dhb Aeron Lab Ultralight SS Jersey

dhb's Aeron Lab Ultralight Short Sleeve Jersey is ultra a lot of things: ultra light, ultra minimal and ultra breathable, but also ultra short at the front and ultra transparent. If you're looking for a super minimal, high summer performance jersey and you don't mind your upper body on show, then this might well be the jersey for you. It doesn't cost the earth either.

Check out our guide to the best summer jerseys for more options.

This jersey is made from a 94% polyester, 6% elastane mix at the front, and 100% polyester at the back. It uses three different kinds of mesh fabrics made from this material combined for optimum comfort and ventilation.

Breathability

The ventilation through these mesh fabrics is out of this world; it feels like you might as well be wearing nothing. That is also the case in terms of transparency, though – it leaves almost nothing to the imagination. You need to feel confident about having your upper body on show to wear this jersey. I have worn it on solo rides but not in a group, though I probably would for cycling up an Alp in 35+ degrees, which is where this jersey would be ideal.

Zwift racing in the weather we're having at the moment closely mimics that sort of weather, but is more easily available for the UK-based reviewer. I can confirm that it is ideal for that, too. With my usual fan setup, I would normally expect to see a puddle of sweat on the floor; none at all with this jersey on.

Features

This jersey is ultra minimal; you won't find silicone grippers or zipped pockets, all in the name of weight saving. At 77g for the size medium we have on test, it is indeed seriously light.

You do get the usual three pockets at the back, and in the middle one there's what dhb calls a 'hidden envelope' to stash your valuables – the envelope being lighter than a zip. There's also a radio hole in the middle pocket.

The pockets are tall enough for a normal iPhone, but probably not for a plus-sized one.

The one-way YKK zipper works well – even one-handed – and the dropped neckline is nice and comfortable.

The jersey is currently available in the moss we have on test and 'port royale', a sort of burgundy red, and sizes XS through to XXL.

Fit and cut

This is a performance jersey, and the fit is spray-on. There is a lot of stretch in those mesh fabrics, though, so the jersey doesn't feel restrictive at all.

I'm 178cm and weigh 78kg, and based on my chest and waist measurements, dhb's sizing guide puts me at the small side of medium. Medium is what I'd normally go for and fits fine; I could probably squeeze into a small if I had to, but the medium is plenty tight enough on me.

The sleeves come down quite low, for the aero, almost all the way down to the inside of my elbow.

Although there are no silicone grippers on the sleeves or waist, the jersey stays put. I didn't miss grippers at all.

The jersey does come up quite short in the front – about an inch higher than any of the other performance jerseys I have tried. On me, that's about an inch below my belly button, and when worn with my Assos Cento shorts, there's a gap between the top of the shorts and the bottom of the jersey when I'm standing up. These are the 'lowest' shorts I have, and the only ones where there's a gap.

As this jersey is aimed at elite athletes (which I'm not, for the avoidance of doubt), many of whom will be taller but with the same upper body measurements, this might be more of an issue for some.

Value

At £90, the Aeron Lab Ultralight is not cheap, and if you were into your puns, you could say you get very little for your money, which is kind of the point of this jersey.

But you can easily pay more for a performance jersey: MAAP's Evade Pro Base Jersey, for example, which Steve tested last month, costs £165, Santini's Redux Speed jersey is even more at £190, and 7mesh's Skyline jersey, which I tested a couple of years ago, is sky high at £200.

You don't need to spend this much, though. Van Rysel's Road Cycling Jersey Racer currently costs £39.99 on the Decathlon website, and according to Stu, who scored it 9/10, is a 'light, highly breathable race jersey designed with an aero fit'.

Conclusion

dhb's Aeron Lab series is its top-spec apparel. The Ultralight Short Sleeve Jersey is indeed superlight and extremely well ventilated. That's great for when you're going up an Alp in hot weather, but remember to pack something windproof for the way back down, where the wind going straight through might be less desirable. It also works well for indoor training.

The use case for this jersey is fairly niche, though, especially given that it's almost completely transparent and comes up quite high at the front; it definitely won't suit everybody. But if you're regularly out in hot weather and are happy to sacrifice a bit of modesty in return for light weight and super ventilation, this might well be the one for you.

Verdict

If you're after ultra-light and ultra-ventilated and you don't mind ultra-transparent, this jersey is brilliant