The Castelli Entrata Thermal Jersey is well priced and well designed for use with a vest in cold conditions or by itself when it's slightly warmer.
Much of the winter this year has been worryingly warm in the midlands, which has at least lent itself perfectly to testing the Entrata. This is because the jersey is designed for milder weather or for those of us who want to wear a gilet and jersey rather than a full-blown winter jacket.
The Entrata is Castelli's entry-level thermal jersey. It isn't some kind of cheap knock-off of its own more expensive stuff, but doesn't feature the high-end tech you might expect from a top-level modern design. Instead it uses more tried-and-trusted technology that not that long would itself have been considered high-end.
A key part of this is in the choice of fabric, with Castelli opting for a 100% polyester fleece material throughout. It is warm and the fleece is very soft and comfortable, but it means that although performance is still good, the windproofing and wicking aren't quite as effective as you'll find with Castelli's higher-level jerseys.
To be completely honest, with the kind of riding I've been doing this winter that hasn't been a problem – with the birth of my second child in November I haven't had the time to smash out KOMs or do intense training sessions over several hours. The jersey's material lends itself well to this kind of riding, where the wicking is good enough and you can use the jersey in a range of temperatures. This meant I could generally just chuck it on and take a gilet with me, which would cope with pretty much everything the weather could throw at me.
I used the jersey down to temperatures around 3°C with a padded gilet on top and arm warmers underneath, and I think I could have ridden in even colder conditions given the opportunity. On more mild days I wore this when the thermometer hit 11°C with a mesh layer underneath it, and I was still comfortable. Though the wicking is good, it can't compare with that offered by more premium fabrics.
The jersey's fit is pretty neutral – it's not an aero jersey but there's not a great amount of bunching or creasing either. That said, the fit is impacted by the thickness of the material across the jersey, which is more like that of a mid-weight jumper. This thickness also means the jersey doesn't work particularly well under a jacket, if you were planning to wear it in extremely cold conditions. Castelli deliberately positioned this jersey for use with a vest, I imagine for this exact reason.
The jersey comes with the usual three pockets, but as you might expect from a more pared-back jersey there's no zipped security pocket.
I found the pockets a reasonable size for all the rides I was using the jersey for. And silicone grippers kept everything nicely in place whether the pockets were full or not.
Castelli has included two large reflective strips, one down the front and one on the left rear pocket on the rear, and these are much bigger than those you'll find on most similar jerseys, which is a nice touch – though the right pocket would probably be better for the UK.
These large reflective areas work because the rest of the jersey has such a clean and simple design, with the reflective strip – featuring the Castelli logo of course – the only design feature on the front. The overall design is clean, simple, and stylish.
Value
The jersey's RRP is £110, which is a good price for a warm and dynamic jersey, but if you can get it for less it turns into a real bargain.
One of the most obvious competitors is the Rapha Long Sleeve Core Jersey, which is a similar brand paring back a jersey to the basic elements. The Castelli is a little more insulated, but the Rapha is £20 cheaper at £90.
Stu reviewed the £129 GripGrab Gravelin Merinotech Thermal Long Sleeve Jersey last year, rating it highly for its wicking an breathability, but it's probably not quite as insulated as the Castelli.
Conclusion
I like this jersey – I found it warm, comfortable and with enough wicking for everything but the most intense riding. It may not have the same all-round quality as a more high-end jersey, which has a knock-on effect when it comes to the thickness of the material. However, in terms of performance this jersey does everything you need it to – as long as you don't want to wear a jacket over the top.
Verdict
Well made, affordable and good for milder conditions
Make and model: Castelli Entrata Thermal Jersey
Tell us what the product is for
Castelli says: The thermal jersey for the cyclist who prefers a jersey and vest in cool conditions instead of a light jacket. The brushed fleece fabric keeps you warm but also has enough stretch to ensure a perfect and comfortable fit.
It's plenty warm on its own, but when paired with a vest this jersey is great for most of your fall, mild winter, or early season riding. The brushed fleece back fabric is warm and stretchy to provide a great fit. It's also breathable to help keep you from overheating. We've added three back pockets, a silicone gripper elastic, and an easy-sliding YKK® Vislon® zipper. The subtle design pairs with a vest for a great look and extra function.
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Castelli says:
Made from 100% polyester fleece for extra warmth and wicking
Easy-sliding YKK® Vislon® zipper
3 rear pockets
Silicone gripper elastic at waist
Large reflective panel on pocket
Castelli rates it 3/5 for insulation, 1/5 for waterproofness, 2/5 for windproofness, 3/5 for breathability and 4/5 for lightness
Rate the product for quality of construction:
8/10
Well made with comfortable and stretchy material combined with strong stitching.
Rate the product for performance:
7/10
It's not going to compare to high end jerseys, but for something around this price point it does exactly what's needed.
Rate the product for durability:
7/10
The logos and hi-vis elements are printed on rather than sewn, but aside from that this aesthetic element there is nothing to question over how robust it is.
Rate the product for fit:
7/10
The fit is good for either on its own or for use with a gilet/vest – though its bulk makes it less easy to wear under a jacket.
Rate the product for sizing:
7/10
As I would expect from an Italian Large
Rate the product for weight:
7/10
Rate the product for comfort:
9/10
Very comfortable – thanks to the comfortable and soft fleecy material Castelli has used for its construction.
Rate the product for value:
5/10
I think it's reasonably well priced at its full RRP, and if you can get if for less it could be a bit of a bargain.
How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?
Easy – I stuck it in at 30°C line-hung it without any issues
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
It is a jersey that has significant flexibility in how it can be used and it worked well in the kind of mild winter we have seen so far, whether that's being used under a gilet or by itself.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
The simplicity of the design – I like an uncomplicated jersey.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
The thickness of the material limits what you can wear over it.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
The most obvious comparison is Rapha's Long Sleeve Core Jersey, which is a similar brand paring back a jersey to the basic elements. The Castelli is a little more insulated, but the Rapha version is £20 cheaper at £90.
Stu liked the £129 GripGrab Gravelin Merinotech Thermal Long Sleeve Jersey, which has better wicking and breathability but again probably isn't quite as insulated as the Castelli.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
It is a well-made jersey that doesn't blow the bank, and is everything that you might want from a long-sleeve jersey for mild conditions.
Age: 35 Height: 6 ft Weight:
I usually ride: CAAD13 My best bike is: Cannondale Supersix Evo
I've been riding for: 10-20 years I ride: Every day I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed,
The greatest TV theme tune of all time, Channel 4 TdF highlights in 1980s. Composed by Pete Shelley, of Buzzcocks
Not in some dialects of English, eg Scottish. But it's a glide in most forms of English
It's the little round thing on the side of the shears, it has a prong in the middle.
Probably had 35s also but the combination of 28 M+ (with tube) and the random wheels on the old tourer was often tear-inducing - and I (had) fairly...
BMW 1-Series crashes in Bournemouth town centre pub https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/24554262.bmw-1-series-crashes-bou...
Have a good night, Andy. Two nights at Street? Plans for Sunday?
Cybertruck
It's not like the BBC don't know what term to use when they think it matters not to imply that there's nobody to blame.
Is this with the same wheels etc? 3mph seems wild to me when manufacturers are talking about a handful of watts at best.
Brought to you by Logan's Run? Or Brave New World (for a few extra years)?