Pas Normal Studios Women's Escapism Wool Long Sleeve Jersey

The Pas Normal Studios Women's Escapism Wool Long Sleeve Jersey is a high-quality spring/autumn jersey designed to keep you warm without overheating on longer rides. The overall performance is pretty good, and it's versatile enough to act as a mid-layer when the temperature plummets – though it's slightly held back by how short the body is.

> Buy now: Pas Normal Studios Women's Escapism Wool Long Sleeve Jersey for £80 from Pas Normal

Performance

I'm really happy with the overall performance of this jersey. I tested it through a very wet and wild Yorkshire during October and November that saw temperatures vary between around 5-13°C. Throughout this time I used it as both an outer layer with a base layer underneath, or as a mid-layer with a jacket – usually a rain jacket – on top.

I can honestly say that throughout testing I never felt overly warm or sweaty to the point where it was uncomfortable. You know the feeling when you've overdressed or when a jersey just isn't as breathable as it should be – well, I never got any of that.

I'd say for me personally – and I know we're all different – the lowest temperature I'd wear this in as an outer layer is about 10°C. Below that, or if the weather is just plain terrible, it's best suited to hiding under a jacket.

Pas Normal Studios recommends this jersey for use in 'chilly to mild temperatures', which it lists as roughly between 0-15°C. I'd say this is pretty accurate, as it's unrestrictive in its movement, even as a mid-layer, although the sleeves feel a little long and can bunch around the wrists or elbows, but I'll get to that later.

It also washes well, although it can appear to be a little smaller when it comes out than when it went into the washing machine, but the fabric seems to stretch back to normal when worn. Pas Normal Studios says this is because the 'synthetic polyester enhances the elastic properties, allowing the jersey to retain its shape without restricting movement'.

Fit and sizing

The biggest downfall of this jersey is the sizing. I tested this in the XS size, which to be honest seems a little generous in terms of measurements – my chest measure 30 inches, but the XS on the website is listed as 32-34 inches. I don't think there was an extra 2in of fabric in the jersey, and likewise around the waist.

Essentially, it seems to come up a little small. It was still a nice, snug fit, but I did struggle to get comfortable with a long sleeve base layer on underneath. The arms were quite long and I did find it a little annoying when the material bunched up by my wrists – perhaps I'm more like a T-Rex than I thought.

The biggest issue I had with this jersey was the length of the body. I'm not sure if it's some new aerodynamic trend, but the body just didn't feel long enough. It barely covered the top of my bib tights, and any sort of movement of the arms meant it would ride up.

This isn't the first time we've highlighted this in a Pas Normal jersey either, as Janine reviewed the short sleeve version last year and had the same problem.

If you look at the images of the model on the website, you can see it's slightly short. I didn't find it that noticeable when I was riding – but it did make me more self conscious when I was wearing it as a top layer. I much preferred using a light gilet over the top just to avoid having any fashion faux pas moments.

The final thing I'd like to mention is the colour. The 'off-white' colour is beautiful, but not really appropriate to riding in a British autumn. Particularly if you carry on using your posh bike until the first gritter of the year, though that's my fault...

There are several other muted colour options, though one benefit of the white is that I felt it made me more visible to other road users.

I did like the two-way zipper, and the pockets were fit for purpose. I could fit my usual stash of wallet, glasses, mini-pump, phone and food in there with relative ease – without needing to contort myself to retrieve any items.

Overall, it's a high-performance jersey that is genuinely versatile in terms of layering. I'd say short sleeve base layers work better as there's not a massive amount of stretch on the arms, but equally it's not bulky enough to be noticeable under a jacket.

Where it is let down is the fit. The body is simply very short, so in my opinion it will fit the few rather than the many.

Value

The price is quite high for a jersey, but then again, kit prices do seem to be trending in that direction and we've tested are a few similar offerings around this price point.

At £160 the 7mesh Women's Ashlu Merino Jersey LS that Emma reviewed in August comes in at the same price. Emma found that it worked well as a mid-layer in similar temperatures to the Escapism jersey.

For a little less you've got the option of the Stolen Goat Women's Green Kiko Bodyline LS Jersey at £130. Emma felt it suits changeable temperatures and dry conditions, like the Escapism jersey, but it had separate fit issues that brought the overall score down.

Conclusion

A high-quality autumn-cum-early winter top that works on its own or as part of a layering system. Decent size pockets and a double-ended zip contribute to the overall package, but the jersey's let down by its odd sizing, notably the short body and long sleeves.

Verdict

Excellent long-sleeve jersey for cold autumn and winter days, but the short body length lets it down