Katusha Icon Jersey

Tell us what the product is for

Katusha says: 'The ICON Redefined. Clean, simple and minimalistic design blends seamlessly with a plethora of technical apparel features forming the perfect jersey for long days in the saddle.

'Keeping your body temperature at an optimum level is extremely important for any cyclist, whether it is a pro rider, an amateur racer or a person simply loving to ride their bike. The ICON Jersey features a blend of two extremely soft and lightweight fabrics with 37.5 thermoregulation technology which helps to maintain your body at the ideal core temperature of 37.5 degrees Celsius and keep the micro-climate next to your skin at the ideal relative humidity of 37.5%.

'The 37.5 Technology triggers off of humidity which is the gauge of whether you're hot or cold. When you're hot, the active volcanic sand particles embedded into the material use your body's energy to remove moisture and cool you down. When you're cold, the active particles retain body's energy to warm you up.

'To optimise fit and comfort, the ICON Jersey features proprietary ergonomic line technology across the shoulders updated to ensure greater elasticity for truly unrestricted feel of the garment in the riding position, improved elasticity of the sleeves to eliminate pressure points and conform to greater variety of body shapes, and bonded fully taped front zipper for uniform feel

'Improved back pocket construction features mesh fabric which helps to reduce the weight of the garment and increase breathability when not used, while side entry zipped pocket provides secure storage for your valuables.

'Developed specifically to provide riders with superior comfort, luxurious feel, excellent moisture management and light weight, the ICON Jersey is a superb option for early spring, summer and early autumn rides.'

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Katusha lists:

37.5® Degrees fabric on the front panel.

37.5® Degrees Regular Mesh on the back and side panels.

4-way stretch fabric.

Ergonomic line technology.

Bonded fully taped full center front zip.

Elasticated band with silicone print at hem.

Taped bottom hem.

Silicone tape at the lower back.

3 mesh back pockets and 1 zippered pocket.

Reflective branding.

Designed in Switzerland.

Made in Europe.

Size down for tight fit.

Katusha REGULAR Fit.

Very well made. The material has a lot of stretch which puts less pressure on the seams, and the seams themselves are stitched neatly throughout.

The high breathability and wicking of the fabric work very well.

The quality of construction suggests it's likely to last.

Katusha describes this as a regular fit but it feels distinctly aero, with long sleeves and a figure-hugging panel design with different degrees of stretch in each of the panels, so it should work with a variety of body shapes and sizes.

Katusha says: 'The roomier cut of the Katusha REGULAR Fit has been created to optimize comfort and freedom of movement during longer days in the saddle. The garment is cut longer at the front and built with an extremely high-stretch fabric, ensuring adequate coverage and catering for a wide variety of body shapes.'

The medium size fitted as I would expect a medium jersey to fit.

At 137g it's certainly not a heavyweight jersey, but not as light as some competitors.

Very comfortable thanks to the excellent wicking and breathability.

There is no getting around how expensive this jersey is, but at the same time it is at broadly the same as its main competitors.

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

Easy, no need for anything more complicated than a 30 degree wash and hanging on the line.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Very well, it kept me cool in hot conditions and has enough storage to fit everything in needed for a long ride.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The mesh back pockets – it's not a big thing, but you can tell the difference.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Only really that the zip pocket is on the left, which threw me.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

Ashmei's Croix De Fer jersey costs £128 and has broadly the same qualities in terms of breathability and wicking and even the 37.5 thermoregulation technology, although this is made from 65% merino wool used rather than the polyester mix in the Katusha jersey. The Pearl Izumi Interval SS jersey comes in at £124.99, although the Interval is a much more lightweight jersey, shaving 33g off the Katusha.

Use this box to explain your overall score

It's a really good jersey that kept me cool even in hot temperatures. It's not cheap, but features like the mesh pockets and the different fabric construction throughout the jersey go some way to justifying it.