Chapeau Etape Jersey

The Chapeau Etape jersey abounds with thoughtful details that support its claim to be designed by cyclists.

Chapeau clothing is to use the firm's own words, 'is a brand conceived and developed by cyclists who yearned for great quality products that came complete with a touch of class.'

That sounds like a great basis from which to start. Not that cycling clothing is complicated but get it wrong and it can make a huge difference. Also if you are forking out wads of your hard earned cash then you want value for it.

The Etape cycling jersey from Chapeau is simple and understated in its design and looks. You have multi-panel construction, predominantly black with a white trim on the end of the sleeves. The light mesh material is cut for a slim fit but nothing to worry about if you feel you're in the racing whippet mould.

The material is a mix of 80 percent Nylon and 20 percent Lycra. The combination works well in keeping you ventilated and able to ride without overheating, and there's a full length zip to help when things do seriously warm up.

Surprising features

When you don a jersey it's nice to be surprised by some of the features that you notice. That's a clear indication that a cyclist or group of have sat down, decided what's missing, and done something about it.

The Etape has not three but four pockets. Three are where you'd expect to find them, on the rear, they are deep enough to stow your essentials. The fourth is to the side of them, so more on the hip and is designed to be easily accessible for food without interrupting your ride.

There is a water resistant, security zip sealed pocket too. The next nice touch is this pocket has eyelets to feed your headphone cable from here to the shoulder where a second eyelet acts as an outlet to keep your cables out of the way. Finally on the rear of these pockets is the brand logo but this is reflective to add a simple but useful bit of styling.

When you're out pedalling there is a silicone gripper on the back of the jersey to keep everything in place. When you see the jersey advertised on the Chapeau website there is one detail that catches your eye: designed and tested in the UK by real cyclists. Chapeau!

Conclusion

A simple design has been taken and improved to provide a jersey that is more than the sum of its parts. Together these innovative touches create a top that is simple a pleasure to wear. Oh did I mention it looks great too?

Verdict

Good quality jersey for a decent price with lots of great details.