7Mesh Mens Ashlu Merino Jersey

The 7Mesh Ashlu Merino Jersey is a superbly flexible piece of clothing that can keep you warm on chilly spring mornings, and comfortable through warmer summer days, thanks to a long front zip and UV protection. It comes with a hugely versatile selection of floating rear pockets that can carry all the kit you need for a morning's club run. But there’s no getting away from it, ethically sourced merino wool is expensive. 

> Buy now: 7Mesh Ashlu Merino Long Sleeve Jersey for £160 from 7Mesh

“Wool when wet is warm!” I can still remember the booming voice of our history teacher, who doubled as the school's Outdoor Pursuits instructor. We were heading to Dartmoor for a weekend expedition and needed to pack the right kit. In the 1980s, that meant a trip to the local Army Surplus store or raiding your dad's wardrobe for cord trousers, checked shirts and old knitted jumpers.

Natural fibres are definitely back in fashion and merino is one of the best materials you can put next to your skin, whether you're climbing, hiking or getting out on your bike. It comes with a great tick list of advantages: it's super-comfortable, performs brilliantly in a range of temperatures and (unlike man-made fibres) you can wear it for days without it starting to smell.

Prepare to be blinded by science... According to Woolmark experts (a shadowy international group, if ever there was one), wool can absorb up to 35% of its own weight so it keeps your skin drier and discourages the build-up of malodorous bacteria. And because of its unique structure, it can also lock away smells and keep bacteria at bay. You can read up more on merino here...

Putting those claims to the test

I gave this top its first run out on a 300km ride that saw us heading over the Cotswolds in sleet and icy rain. It was the kind of day when you can register the look of pity and bemusement on the faces of drivers as they tear past, sending torrents of standing water in your direction.

On a long day in the saddle, I like to have something under the straps of my bib shorts in case I need to strip off for a trip to the loo (too much information?). So I put the Ashlu right next to my skin under a short-sleeved club jersey and lightweight raincoat. And within an hour or two of hard pedalling, this top had already soaked out. But – true to the words of my old history teacher – wool really does keep you warm when wet. So I stayed surprisingly comfortable all day, even though this top was at times wringing wet.

The sun did break through later in the day, and I took off my waterproof, rolled up sleeves of the Ashlu and pulled the full-length zip as far as I could through the layers of clothing. That sent an icy blast of air all the way to my belly button and kept me pedalling at a comfortable temperature, until we were hit with another bout of sleet and the layers went back on.

I've got two quibbles with this top that I need to get out of the way. Firstly: I'm no fan of the colour. The company calls it cinnamon, but it reminds me of a fawn roll neck I was forced to wear in the 70s. If I was given a choice, I'd opt for the rather striking Bottle Blue. Secondly: when you roll the sleeves down again, they do feel rather baggy. Wool can stretch out of shape and I'd like to see sufficient elastic here to ensure that when you roll them back they stay firmly in place.

There is a grippy elasticated section at the rear to prevent the jersey from riding up your back. This works well and is pretty standard on most cycling tops. I think it would be an easy addition on the wrists cuffs as well.

In my highly scientific test (over 700km of riding with no wash), I am pleased to report that this top remained remarkably stink free. And for me that puts it at the top of my packing list for any multi-day routes: especially on rides that promise hot days and long chilly nights.

Anything, anytime... all at once?

There's no doubt this is a super comfortable jersey, but another key selling point is the impressive rear pocket array. 7Mesh call it the 'Anything Pocket' because it really will take almost anything. It is built from a separate floating panel of stretchy material that doesn't pull the main jersey out of shape. It's a little like having a bumbag sewn onto your top and it works remarkably well.

There are five pockets in total. Three external pockets allow you to stash and easily access a phone, wallet, or gilet while you are riding. The zippered pockets come in two different sizes. There's a smaller one to the right that will take tyre levers, an Allen key and inner tube. The larger one on the left will take an OS Map and a few snacks. It even features a sewn hole so that a set of headphones can be threaded through a corresponding hole in the main jersey and into your ears.

I'm not a big fan of carrying loads of kit in rear pockets, but if, like me, you are constantly convinced you left your wallet/phone/sense of humour at the last pitstop, then these pockets do offer a great way to organise and secure your most valuable bits of kit.

The pockets are a really good feature, but I reckon there's a very narrow weather window that would see this top being used as an outer layer. For the most part, I think they'll be unused under a gilet or jacket.

Company ethics

7Mesh is based north of the tech-city of Vancouver and to the south of Whistler, with some of the best riding that Canada has to offer right on its doorstep. I was a bit sniffy about its packaging when I first opened it. It's covered with phrases that could have been generated by a Chat GPT: 'All about two wheels. Any two wheels', etc.

But head to the company's website and you get a sense of a company that really does care about its environmental impact. Merino itself has some genuine environmental benefits.

The name '7Mesh' is a mark of respect to the Squamish Nation – one of Canada's indigenous peoples – and the company sets out to challenge Canada's history of colonialism. There's no reason any of that should influence your buying decision, but it really does seem to have its heart in the right place.

Value

I am a big fan of merino wool and over 20 years of reviewing outdoor kit, I have tested a wardrobe's worth of base layers, jumpers, leggings, underpants and technical T-shirts. A lot of that collection has been eaten by moths – and you do need to watch out for this. I also left my favourite merino cycling top on a gatepost just south of the Lake District on a ride from Scotland back to Bristol last summer (reward offered for any information that can lead to its return).

This jersey has just returned from a 400km ride to York where it kept me warm and incredibly comfortable right through a very chilly night. It is going to be top of my packing list for a series of big rides this summer and I have no doubt it will give me years of great service.

But there is no getting away from that price tag, and I’m not sure I would be able to justify buying this for myself. I used to use lots of Icebreaker and Smartwool kit and a simple T-shirt there costs £80. The Ashlu's merino is wonderful, but I ended up wearing it over a synthetic base-layer, so I was still pretty ‘fragrant’ on the train ride home. And while the pocket design is really impressive, I still haven’t used it to its full potential, because it was always tucked away under a waterproof or gilet.

There are plenty of other merino jerseys out there. You can check out the Vulpine range, which offers slightly more urban chic, and its Alpine Jersey is currently on offer at £91.

Torm's T18 Jersey is slightly more expensive but comes with reflective detailing and will probably take you further into the winter months. It does however contain a lower merino content in its sports wool mix.

Or if you are looking for a real bargain you could check out the Triban Long-Sleeved Merino Wool Bike Touring Jersey that scored well when Simon reviewed it, and that is currently available from Decathlon at £59.99.

Conclusion

Super-comfortable merino top that is definitely worth a look. It is well featured, will give you years of service and comes from a sound ethical company.

Verdict

Super-comfortable jersey that benefits from merino anti-microbial properties and features hugely versatile rear pockets