It took me a while to get my head around this jersey from Endura – but in the end it’s filled a convenient gap in my cycling wardrobe.
Trouble is, it’s not really a jersey. Or not in the traditional sense, when you’d happily wear the jersey as an outer layer in its own right. Instead, when you pull this out of its packaging it looks and feels like a base layer, although the relaxed fit doesn’t allow for it to comfortably worn under bib shorts/tights. Instead it sits somewhere between a jersey and a base layer.
So the Endura BaaBaa Merino LS Zip Neck Jersey – to give it its full name – is best employed as a mid-layer. Layering is key to staying warm through winter and this sits perfectly on top of a base layer and beneath a windproof jacket (or regular long sleeve jersey in slightly warmer weather) – a combination which has proved very effective during the recent sub-zero weather.
If £54.99 seems expensive, the jersey is made from 100 per cent merino wool, which is soft next to the skin and itch-free, unlike regular wool. Merino is also naturally insulating, retaining heat when wet, although if you stop riding for a prolonged period then any retained moisture will soon turn cold.
Merino also has naturally low odour properties so it can be worn longer without washing, although you can stick this in the washing machine and it’ll come out the other side with few problems. Stretchy panels allow for a wide range of movement and flatlock stitching sits comfortably next to the skin. And although the three-quarter zip is overkill, it does allow you to regulate your body temperature without shedding a layer.
And so if you’ve found yourself overheating on cold winter rides, yet chilly once you lose a layer, this piece fills the gap, although if you haven’t found yourself with that dilemma then you may struggle to get the best out of it.
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