Craft Cadence Women’s QOM Recycled Performance Jersey

The Craft Cadence QOM Recycled Performance Jersey is a great entry-level option for female riders. It's close-fitting and sustainable thanks to the certified recycled materials, but the QOM (Queen of the Mountains) name doesn't best sum up this jersey – it doesn't have a race cut, and nor is it super light and breathable specifically for climbers.

The 83% polyester, 17% elastane blend of the QOM is very stretchy and soft against the skin – it feels nice, and also meets the Global Recycling Standard (GRS).

The QOM jersey is cut in what Craft Cadence calls a 'comfortable fit' that's suitable for casual riding and club runs. That does seem to differ slightly from the 'Performance' and 'QOM' naming though – Queen of the Mountain is top spot on Strava's female leaderboards.

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It lacks the short-fronted cut of racier jerseys too, which are shaped to work in an aggressive crouch. That's not to say it's excessively long either – it doesn't drop as low as Gore's Curve Jersey, for example.

A 2cm silicone hem at the dropped rear keeps the jersey in place nicely, and at the front it's unnoticeable when riding. The rest of the fit is relaxed but still rather close-fitting - it's absolutely not going to flap about. Overall, the cut is just about right for a mix of riding from interval days to long steady ones with the café stop as the focus.

The sleeves are made from the same stretchy material found in the main body, and extend halfway down the arms – a good length for easy armwarmer pairing. However, the sleeve ends are bulky. The stitching combined with a slightly tight fit results in some discomfort.

Breathability is okay, but the collar rises a little higher than I prefer on a summer jersey.

Round the back you get three evenly-sized pockets. They're not very stretchy, which helps keep items secure, but they're all quite narrow – there's not much space for a wind jacket or waterproof. Some designs, such as Velocio's Foundation, have a usefully wider middle pocket for doing so.

The pockets lack the sloping sides that make access easier on the go, but there is a handy fourth zipped pocket for storing valuables. A reflective strip spans the middle pocket for a touch of visibility, too.

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The stitching, fabric and the SBS zipper all feel solid and I've had no wear issues – although I wouldn't expect so after just a month's use and washing.

As well as the teal with black dots version I had on test, there's a Black, Pink or Teal option with a white stripe across the chest.

Value

At £64.99, the QOM jersey is reasonably priced for its recycled fabrics and overall build, although you can get a lot more for not a lot more money.

Velocio's Foundation Jersey costs £74 and is also 100% recycled. It has a wonderful, relaxed yet tailored fit, a summery collar (i.e. no collar) and better pockets. The only downside is the shortness of the sleeves, which makes it harder to combine with arm warmers.

La Passione's £80 Duo Jersey also has a great fit, wonderful laser-cut sleeves and is much more breathable, although it doesn't have a zipped valuables pouch.

Overall

This is a good quality jersey made from soft materials that are all recycled. A slightly looser fit at the sleeve ends would improve the jersey's overall comfort, but beyond that, there's little to dislike.

Verdict

Well-priced jersey made from recycled fabrics, but more relaxed than the QOM naming would suggest