Stolen Goat Men’s Voltage Mesh Base Layer

The Stolen Goat Men's Voltage Mesh Base Layer is light, comfortable and great at wicking away sweat. I found that the taped neck and arm holes help with comfort whether worn under a jersey in the summer, a jacket in autumn or spring, or by itself during hot turbo sessions.

At 64g the Voltage baselayer is undoubtedly summer weight, and thanks to a minimalist design and flat seams can be hidden easily under an aero jersey.

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The material has a small amount of stretch (in four ways, according to Stolen Goat), which means it's fitted without being restrictive. The cut under the arms is comfortable whether in an aero position or more upright, for example when commuting or mountain biking. The body is long, which as quite a tall cyclist I was thankful for, but if you're short in the torso then this is worth considering.

Unless you wear particular low-neck jerseys then the baselayer will remain hidden with a fairly low collar compared to other round neck designs. The neck is certainly lower than on my dhb Blok baselayer, and comparable to the neck on the Castelli Pro Issue.

The Voltage baselayer has seen plenty of use over the last few months of testing, paired with a summer jersey during the mild weather, under a Castelli Gabba during autumn, and by itself on the turbo. The fast-wicking material means that you not only stay dry and comfortable but also cooler as the evaporative effect cools the skin, something particularly noticeable during hard turbo sessions.

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Despite the Voltage being made of synthetic materials I could happily get a few rides out of it before it began to smell too bad, at which point a normal 30-degree sports wash sorted it right out.

Although it's very lightweight, the Stolen Goat baselayer feels high quality and plenty durable enough; this isn't the type of garment that you'll have to worry about putting your fingers through every time you put it on.

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At £35, it's a little higher priced than some sleeveless baselayers out there. The Lusso Race Base Vest, for example, is just £22.99 and functionally brilliant, although it does forgo some of the 'style'. The dhb Blok Mesh sleeveless baselayer I mentioned earlier is also cheaper at £20, although I prefer the fit of the Stolen Goat garment. I wouldn't say the Stolen Goat baselayer is overpriced, though – plenty of rivals also cost this much, such as the Alé Intimo Velo Active (£35) and the Altura Dry Mesh Vest (£34.99).

Overall, the Voltage Mesh baselayer is a quality product that performs well, particularly in warm conditions. The low-profile seams and wide collar mean that it pairs well with an aero jersey, but it can quite as easily be worn under thicker layers or as a standalone top for turbo sessions. It isn't as good value as some, but if you like the Voltage design (or one of Stolen Goat's many other 'out there' offerings) then it's certainly worth considering thanks to its excellent fit and wicking abilities.

Verdict

Light, airy and fast-wicking sleeveless baselayer, outdoors or on the turbo