Le Col HC Jersey

Le Col's HC jersey is a great performer in varying conditions and feels great to wear, but it's almost crazily expensive and only available in navy blue.

Pros: Great fit, luxury feel, high performance

Cons: Expensive, colour won't be to everyone's taste

I'm going to be frank: from the outset, I wasn't sure I was going to like the HC jersey. It felt too heavy to be a real performance jersey, I'm not the biggest fan of navy blue kit (the accompanying bib shorts are the same colour which I reviewed recently), and somehow the embroidered logo and branding looked at odds with the obviously performance-oriented cut.

Buy it online here

Yet, to be equally frank, after spending a couple of weeks with both the jersey and bib shorts, these initial issues have faded away to leave behind a sense of real quality.

Cycling jerseys – everything you need to know 

As I say the jersey features a slim performance cut that helps it mould comfortably to the body, with low profile sleeves and comfortable textured arm grippers that extend up the shoulders keeping things svelte against the skin. The fabric, something Le Col calls 'meryl', is heavier than standard technical fabrics found on other jerseys elsewhere, but is very flexible and feels incredibly comfortable against the skin.

Buyers guide to summer cycling jerseys + 20 of the best 

It makes the HC jersey perfectly adept at dealing with anything from a warm summers day (although I'd opt for a thinner jersey in the toastiest weather), to cool showery weather too. And, you can use it for a short 40km blast, or a longer 100km-plus weekend café ride.

The fact is that it's breathable when you need it to be, cool in warm weather, surprisingly insulating in cooler weather, and there's more besides.

The three main pockets have plenty of capacity for an all-day ride, and the zipped security pocket has a sweatproof lining so money can be kept safely. The neckline has a small collar that's self-supportive and tapered for a perfect fit around the back of the neck, while the full-length zip features a garage to stop any irritation.

The zip is easy to pull up and down with one hand in the case that you do need extra ventilation, and there's an added reflective strip on the middle pocket for visibility in low light conditions. This all came in handy on a recent trip to the Alps, where the weather flicked from early summer sunshine to rain showers and dark misty light.

Other added features include an internal cable port for earphones, an elasticated gripper band that holds the hem of the jersey in place fast, and quality soft stitching inside for additional comfort too.

And, truth be told, I've warmed to the design as well. Sure, I still don't like navy blue kit as a general rule, but this, with its gold highlights and webbing design on the sleeves, does look classy when you're out on the road. It looks as luxurious as it feels.

There is an undoubted elephant in the room, however: price. At £150, the HC jersey is one of the most expensive jerseys on the market, and that's without any extra ability that might help to justify it, such as aero performance arrived at via expensive wind tunnel testing.

In order to spend £150 on this jersey, I think you'd need to be prepared to buy the (also expensive) bib shorts as well, and also really like the colour and design too. It performs to the highest level, no question, but at £150 it needs to be perfect.

Verdict

Great performer, but the blue design of the kit set might polarise opinion, while it's also very expensive.