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Pactimo Men’s Summit Aero Range SS Jersey - Recon

7
£105.00

VERDICT:

7
10
Great aero adventure jersey, but the pockets won't please everyone
Excellent ventilation
Quick-drying
Comfortable
Recycled fabric
Awkward pocket design
No zipped pocket
Weight: 
124g

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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Pactimo's Summit Aero Range Jersey has been designed for 'every adventure in a next-to-skin aerodynamic fit'. It's well ventilated, dries very quickly and is a joy to wear. I didn't find the five-pocket design for the 'ultimate in storage' to be such a hit, though I do like that Pactimo has gone through some effort to find a fabric that works and is made from 100% recycled materials. At £105, we're in premium price territory, but only just.

In terms of fabric and construction, the Summit Aero Range Jersey is pretty much the same as the Summit Aero Jersey Shaun reviewed a few weeks ago, with just a couple of changes to make the Summit Aero Range better for gravel rides, ultra-distance and the like.

> Buy this online here

The 100% recycled fabric is a polyester/spandex mix that Pactimo calls Borghini and says is lightweight, wicking and durable.

On the sides and under the armpits, Pactimo has used mesh panels with a hexagonal mesh shape, designed for ventilation and weight reduction; as they are extra stretchy, they help with fit too.

2021 Pactimo Men's Summit Aero Range SS Jersey - Recon - back.jpg

I'm usually a medium for most non-Italian brands; that is what we have on test, and it fits me perfectly. Looking at Pactimo's sizing chart, it's almost like someone measured my chest, waist and hips for medium, because they are bang on my numbers.

Pactimo describes the fit of the Summit Aero Range Jersey as 'Aero', which it defines as 'designed to provide an aerodynamic form fit'. For context, 'aero' sits between 'traditional' and 'second skin', the latter described as 'designed to provide an ultra form fit'.

2021 Pactimo Men's Summit Aero Range SS Jersey - Recon - hem.jpg

That translates to a figure-hugging but not a suck-in-and-hold-your-breath oh-my-god-that's-tight cut. The fabric is stretchy enough to accommodate any shape fluctuation that might occur.

Pactimo says there is a difference in cut between this jersey and the Summit Aero that Shaun reviewed, in that it changed the position of the shoulder seams to reduce any potential discomfort from the straps of hydration packs and the like.

2021 Pactimo Men's Summit Aero Range SS Jersey - Recon - shoulders.jpg

The Summit Aero Range is also available in blue and vibrant orange, both making you stand out a bit more than the understated and stylish black that we have on test.

Features

The low-profile collar further supports the aero in this jersey's name, as do the raw-edge sleeves. They work well, and they look good, too.

2021 Pactimo Men's Summit Aero Range SS Jersey - Recon - chest.jpg

There's a 15mm band of diagonal silicone gripper stripes on the inside of the sleeves, and also a more traditional silicone gripper band inside the hem below the pockets.

2021 Pactimo Men's Summit Aero Range SS Jersey - Recon - gripper.jpg

The full-length YKK zip has a nice rubberised pull and works well.

2021 Pactimo Men's Summit Aero Range SS Jersey - Recon - collar.jpg

The other difference between this jersey and the Summit Aero is the pocket design. While the Summit Aero sports the usual three pockets plus a zipped one, the Range doesn't have a zipped pocket, but does have an extra two pockets. This is achieved by doubling up the the right and left hand side pockets.

2021 Pactimo Men's Summit Aero Range SS Jersey - Recon - pockets.jpg

The three standard pockets are nice and big, and are bellowed at the bottom, so they hold plenty of stuff. The two extra pockets that sit on top are supposed to give you extra storage, but in my experience, as they expand with the pockets below, this doesn't quite work. It also makes it harder to get stuff out of the pockets, because you're fumbling trying to find the right opening.

2021 Pactimo Men's Summit Aero Range SS Jersey - Recon - pocket detail.jpg

I'd have preferred the zipped pocket over the two doubled pockets, but you might be less clumsy than me and enjoy the extra organisational potential the additional pockets provide.

On the bike

This jersey works really well in hotter weather; those mesh panels on the side really help with ventilation. It also works really well in mixed weather conditions; it dries so quickly that it works well as a baselayer under a waterproof on a wet ride.

2021 Pactimo Men's Summit Aero Range SS Jersey - Recon - sleeve.jpg

The recycled fabric feels soft next to the skin, and the cut works well on the bike. It's tight enough for there not to be any fabric flutter, yet stretchy enough not to feel restrictive or compressive at all.

All of which makes it a good companion on multi-day adventure type rides where you don't know what the weather's going to bring.

Value

Although £105 is definitely premium price territory, the Summit Aero Range is by no means the most expensive jersey we've tested. That prize probably goes to 7mesh's excellent Skyline Jersey, which costs £200.

There are plenty of others in between – Rapha's Men's Classic Jersey II, for example, is a fiver more at £110, but uses a merino blend.

You can also get good jerseys for less: Bioracer's Spitfire looks like it has similar features on paper, and costs £74.99.

> Buyer’s Guide: 30 of the best summer cycling jerseys

The Summit Aero Range does deliver a premium performance, so you are getting value for money, and although fhe five pockets didn't work for me, they might for you.

Conclusion

This is a really nice jersey that ventilates well, dries quickly and is lovely to wear. The five pocket design doesn't really work for me, so I'd probably go for the Summit Aero with the usual three pockets plus one zipped one, as they are otherwise basically the same. If you want to be able to organise your stuff better, though, this one might work for you.

Verdict

Great aero adventure jersey, but the pockets won't please everyone

road.cc test report

Make and model: Pactimo Men's Summit Aero Range SS Jersey - Recon

Size tested: Medium

Tell us what the product is for

Pactimo says: 'The Summit Aero Range has been designed for riders who want a jersey that is ready for every adventure in a next-to-skin aerodynamic fit. For the ultimate in storage, we developed this jersey with five rear pockets, three of which have expanding, bottom bellows. We also repositioned the shoulder seams for enhanced comfort with race-packs, such as a Camelbak Chase Vest, making this a great choice for gravel rides and events such as Colorado's SBT GRVL. Discerning riders who want maximum storage for ultra-endurance efforts will love the breathability, performance and comfort of the Summit Aero Range Jersey.'

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

Pactimo lists these features:

Italian-made, four-way stretch, lightweight and breathable

recycled body fabric

Strategically-placed, Italian-made mesh for breathability and weight-reduction

Raw-edge sleeves with internal, lightweight silicone gripper strips

Semi-auto locking zipper for one-handed venting

Low-profile collar for aerodynamic comfort

3 wider, deeper pockets with expanding bottom bellows

2 regular size pockets

Reflective hits in optimal visibility areas

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for fit:
 
9/10
Rate the product for sizing:
 
8/10
Rate the product for weight:
 
8/10
Rate the product for comfort:
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
5/10

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

The instructions say "Machine wash cold with mild detergent on delicate cycle. Do not bleach. Line dry only. Do not wring, iron or dry clean. Do not use a fabric softener. Close zipper before washing."

I bunged it in with the rest of the washing at 40 degrees with the detergent I normally use, with no detrimental effect.

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

As a quick-drying, great fitting, comfortable jersey for adventures, it works very well. As to the ultimate in storage, the five pockets idea does not work for me.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The fit and how quickly the fabric dries, and that it's made from recycled fabric.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

The doubled pockets.

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

It's in premium price territory, but only just. We've reviewed jerseys that cost almost double on road.cc, like 7mesh's Skyline which is excellent but very expensive at £200. You can also spend less on a jersey that looks like it has very similar features; we reviewed Bioracer's Spitfire jersey, which costs £74.99.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Probably not, I would buy the version with the normal pocket arrangement that we reviewed recently.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes, if they didn't mind the doubled pocket issue.

Use this box to explain your overall score

This is a really nice jersey. It ventilates well, dries quickly and is lovely to wear, but having five pockets on the back, rather than the usual three, makes it harder than it needs to be to get stuff out of the pockets.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 44  Height: 1.78m  Weight: 77kg

I usually ride: All of them!  My best bike is: Ribble Endurance SL disc

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

I regularly do the following types of riding: cyclo cross, commuting, touring, club rides, mtb, Zwift

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