Sportful Bodyfit Pro Light Jersey

Designed for the hottest conditions, the new Bodyfit Pro Light jersey from Italian brand Sportful excels at keeping you cool and dry when the temperature ramps up, making it an ideal choice for summer rides and racing.

• Pros: Breathable, airy, dries quickly, fit
• Cons: A bit see-through

Bodyfit is a popular range in the Sportful collection, developed for the professional cycling teams that it sponsors, benefiting from the sort of feedback only pros can provide, but without the sponsors' logos.

For 2018 the Bodyfit jersey range has expanded to three core jerseys designed for different conditions. The Evo is the do-everything all-round jersey, the Classic (review to come) is for cooler climes, and this Pro Light is the one to reach for when you need a super-lightweight and highly breathable jersey.

It fulfils that brief well. When the temperature is above 25°C the super-thin fabric prevents overheating, noticeably providing a very airy feel compared with regular jerseys. The mesh fabric also dries extremely quickly, so when you get a sweat on during a long climb it dries out in next to no time.

It's lightweight too, with this size small weighing just 101g, only a little more than the claimed 99g. That makes it one of the lightest jerseys we've tested, and you certainly notice that when wearing it. Sportful has sweated the details to trim the weight down, from the minimalist silicone-lined elastic waistband to the low-profile collar and laser-cut sleeves.

The fit is close and racy, but there's just enough stretch in the fabric to ensure it gives where it needs to and doesn't restrict movement at all. An Aero Stretch material used in the shoulders and sleeves provides a lot more stretch than the main body fabric and enhances the fit and comfort.

Evidence of its lightweight and breathable focus comes when you look in the mirror: it's a lot more see-through than most regular jerseys! If you don't already, you might want to consider wearing a baselayer to preserve your modesty.

> Buyer's Guide: 15 of the best cycling baselayers

Details are kept to a minimum in the pursuit of weight saving, the main ones being the YKK full-length zipper and three rear pockets.

They're of ample size for all your ride essentials and well supported if you load up with food and spare clothing, and reinforced on the inside for good measure.

As for value, £80 isn't cheap but you get a lot for your money: a very lightweight and highly breathable jersey that copes impressively in warm weather. It also compares well with other hot weather jerseys we've reviewed on road.cc: Craft's Monument is a fiver more at £85, and Santini's Redux is £135. Rapha's 104g Pro Team Flyweight jersey, which I tested last year, is £130. 

> Buyer's Guide: 20 of the best summer cycling jerseys

You can pay less – Northwave's Blade Air 3 is £56.99 – but the Sportful looks good against its high-end competition.

The jersey is available in a wide range of sizes, from XS to 3XL, and a choice of three colours.

Verdict

A highly breathable and airy summer jersey for the hottest temperatures