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review

Lusso Turbo Vest

7
£34.99

VERDICT:

7
10
Impressive wicking and breathability but you'll have to wear it over your bibs to have access to the pockets
Plenty of stretch gives a good fit
Impressive breathability
A bit of a jump in price over the non-turbo version
Needs to be worn over your bib shorts
Weight: 
82g
Contact: 

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Lusso's Turbo Vest is a baselayer designed specifically to be worn on its own on the indoor trainer. What sets it apart from a standard baselayer is that it has three pockets across the rear like a jersey, which can be useful – though to access them you have to wear the vest over your bib shorts.

Back in September last year I tested Lusso's Race Base Vest, which I really liked. The Turbo Vest feels and looks pretty much the same, but with the addition of those pockets. I really like the Turbo Vest too.

> Buy this online here

The four-way stretch material gives you a close yet comfortable fit without restricting your movement when changing position on the bike. It's a mixture of 75% nylon, 20% Lycra and 5% polyester.

2020 Lusso Turbo Vest - back.jpg

The material is very soft against the skin and is impressively breathable thanks to its mesh-like construction. When on the turbo with an open window or a fan on you do feel cool, and the fabric doesn't get overwhelmed in sweat either, unless you are absolutely smashing it. Ease off and allow the airflow to circulate and it soon dries.

2020 Lusso Turbo Vest - chest.jpg

The three pockets on the rear are pretty similar to those found on a typical jersey in their size and layout. The thin mesh fabric is actually pretty sturdy – on the turbo I loaded them up with various things like my phone, TV remote control, and snacks. Even with heavier items in there it didn't feel like the pockets were sagging at any point.

2020 Lusso Turbo Vest - pockets 1.jpg

The only downside is that if you wear bib shorts you'll need to wear the baselayer over the top so you can access the pockets – not ideal really, as the whole point of a baselayer is to be in direct contact with your skin.

2020 Lusso Turbo Vest - pockets 2.jpg

The Turbo Vest is manufactured in Manchester and the overall quality is very good, with neat and tidy stitching throughout. The size guide is spot on too.

One criticism I had of the Race Base Mesh Vest was that it could stain from perspiration when only washed at the recommended 30°C; Lusso has upped the max temperature here to 40°C which has sorted the issue.

> Turbo training tips: get the most from your home trainer

Price-wise, the Turbo Vest is on a par with the competition. Take the pockets out of the equation for a moment and it's the same price as the Alé Intimo Velo – okay, a penny less – which has a similar construction.

Chapeau's short sleeve Mesh Baselayer is the same price too, though the sleeveless option is £29.99. 

The bigger thorn in the side of the Turbo Vest is its stablemate, that Lusso Race Base Vest, which is just £22.99, so you are paying an extra £12 for the pockets.

> Buyer’s Guide: 19 of the best cycling baselayers

Overall, as a baselayer the Turbo Vest works very well, offering great wicking and breathability, and while the pockets aren't perfectly placed for wearing under bib shorts, they do offer an extra-secure place to stash cards or cash when riding outside.

Verdict

Impressive wicking and breathability but you'll have to wear it over your bibs to have access to the pockets

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Lusso Turbo Vest

Size tested: Medium

Tell us what the product is for

Lusso says, "This Lusso Garment is designed to be used indoors whilst riding your turbo trainer. Designed to keep your body cool with extreme breathability, this high stretch wicking material channels heat and moisture away from the body. It features three pockets to store items away such as food/phone/remote control."

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

Lusso lists:

Designed for Turbo Trainer use

Rapid Moisture Transfer

Soft Touch

3 Rear Pockets Storage

High Wicking, Multi-Filament Yarns

4 way Stretch for Fit

Lightweight

White Only

Made in UK

Machine Washable at 40c

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
7/10

Great wicking performance as a baselayer, but the pocket position doesn't really work for me.

Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10
Rate the product for fit:
 
9/10
Rate the product for sizing:
 
9/10

Sizing aligns perfectly with Lusso's guide.

Rate the product for weight:
 
8/10
Rate the product for comfort:
 
9/10
Rate the product for value:
 
5/10

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

Washing it at the recommended temperature worked fine.

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

As a baselayer it performs very well, I'm just not sure whether the pockets are a massive plus for me.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Impressive performance against the heat.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Pocket position means you have to wear it over your bib shorts.

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

As far as mesh baselayers go it is in a similar price range to those mentioned from Chapeau and Alé, although they don't have pockets.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Probably not, because of having to wear it over bib straps.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Possibly

Use this box to explain your overall score

My biggest gripe is that I prefer my baselayer beneath my bib straps, which isn't possible with the Turbo Vest if you want to get to the pockets. That aside, it is very well made and does a great job of dealing with heat and moisture.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 41  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: This month's test bike  My best bike is: B'Twin Ultra CF draped in the latest bling test components

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed,

As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!

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6 comments

Avatar
fenix | 3 years ago
0 likes

I'm not sure a phone or a remote control is going to last long in a sweaty back pocket. There's always somewhere to put them - a shelf, cupboard, chair, stool, box. Any of those are better. 

 

Avatar
fukawitribe replied to fenix | 3 years ago
0 likes
fenix wrote:

I'm not sure a phone or a remote control is going to last long in a sweaty back pocket.

 

Plenty of places where they would undoubtably suffer, true. That said, I used to use the radio pocket in one pair of Diadora bibs (mid-way up the back) that worked well for MP3 player, phone and Bluetooth receiver at various points - no issues.

It's obviously going to be partly down to what the thing is  (phones are increasingly water-resistant, but they're not perfect), where exactly the pocket is and how much you sweat/how salty it is.

fenix wrote:

There's always somewhere to put them - a shelf, cupboard, chair, stool, box. Any of those are better.

 

No there isn't always somewhere to put them, at least not easily, where the things are easy to reach - which is precisely why, occassionally, I would have liked to have somewhere else to put them.

Avatar
nortonp | 3 years ago
0 likes

Pockets? On the Turbo? Why?

Avatar
Drinfinity replied to nortonp | 3 years ago
1 like

Phone with music on if it's our kids.

Avatar
fukawitribe replied to nortonp | 3 years ago
0 likes

Pockets I get to some extent - i've sometimes just wanted somewhere to put some gels or the phone or a remote or whathaveyou - but not in a base layer at the base of the back... that's just weird to me. As mentioned in the article tough, this means that you have to wear it over your bibs....

 

Avatar
RoubaixCube | 3 years ago
0 likes

I have found Under Armor Heat Gear baselayers that look almost exactly the same for £10-12 off amazon. It doesnt have pockets but £23-25 saving its a fair chunk.

Ive worn these baselayers during summers both at work and at the gym and they have always performed as expected from a baselayer.

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