ELITE THERMAL LTD JERSEY

Review: ELITE THERMAL LTD JERSEY

By Scott Mares | Published Oct 17, 2011

We Liked

Brushed Thermal Fleece fabric, anatomical cycling fit and cool graphics make this piece a cold weather favorite of mine.

This Jersey is made with Pearl's own ELITE thermal fleece fabric and after taking it out in the cold and rainy pacific north west I can tell you that its worth its weight. I went out on several days when it was wet and cold and the jersey was just the right ticket for keeping me warm and comfortable. One of the claims that Pearl makes about the fabric is its moisture transfer. You when you sweat you want that moisture taken away from you and the ELITE thermal fleece does just that. But sometimes you can get too warm and you may need to vent and let some air into the jersey so Pearl Izumi made a very smart choice of giving this jersey a full length zipper. Including the full length zipper the jersey comes with elasticized hem and cuffs to help keep the cold out and the warmth in. Three back pockets will help you carry your essential gear while you are out in the woods blazing through the single track with your friends. And the sublimated graphics are really cool. So much so that it will quickly become your favorite jersey to wear. Other little nice features that the ELITE Thermal LTD jersey have are a trim fit, full length zipper, 3 back pockets, elasticized ham & cuffs.

We Didn't Like

The sleeves are just a little short on us. So we would have liked the sleeves to be just about an inch longer. The second thing that I would like to see done to this jersey is make the pockets larger. They are kind of small for a winter jersey. However, if you are some one that packs light then that should not be a problem at all. But if you need to carry a jacket with you then you might run into some space issues.

The Final Say

Pearl Izumi did are really good job on producing a winter race jersey for the the person that is not into the sponsored look. Its very form fitting so you need to be at race weight to get into your size. if you are there then you will be happy as a clam as the material is warm and moves with you and does not feel restrictive at all. In most situations a light base layer with the jersey will be all that you need to be comfortable out on the race course turning yourself inside out in the mud and rain. You will find yourself reaching for this jersey in the cold weather time and time again as its plenty warm. The only way this jersey could get better is if the pockets were a little bigger a little deeper and had a radio hole in one of them.