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review

Santini Grido Thermal Unisex Long Sleeve Base Layer

8
£120.00

VERDICT:

8
10
Near-perfect performance but this winter thermal comes with a lofty price tag
Brilliant fit
Great sweat wicking
Very warm
Expensive
Weight: 
138g

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The Santini Grido Thermal Unisex Long Sleeve Base Layer is excellent for winter riding. The fit is brilliant, and the dual layered fabric offers bags of protection from the cold, but it comes at a hefty price.

The prospect of rain, sleet and snow puts many people off cycling in winter, but with the correct kit it can be great fun. A good winter baselayer will help to insulate your body by trapping the heat you produce through physical exertion, and wick away sweat to prevent freezing at the cafe.

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Now there are many baselayers out there on the market and plenty of choice, but over the testing period I have come to love the Santini Grido. It's the most effective thermal baselayer I have ever tried. Santini has made a perfect cycling thermal for both on and off-road riding.

2021 Santini Grido Thermal Unisex Long Sleeve Base Layer - back.jpg

Starting off with the material composition, the Grido Thermal has a merino wool interior with a more stretchy form-fitting polyamide exterior. Merino wool provides plenty of warmth along with moisture-wicking properties – exactly what you want from a thermal – while the polyamide exterior gives the baselayer a close comfortable fit around your torso.

2021 Santini Grido Thermal Unisex Long Sleeve Base Layer - inside.jpg

There is no loose fabric around the neck or the arms, and this combination of fabric choice and cut means the baselayer fits perfectly under a long-sleeve jersey.

2021 Santini Grido Thermal Unisex Long Sleeve Base Layer - chest.jpg

The length is perfect, too, with the shaping at the hem allowing for a smooth integration with bib tights, preventing any additional irritation and minimising the chance for any cold air to reach your skin. I'd say the baselayer comes up true to size: for reference I am 6ft 2in and 75kg, and a size medium fits me perfectly.

2021 Santini Grido Thermal Unisex Long Sleeve Base Layer - hem.jpg

As for the operational temperature range, I found the Grido comfortable from 8°C and below for both off-road riding and cycling on the road. It is possible to remain comfortable on the road at warmer temperatures thanks to the increased air flow, but off-road I would opt for a lighter baselayer.

The only real downside to the Grido is the price. It's the best thermal baselayer I've used, but at £120 it is also the most expensive! The Assos Ultraz Winter LS Skin Layer comes close at £105 (Emma tested the women's, the men's is the same price), and GripGrab's Freedom is £90, but Matt thought the Spatz BASEZ 2 Black Baselayer was superb for cold weather (if lacking adjustability at the neck) and that's 'only' £75.

> Winter cycling clothing: 49 of the warmest garments you can buy 

Overall, the Santini Grido Thermal is a fantastic winter baselayer, but there are plenty of very effective thermals for less.

Verdict

Near-perfect performance but this winter thermal comes with a lofty price tag

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Santini Grido Thermal Unisex Long Sleeve Base Layer

Size tested: Medium

Tell us what the product is for

Santini says: 'Santini Grido Thermal Unisex Long Sleeve Base Layer is made with Polartec Power Wool to provide high insulation against the cold'

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

Santini lists:

THERMAL BALANCE

Made of POLARTEC® Power Wool fabric bi-component with Merino Wool interior and stretch Polyamide on the exterior that transfers moisture out while enhancing thermo regulation

PERFECT FIT

A clever, elongated cut ensures a seamless fit under bib-tights

ODOR CONTROL

Optimized odour-free performance

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10

Very sturdy baselayer.

Rate the product for performance:
 
10/10

Phenominal insulation.

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

Fits true to size and conforms to your torso.

Rate the product for sizing:
 
9/10
Rate the product for weight:
 
8/10
Rate the product for comfort:
 
10/10

The merino wool layer is extremely comfortable.

Rate the product for value:
 
5/10

The performance is excellent, but you do have to pay for it.

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

Washed fairly well with no shrinking that you can often experience with cheaper baselayers.

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

Performed well in a wide range of temperatures. If you have this thermal on, you will not be cold!

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

How comfortable and effective this baselayer is.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Nothing.

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

It performs very well, but it is also priced significantly higher than a number of good quality baselayers we've reviewed.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

Hard to fault on quality and performance, the only downside is the price. It's very, very good.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 20  Height: 6 ft 2 in  Weight: 75kg

I usually ride: Giant TCR  My best bike is: Giant Trinty

I've been riding for: 5-10 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, club rides, the occasional bit of track

Add new comment

2 comments

Avatar
Chris Hayes | 3 years ago
0 likes

Would've snatched Santini's hands off last week, but it's going to be 13'C tomorrow and 17'C over the weekend! YAY! 😁 

Avatar
RoubaixCube replied to Chris Hayes | 3 years ago
0 likes

aparently the UK is due for one more cold snap soon.

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