Katusha Sports SUPERLIGHT Jersey review - Australia / Micro Chip edition
KATUSHA SPORTS AUSTRALIA-INSPIRED SUPERLIGHT JERSEY IS A WELCOME ANTIDOTE TO BLAZING SUMMER HEAT
Words and images - James Raison
When Katusha Sports asked if we’d like to test their SUPERLIGHT jersey, we considered it our patriotic duty to accept. They made an Australian edition with Sydney Opera House inspired design, and its hot weather focus suits the toasty Adelaide climate perfectly. Beyond serving the national interest, we’d never tested Katusha Sports gear before. We’re nothing if not nerds, so we accepted the offer.
ABOUT
Price: €140.00
37.5® regular mesh on the front panel.
37.5® superlight mesh on side and back panels. Stretch round stitching.
Full center front zip with reflective stripes and a chin guard.
Reflective branding front and back.
3 back pockets. Elasticated band with silicone print.
Elasticated mesh band on the arms.
Glued hem construction.
Designed in Switzerland, Made in Europe.
Katusha RACE Fit.
A SCRUTINISED UNPACKAGING
I’ve reviewed quite a lot of kit in my time at La Velocita but stepped away to work for a kit brand for a year before we pivoted to focus on the medical industry (it’s a long and strange story!). That means Katusha’s package arrived at an office that used to be an apparel brand, so it was taken out and closely inspected by people with years of experience developing performance apparel.
There were some raised eyebrows and nodding as we poked, prodded, and stretched both of the SUPERLIGHT jerseys Katusha sent. We hadn’t seen anything quite like it before and we’ve seen a lot of samples from manufacturers around the world, and have collectively owned a huge variety of apparel ourselves.
The use of multiple materials and precise stitching stood out to us. You can see the perforated front panel on the left, side panel in the middle, then the rear mesh panel on the right.
The attention to detail stuck out. The pattern is more complex than most jerseys with unusual panel shapes and material placement. They’ve used reinforced seams between those many panels with some hefty and extremely consistent stitches holding it all together. Katusha has chosen an elastic banded waist, and added in silicon branding to stick it firmly to your body. An elastic mesh on the sleeves is another departure from the common style of using firm fabric for the entire sleeve in lieu of a gripper, favoured by most high end apparel. It’s designed to be immobile on your body, and handle your movement when riding without moving itself.
I do have one problem with the fabric; no UPF treatment. UPF is the fabric equivalent of SPF value in sunscreen. Australia’s sun is brutal. We have a thinner mid-latitude ozone layer above us which means more UV radiation hits us than most countries countries. So UPF matters here more than most places. For that reason, I would highly recommend wearing a base layer under the SUPERLIGHT jersey at all times.
I strongly recommend a base layer with such thin fabrics
(ACTUAL) RACE FIT
I’ll caution prospective buyers that this is race cut beyond what most consider race cut.
When I first received the jerseys I thought holy moly there’s no way these will fit! They looked like souvenir jerseys you buy for kids. I was pleasantly surprised to squeeze into both jerseys though and it fit like a second skin when zipped up. Now you’re talking! I’ve wanted a jersey to fit like this for years. Just a note, I’m not in the pictures. That’s the far more dashing Shaun Cash (@shaunxcash) who Katusha chose to model for very obvious reasons!
The SUPERLIGHT jersey is a proper race cut
I’ve always struggled to find jerseys that fit, but not for the reason you’d think. Physically I’m right around the average pro shape, just lacking about 100 watts in the legs. The average height and weight of the 498 riders in 2017 Pro Tour season was 180.9 cm and 68.8 kg. My height is 182 cm and weight is 67.5 kg. So, I should find it easy to fit into the “race cut” jerseys from basically every brand, right? Nope. I’ve got a wardrobe full of XS jerseys that don’t fit well, with proper fitting kit the exception rather than the rule.
THE RIDE
The SUPERLIGHT jerseys arrived towards the back end of the Australian summer but I still found enough properly toasty days to give them thorough testing. They also became my go-to for milder days when I was doing intervals or efforts for their extra breathability.
The jersey is very effective at dispersing heat and sweat. That meshy fabric on the back is designed to help moisture evaporate and the lightly perforated front panels are designed to get more cooling air onto your torso. The fabrics are among the best I’ve tested in hot weather and the end result is a less sweaty feeling as you heat up slower and dry out faster.
The body-paint-fit is refreshing. No flapping in the breeze, no rippling of fabric, and no gradually creeping sleeves. I’ve had speed suits with baggier fits than this jersey. The tightness doesn’t restrict movement, rather, it conforms to the body as you shift around. Its hefty stitching is extra important because of how much pressure the jersey under having to stretch and move with the rider without popping stitches. The only thing I’d change is sleeve length. My long arms are outside of the standard range for most XS buyers and I’m a fan of an elbow-length sleeve.
Pockets are small, as I’ve come to expect from XS kit .The rear panel is small so naturally storage is limited. It can be a fight to get my phone or snacks in and out. I’d expect the pockets to be on the smaller side across all sizes though because of the relative panel size.
WRAPPING UP
Katusha has executed its promise on the tag: “By Pro Riders For You.” The SUPERLIGHT jersey has everything you’d expect from pro-developed kit: very tight fit, slender cut, quality manufacturing, and a high price tag. The pointy end of the market is expensive and I’d say that Katusha has delivered expected value rather than good value. The fabrics and manufacturing quality are what you’re paying for and gear of this quality never comes cheap.
The lack of UPF and short sleeves are my only gripes. The lack of sun protection is at least ironic given the ozone-deficient nation that inspired the design.
For those lucky enough to be heading into summer, SUPERLIGHT jerseys can be purchased from the Katusha Sports website. We’ve checked in with Katusha Sports and they’ve just started shipping again and they told us the code Kgift gets you 15% off storewide.
Disclosure statement; Katusha Sports also asked me to do a photo shoot for the jersey. They bought the photos, but the review is not paid and Katusha has no editorial input to the review. My opinions are free, but my photos aren’t!
