Sportful Fiandre Light NoRain Top
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The Fiandre range is inspired by the changeable weather of Flanders
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The Sportful Fiandre Light WS Jacket was developed with Alberto Contador's Tinkoff-Saxo team
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We've been impressed with the Sportful Fiandre Light Wind Jersey so far
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The NoRain Top is designed to offer the low weight and packability of a gilet but with improved weather protection
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The fleece-lined Sportful Fiandre NoRain Bib Shorts have revamped with a wide, raw-cut leg band
Sportful Fiandre Light NoRain Top
The Fiandre Light NoRain Top is an interesting piece and the lightest garment in the range. It’s designed to combine the low weight and packability of a gilet with the wind and water protection that’s expected of the Fiandre range.
The ‘top’ uses a super-light Gore WindShield 3L stretch fabric on the front, extending on to the shoulders and upper arms, and a NoRain Light fabric on the forearms and back. That combination results in a very light piece (claimed weight 180g) which still protects your front from the wind, but which is said to provide all-over protection from light rain and road spray, and it can be rolled up and stuffed into a jersey pocket.
The ‘top’ doesn’t have any pockets but is designed to be worn over a jersey which will have pockets of its own, so instead has a zipped opening on the side through which to access those pockets. We imagine the Fiandre Light NoRain Top’s packability will make it a useful piece to carry as an extra layer when a little more protection is needed than that offered by a gilet, most likely through spring, autumn and the British ‘summer’, or on top of a thicker layer when it’s really chilly.
We’ve worn it over a short sleeve base layer and short sleeve jersey and it’s worked well on early morning autumn rides. Again the fit is close and the cut excellent.
“I gave one to Alberto [Contador] to try in May and June to train for the Tour de France, just to get his opinion,” says Peron. “At the start of the Tour he told me he took it out on pretty much every ride because the weather in Switzerland when he was training or at altitude wasn’t warm but it’s wasn’t cold either, and sometimes it was wet or misty.”
Price: £100
Sizes: XS-XXXL
Colours: blue, black, yellow