Altura Icon Plus Men's Short Sleeve Jersey

The Altura Icon Plus men's short sleeve jersey is a comfortable summer jersey at a very good price. It has a full complement of large pockets, rear reflective details and it's made mainly from recycled materials. It is heavier than a lot of similar jerseys, though, and while it has mesh side panels and an effective antimicrobial treatment, the heavier polyester front and rear panels might lead you to get very warm on hotter days.

Looking for a summer jersey? Check out our best summer cycling jerseys buyer's guide, or our best cheap cycling jerseys buyer's guide if you're on a budget.

The Icon Plus is made mainly from recycled fabric, which is good to see and something that more and more cycling brands are doing these days. The front and rear panels are made from a non-mesh polyester that is heavier than you'll find on most jerseys, with recycled polyester mesh panels running the full lengths of the sides, including the sleeves. The underarm areas have an anti-microbial Silvadur treatment, which helps to combat bacteria and to keep smells at bay.

Both the sleeve cuffs and the waist hem are bonded to the body of the jersey. This works well for the waist, which also features a silicone gripper, though I found the sleeves do tend to ride up if, like me, you don't have Schwarzenegger-like biceps.

The jersey comes in dark green or dark orange with rear reflective strips. Both colours feature a leaf-style pattern, with the dark green one having a camouflage look when you're riding through undergrowth.

The Icon Plus has three large rear pockets, which offer plenty of storage for longer rides.

The zipped security pocket on the right-hand side is ideal for keys and cards and comfortably housed my iPhone 12.

Altura describes the jersey's cut as 'semi-fitted', which gives you a bit more breathing room than a racier close-cut jersey while keeping the sides and sleeves tight enough to avoid any irritating flapping.

I found the jersey very comfortable but the sleeves are slightly shorter than I prefer and they did tend to ride up a little, an effect made slightly worse by the material around the shoulders, which is a little tight. It's not a major issue but does distract slightly from the material's excellent comfort.

The jersey's low, stretchy collar sits very nicely and doesn't feel too snug. The zip tucks away neatly in a garage so there's no chance of it digging into your neck. And while the jersey's front and rear panels are very comfortable, they do get pretty hot and sweaty. The material wicks sweat away from your skin but not quite fast enough to prevent more sweat building up. The full-length zip does help to combat this, and I did find myself unzipping this earlier than with other jerseys.

At 199g the Altura is a fair bit heavier than most other jerseys at a similar price such as the Vanelli Proline, which at 122g is more than a third lighter. That weight contributes to it being a little warmer than a lot of other jerseys, which is an area I feel could be improved upon.

But its comfort is excellent and the Altura is also very easy to care for. It's machine washable at 30°C, coming up clean every time, and as with most cycling clothing you just hang it up to dry. I found the Silvadur treatment very effective, as I felt this was noticeably better at keeping odours at bay.

Value

The Altura Icon Plus is great value. At its full £70 RRP it's very much at the budget end of the market – and you can probably find it for a good deal less.

Its £10 more expensive than the Vanelli Proline that has a lot of similar qualities, and Laurence certainly rated it when he tested it. The Altura has better storage and includes a valuables pocket, but the more-fitted Vanelli jersey is far more breathable.

Also coming in at £70 the Vel short sleeve jersey is another good for warm weather but Stu thought you might have to go up a size. As with the Altura it is made largely from recycled materials, though its design and fit have much more in common with the Vanelli, and both the Vel and Vanelli jerseys are much lighter than the Altura.

The Madison's Men's Short Sleeve Merino jersey is wool-based option at £59.99 and Stu really liked for its relaxed yet tailored fit.

Conclusion

The Altura Icon Plus is a budget-friendly jersey with a full complement of pockets, a nice, relaxed cut and an effective antimicrobial treatment to keep odours at bay. And it's good to see the use of recycled materials too. The main downside is that you might get overly warm during hotter rides, but its comfort will win out most of the time.

Verdict

A comfortable fully featured summer jersey with an effective anti-microbial treatment, but it is heavier than opposition