Santini Women’s Volo Short Sleeve Jersey

The Santini Women's Volo Short Sleeve Jersey is a lightweight, aerodynamic and comfortable top ideal for summer riding and racing alike. It's up there with the best jerseys I have ever had the pleasure to review. It doesn't come cheap, but you can pay a lot more for similar.

• Pros: Lightweight, breathable, comfortable
• Cons: It isn't cheap, fabric a bit see-through

The first thing to note about the Volo Jersey is that it is incredibly lightweight. You'll notice I've mentioned that a lot because at just 105g, it's really impressive. It is constructed from a combination of two fabrics: breathable 'Rudy' for the front, sides and pockets, and strong, super-lightweight 'Bodyfit' for the sleeves and back.

> Find your nearest dealer here

The thin Rudy fabric on the partially white front panel means it is a little see-through in places but is also incredibly breathable as claimed and quick drying too.

While the thin fabric is designed for hot summer riding, with a recommended temperature of 18-35°C, the south of England is rarely that warm and paired with arm warmers and a gilet I found it quite comfortable in more mild, spring conditions too.

Santini has designed the jersey with comfort and aerodynamics in mind, leaving minimal seams which reduces the risk of any possible chafing. The sleeves have no stitching or grippers around the cuffs, just a simple, clean cut-off. The stretchy Bodyfit fabric on the sleeves isn't tight or restrictive and sat comfortably in place at all times.

The gripper around the base of the jersey isn't the most effective, allowing it to ride up my back ever so slightly, but nothing that affected me while riding.

One of my favourite aspects of the Volo Jersey is the collar design. It's high at the back, protecting your neck from the sun, but low at the front to help you stay cool. Santini says it is inspired by its aero skinsuit designs and adds to the aerodynamic fit of the jersey.

Santini kit always sizes up on the small side, and this is no different. The Volo Jersey is particularly slim fitting since it is intended to fit like a second skin. As a UK size 8, and someone who likes my race-fit jerseys tight, I found the medium here to be a good fit and wouldn't have wanted anything smaller. It's not me in the photos, by the way.

I personally loved the fit, with no excess material in sight. As with most race-fit jerseys, it certainly leaves little to the imagination. If you prefer your jerseys a little looser then this probably isn't for you.

Sadly, I don't have a wind tunnel at home to test how fast and aerodynamic the jersey really is. However, as it has the same cut as the Maglia Rosa and Boels-Dolmans Team Jerseys, I can easily believe that Santini has optimised the fit for speed.

The standard three rear pockets featured are reasonably sized and easy to reach, although there is no zipped pocket to store valuables. They are also very stretchy, meaning I was able to stuff them with plenty of food and spares for longer rides and they still held their shape once emptied.

I love the pattern and overall design of the jersey, which comes in three colour options: orange, pale blue or the violet that I tested, each with matching shorts. I headed out to enjoy the sun in the Volo shorts too, much to the envy of my riding buddies who were full of compliments for the stylish look of the matching set. Full review of the shorts to come.

> Buyer's Guide: 18 of the best summer cycling jerseys

With an RRP of £80, the Volo Jersey isn't cheap, but if you are looking for a quality summer jersey that will last, I'd say it's worth the money. Equivalent offerings from Rapha come in at over £40 more expensive, and I have to say I preferred the fit and comfort of the Volo jersey over the Rapha Souplesse Aero Jersey which I reviewed last summer. My recent top choice for a race-fit summer jersey has been the Rapha Souplesse Lightweight Jersey which I also reviewed last year, but Santini's offering here gives it a great run for its money at a significantly lower price. The only downside for me is that the Santini offering is lacking a zip pocket. A minor issue, though, and one I'm sure many of you will be prepared to overlook for the lower price and many other excellent qualities.

If you want to spend less, the Lusso Stripes S/S Ladies Jersey received some high praise and is definitely worth taking a look at.

Verdict

Everything you want from a performance summer jersey at a not-unreasonable price