Rapha Women's Souplesse Thermal Jersey

In the Souplesse Thermal Jersey, Rapha has aimed to create a piece that excels in single-digit temperatures, but stays sleek without the bulk that padding can bring. It succeeds: in short, the Thermal Jersey offers superb warmth and comfort in a snug, performance cut.

• Pros: Warm and cosy, great pockets, perfect for headphone wearers
• Cons: A little shorter in the body than expected

While Rapha's Souplesse collection features everything from light summer bibs to trademark socks, the Thermal Jersey is geared toward the coldest riding. It has all the softness-meets-stretch you'd expect from the Souplesse collection. But this jersey has a thicker material than previous Souplesse jerseys.

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Indeed, the first thing you notice about this jersey is its super-snuggly nature. Its thicker material is combined with a fleecy brushed back inner which is warming against arms, and when worn with a baselayer produces a cosier effect than with a non-fleecy jersey.

The cuffs are doubled-up, providing extra warmth around wrists, and an additional barrier to any wind trying to sneak in up the sleeves. And as with all of this jersey, they're nice and stretchy too, allowing them to slip over a pair of low-bulk gloves, or under a pair of the thickest winter mitts.

I tested the Souplesse Thermal jersey through sub-5°C January weather, and immediately noticed the marked difference that the thicker material and fleecy inner made against the cold mornings and biting winds. Even in the coldest weather, I sweat when I put the effort in, and while there was evidence of darker sweat patches on the jersey after my ride, overall I was impressed. Much of the moisture I emitted wicked away effectively to leave no trace, which helped my core to stay warm. This can probably be attributed to both the fleecy inner and polyester composition – a material that's far better at soaking up sweat than natural alternatives like cotton.

On the outside, though, it's not made for the wet; a light mist of rain did dry off, but anything heavier will soak through.

The fit of the Souplesse is impressive, as I've become used to when it comes to Rapha women's kit. The panelling provides a race-feel fit, and enhances the low-bulk feel for a jersey that's so warm. The sleeves are plenty long enough, too. My favourite part of the fit is the neckline, which feels particularly warm and secure thanks to the double layered material.

The only slight anomaly is the sleeve/torso length ratio. The medium I tested was only just long enough in the body – I certainly wouldn't have wanted it any shorter. In comparison with other medium jerseys, such as Liv's Flara (review to come), it's a good two inches shorter, yet the sleeves are around the same length.

Personally, I prefer jerseys to err on the side of longer for the winter months, because it feels warmer. And I do have a longer than average torso – so I wouldn't say the Rapha Souplesse Jersey comes up too short. There was no riding up, either, with the addition of a grippy strip of material on the rear base seam helping the jersey stay put.

The rear cargo pockets are the most well-finished, robust jersey pockets I have ever seen. Three double-layered pockets, finished with an inner mesh for breathability, sit side-by-side, finished with a wide strip of elastic, slightly ruched for extra security. They are plenty deep enough for my iPhone 8, the material providing additional protection for your snacks and screen. Rapha's trademark stripe adorns the centre, and the logo is printed vertically on the right pocket.

Hidden to the right is a fourth pocket, finished with a zipper to keep valuables secure, like keys and money. It's also bolstered with a headphone port. Cleverly, this means you can stow away your phone inside the pocket and feed the wire up the inside of your jersey. Up the back seam, two tiny headphone loops are sewn in, for perfectly neat in-bike entertainment.

This pocket zip is pleasingly easy to fasten on the bike – as is the main zipper. Tested with a day's worth of food, an inner tube ands gas to boot, they won my heart on functionality, style and feel. When not being used, they sit flush against the jersey, despite being plenty robust. The base of the pockets is finished with a little reflective strip.

The Souplesse Thermal Jersey washed without any sign of shrinkage or deterioration at 40 degrees, and being so stretchy and smooth it looks as good as new on each ride, with no hint of a wrinkle.

Price-wise, it's no bargain, though I'd argue that for the warmth, quality and styling it is a good buy. Santini's Coral Thermal jersey is £90 – still not cheap, but £60 less than the Rapha.

> Buyer's Guide: 13 of the best winter cycling jerseys

Lastly, there's Rapha's trademark little quote, here from Canyon//SRAM rider Tiffany Cromwell, hidden on a piece of elastic inside the key pocket, which reminded me to not 'focus on the numbers; [but] ride with the instinct and panache that comes from the heart.' A very nice touch.

Verdict

A warm, sleek winter jersey with excellent attention to detail