La Passione Duo Jersey

The La Passione Duo Jersey is very well made, uses excellent fabrics, and offers a great performance fit. All the tiny details make it even more of a pleasure to wear, such as zip garages top and bottom, laser cut sleeves and plenty of storage. The only thing missing is a pocket for securing your valuables.

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The Duo jersey is available in six colours, all with two-tone designs like this Grey/Ice model. La Passione use a range of fabrics in the construction, in various mixes of polyester and elastane. They are all very soft to the touch, which means the Duo is very comfortable to wear.

The cut is close with a slightly compressive nature to it, but you never feel restricted. It's really well fitted, rather than tight.

It sizes up a little smaller than the likes of dhb, Lusso, Chapeau or Café du Cycliste, for example. In all of these I fit a medium, but with the Duo I need the large. La Passione's size guide does reflect this – each size is smaller than most – so make sure you follow their chart. Available sizes range from XS to XXXL.

This has been one of my go-to jerseys when the temperatures are high, as it is very breathable. The fabric isn't overly thick anywhere so it doesn't trap heat, and when climbing or putting in hard efforts, the mesh side panels and perforated back (which has noticeable holes compared to the smooth front panel and sleeves) really help.

If you need to get more air still, you can always undo the full-length zip. The material dries quickly, too, so if you do get sweaty (or rained on), you don't feel uncomfortable for long. The fabric also gives SPF UV 50+ protection from the sun.

The sleeves are laser cut, so have no elastic or stitching on their ends. I like this way of doing things, as there are never any pressure points around the arm, which can become noticeable on long rides.

The sleeves are held in place by the elasticity of the fabric, and they don't move.

At the bottom the hem is elasticated, and the rear section is held in place by a silicone strip. It's not the longest tail section out there but still, it provides a decent amount of coverage when riding in the drops.

The Duo is a traditional three-pocket design, and they're roomy and reasonably sag resistant for such lightweight fabric. Having a fourth, zipped valuables pocket has pretty much become the norm, so it's a bit of a shame not to find one here.

Overall quality is very good indeed. The stitching is really neat and tidy throughout, and everything feels really robust for what could easily be a fragile garment.

The duo is priced at £80, which is good when you look at some of the opposition. The Le Col Sport jersey is similar in its quality and construction – Simon was certainly impressed – but costs £95. The Giro Chrono Pro short sleeve jersey is similar too, with its aero(ish) design, but it wasn't all that great in the fit department with a few issues around the neck. It's £119.99.

> How to choose the best cycling jersey — everything you need to know about fabrics, fit, features and more

You can get cheaper, of course, but while Chapeau's £69.99 Club jersey impresses for fit and quality of fabrics, it can't match the La Passione on hot days as it's not the most breathable.

The Duo is well priced for its performance, and very well priced when you take the quality into account. It's a cool and classy-looking jersey to get you through the heat of the summer months.

Verdict

Excellent breathability, comfort and quality at a good price