the torso, which sat comfortably just above my hips, and the arms were a nice length on me. On the bike, though, the slightly large chest size meant the zip sagged a little, which was a bit annoying.
Ultimately, it’s hard to criticise a jersey too much on sizing because it’s so individual; my instinct is that neither a small nor a medium would be quite right for me. There are mixed messages on Santini’s website about the fit of the jersey, though: the second line on the product webpage describes this as a ‘slim fit’, but scroll a little further and it is listed as a ‘Classic fit’ – which is what it is: quite relaxed and not particularly tight around the torso. Santini has confirmed it’s a Classic fit.
Performance
I tried the jersey out on a number of varying duration indoor rides, ranging from an intense Zwift Racing League 40-minute team time trial to a more sedate Sunday two-hour group ride.
I’m afraid to say its overall performance wasn’t that strong. I didn’t find the jersey to be especially breathable, with the main fabric feeling a little thicker than it really needs to be. It wicked sweat, but then its thickness probably makes you sweat more; other lightweight or ‘climber’s’ jerseys would be much more suitable for indoor riding than the Santini Watt. I have a powerful front-facing fan for indoor training, and even with that turned on, for full-gas efforts I would need to fully unzip the front of the jersey, which made me question whether there was much point to it.
There are now lots of options out there when it comes to indoor jerseys. One of the most recognisable indoor brands, Wahoo, paired with Le Col to produce a jersey that scored 9/10 back when we tested it mid-Covid in 2020. And other brands, such as Madison, also offer indoor-specific tops. It’s noticeable just how differently these jerseys are constructed compared with the Santini Watt. I’d describe them as being a mesh-like fabric, and the review comments endorse their effectiveness at keeping you cool.
Value
The Santini Watt Jersey retails for a few pence below £78, while the Wahoo jersey was £120 and the Madison £55 at the time we reviewed them; this would suggest the Santini is quite well priced, but it doesn’t function quite as well as I’d like for the money.
I’d prefer a lightweight mesh baselayer, like the Chapeau! one Stu tested in 2021, or the Sportful Pro he’s just been reviewing. These often only cost in the region of £30-£40 and can function just as well.
There is one other thing to think about: could I use this outdoors? Absolutely, yes. This jersey has soft fabrics, three pockets and isn’t translucent like some of its competitors, so is suitable for a relaxed summer evening spin, which adds versatility and, I guess, value.
For more options, check out the clothing section in our guide to the best indoor training accessories.
Conclusion
To summarise, Santini has produced a stylish and comfortable jersey, designed for indoor riding, which could also be suitable for warm conditions outdoors. However, I don’t think the company has made the best selection of fabrics for an indoor jersey, which means the performance isn’t as good as I would have hoped.
Also, pay close attention to the sizing, and be aware it’s a Classic fit.
> Buy now: Santini Watt Indoor Jersey for £77.87 from Santini
Right to reply
We put Nick’s findings to Santini, to give the company the right to reply:
Santini would like to clarify that the thickness of the fabric does not compromise breathability in any way.
Our choice to use the Polartec® Delta fabric was based precisely on its highly breathable and moisture-managing properties, which make it ideal even for intense indoor training.
Verdict
Good-looking top that, unfortunately, doesn’t deliver the cooling benefits needed for an indoor jersey
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road.cc test report
Make and model: Santini Watt Indoor Jersey
Size tested: Medium
Tell us what the product is for
This is primarily designed to keep a rider cool when doing indoor training. It’s worth nothing that its construction is like a conventional jersey, with three rear pockets, so there’s no reason why you couldn’t wear this outdoors.
Santini describes it as: “Full zip, short sleeve training jersey, made of Polartec®’s light-weight, recycled Delta fabric to provide exceptional levels of moisture management, comfort and airflow.”
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
From Santini:
PERFECT FIT
Slim fit with raw cut sleeves that adhere to the muscles without constraining
BREATHABILITY AT ITS BEST
Constructed with Polartec®’s Delta fabric for a fast transmission of sweat to the outside, guaranteeing rapid drying and great breathability
100% RECYCLED
Special variation of Polartec®’s Delta, utilizing 100% recycled polyester yarns
The jersey has been put together to a very high standard. The stitching and seams are neat, meaning it’s comfortable against the skin.
It didn’t perform as well as I would expect for indoor conditions. It wasn’t particularly good at wicking sweat.
I’d expect this to last well given its intended use is indoors. The quality is high.
It’s subjective, but this wasn’t a great fit for me.
Santini calls it a ‘Classic’ fit, and it’s definitely relaxed, and looser around the chest than I’d like.
I was between sizes on the Santini size guide. If you have a smaller chest, I would recommend sizing down.
The fabric is very soft to the touch, so pleasant to wear directly against the skin. The fit wasn’t right for me, though, which made it a little less comfortable than I’d like.
How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?
The fabric has remained soft after a few washes. I’ve washed it with my other sports kit at low temperatures, which is what Santini recommends.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
I didn’t find it effective at keeping me cool, which I believe is down to the thickness of the fabric.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
Good looking design, with nice arms that fitted well, and easy to access pockets.
I liked the soft fabric, too, and the fact that it could be used for outdoor riding too.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Not especially breathable.
Sizing wasn’t quite right for me around the chest.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
We’ve tested a few indoor-specific jerseys. At just under £78, this is much cheaper than the highly rated collaboration between Wahoo and Le Col (£120), while the Madison turbo jersey we reviewed in 2020 was selling for £55.
There are alternatives out there, such as lightweight climbing jerseys, but if you’re looking for some that’s really breathable, some of the mesh short-sleeved baselayers will likely perform well and also save you some money, coming in around £30-£40.
Did you enjoy using the product? No
Would you consider buying the product? No
Would you recommend the product to a friend? No
Use this box to explain your overall score
This jersey just didn’t perform as well as others in terms of breathability, and is thicker than I’d expect for indoor riding.
About the tester
Age: 34 Height: 182cm Weight: 69kg
I usually ride: S-Works Tarmac My best bike is:
I’ve been riding for: Under 5 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, Gravel on a CX bike
2 thoughts on “Santini Watt Indoor Jersey”
I find not wearing any jersey
I find not wearing any jersey at all is more breathable… and cheaper
Or a base layer; most of us
Or a base layer; most of us have probably got a tatty few lurking somewhere towards the bottom of a draw