Chapeau Men’s Long Sleeved Etape Merino Jersey

Soft, breathable, incredibly warm and with a performance fit – that pretty much sums up the Chapeau Men's Etape Long Sleeve Merino jersey. If you want a great quality, comfortable three-season top then this one is worth the investment.

The Etape LS Merino jersey is something I've been wearing a lot over the last four to five weeks as it is just so versatile and comfortable.

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The majority of the jersey is made from Australian Extrafine Merino Sportwool which feels very soft against the skin, with no scratchiness or anything. Merino is often touted as a wonder fabric and it does have some very impressive qualities highlighted by the Chapeau.

First of all, it's unbelievably warm for a jersey that is so thin – in the latest cold snap I've been wearing it with just a long sleeve baselayer underneath, though the temperatures have dipped below freezing.

Its lack of bulk makes it ideal for layering, as you can wear it comfortably beneath a close-fitting waterproof or windproof jacket.

While also being warm it's also impressively breathable. Even when riding hard on the climbs I never felt it get overwhelmed with sweat, in temperatures up to around 12°C.

The cut of the jersey is close for performance riding, and real attention to detail means the fit is spot on when in the saddle. There is plenty of length in the arms for when stretched out in the drops, and a lengthy tail section keeps your lower back covered.

The front sits quite high, which stops any bunching of the material here, and also keeps the bottom of the zip from rubbing your shorts when in a crouched position.

The neck is reasonably high and close, which stops cold draughts from entering, and there is a zip garage too, to avoid irritation of the skin.

Round the back are four pockets: three in a traditional style, with a zipped valuables pocket sitting on the outside of the central main pocket. That zipped pocket has a water-resistant lining, giving some protection against road spray, so it's ideal for your more delicate cargo.

The pockets have plenty of depth and width, and the two side pockets have sloped openings, making it easy to get your hand in while riding.

All of these small details are what make the Etape Merino such a great jersey.

True, it's not cheap, but when you see and feel the overall quality, this seems like a jersey that is going to last and last. For a fair bit of the test period I've been carrying a rucksack over the jersey and there have been no issues.

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It's not the most expensive out there, either: it's £15 cheaper than the 7Mesh Callaghan jersey, for example, which is of a similar design.

It is more expensive than some, though, such as the Craft ADV long sleeve jersey, but that doesn't use merino in its construction, and I'd say the benefits it brings to the Etape are worth the extra cash.

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Overall, I'm a big fan of the Etape Merino thanks to its performance and fit, but also the fact that you'll get so much use out of it. The only real criticism I can come up with is that the two colour options, Grey and Deep Ocean, aren't exactly bright for when riding on dull gloomy days.

Verdict

Lightweight but very warm, breathable and versatile jersey for three-season use