Bontrager Ballista Jersey

Bontrager's Ballista range is all about top end performance, which is why the £119.99 jersey fits so well while offering both breathability and an unbelievable range of movement. It carries an impressive amount of attention to detail too.

Made from Profila fabrics, the Ballista is all about technology and what can be achieved with it to create the best garment possible. It's a jersey of very few compromises and comes with an unexpectedly robust build quality, something a lot of lightweight kit doesn't offer.

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Profila is the name given to Bontrager's premium fabrics and a couple of them are used here. The Profila Dry, which is designed to wick moisture rapidly and dry quickly, is used on the front panels and sleeves. With 88 per cent elastane in its construction it's highly stretchy in all directions – which is what it has to do just for you to get it on. The snugness creates a kind of compressive feel that comes into its own on those long rides, a little extra muscle support if you like.

The Profila Cool mesh fabric, which makes up the rear and side panels, lets warm air escape as the wind blows over your back. As far as comfort in warm weather goes, the Ballista is hard to fault. It's one of the most impressive jerseys I've used in sunny conditions for modulating temperature. This could be down to the Coldblack technology, which stops black fabrics absorbing heat from the sun. I've used plenty of garments with this technology in the past and it's always difficult to gauge how effective it is.

> Check out our guide to the best summer cycling jerseys here

The fit might be snug, but as far as sizing goes it's on the generous side. By that I mean the sizes are realistic. I tested the medium which fits spot on in terms of length for the torso and arms, and although the fabric is supposed to be stretched once you put it on it's not tight or restrictive in any way.

The rear sits a couple of inches lower than the front and the whole jersey is held in place with a Lycra band at the bottom and nothing at all on the arms. The garment is so fitted that it requires nothing extra to maintain its position.

One neat touch is the pocket stitching. They aren't just sewn to the jersey at their lowest point like most, they are almost folded back underneath themselves before being fixed. This means when you load them up with your bits and bobs they have the material there to expand. This way they stay tight when full rather than sagging.

Now for the contentious issue of price... £120 for a jersey isn't actually that rare, and I can easily say that in relation to its competition the Ballista justifies the price tag. It's more than just a great jersey, it's special. The fit is spot on, the feel of the fabric, and the build quality all equate to a jersey that is more than the sum of its parts.

Expensive, yes, but you'll feel like a pro every time you put it on.

Verdict

Beautiful top level kit that'll make you feel like a pro