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review
2024 Ciovita DriRelease Short Sleeve Baselayer.jpg£44.00
VERDICT:
Soft, comfortable, warm and effective in the cold – but not so great in warmer conditions
Soft, comfortable fabrics
Use of recycled material
Irritation-free seams
Excellent fit
Warm
Poor moisture wicking
Weight:
88g
Contact:
At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.
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The Ciovita DriRelease Short Sleeve Baselayer is a comfortable garment, thanks to its soft fabric and irritation-free stitching. But while Ciovita claims that its base layer offers 'excellent wicking' and is good for both warm and cold conditions', I found it was more effective for colder rides, the wicking not as effective as I'd hoped when things warmed up.
> Buy now: Ciovita DriRelease Short Sleeve Baselayer for £44 from Ciovita
Ciovita's base layer is constructed from a 'DriRelease' mesh blended fabric that is designed to combine a cooling performance in warmer conditions and a warming effect when it's colder.
I'm used to wearing sleeveless base layers and my first impressions of this top were very positive – the fabric is really soft on my skin and the fit excellent.
The stretch of the material meant that the base layer was tight but not restrictive, and the length of the torso and sleeves was about right too, which isn't always the case with base layers.
The construction quality feels very good, with neat seams that I couldn't feel at all when I was wearing it.
And one further big plus, at least as far as I'm concerned, is that the DriRelease fabric is made from recycled materials.
I tested this base layer in a wide range of late autumn conditions, which ranged from a mild 15°C to a somewhat chillier -2°C. And in addition to this I also wore it for some indoor rides in a turbo room that's usually around 20°C.
And I have to say that I found that the base layer performed much better in the colder conditions. I think this is because the material is thicker than that used in a lot of other base layers I've worn.
When it was warmer, however, I didn't feel the top was at effective at wicking as I'd hoped for. On warmer test rides I found that it retained a reasonable amount of sweat and was damp at the end of the rides.
Indoor rides are really tough tests, and they showed that the base layer just wasn't as effective at dealing with sweat as other base layers. This doesn't make it a bad top, but this really is one for rides when the temperature's lower than 10°C, and not for warm-weather riding.
Value
The Ciovita DriRelease base layer's £44 price is towards the upper end for an all-round base layer, and I feel there are some other options that may offer you a little better value.
My go-to is the dhb Short Sleeve Base Layer, which offers similar features and comes in at just £28.
I've also used the Castelli Pro Issue SS Base Layer for years, and have found it a very good all-rounder. At £48 its RRP is a little higher than the Ciovita's but in practice you're likely to be able to find it for less.
Our favourite sleeveless, short- and long-sleeved choices are covered in our best cycling base layers buyer's guide.
Conclusion
I found the Ciovita DriRelease Short Sleeve Baselayer both comfortable and a very good fit, but while it performed excellently induring colder rides, it just wasn't as effective as I'd hoped at wicking away sweat when things got a little warmer.
Verdict
Soft, comfortable, warm and effective in the cold – but not so great in warmer conditions
> Buy now: Ciovita DriRelease Short Sleeve Baselayer for £44 from Ciovita
road.cc test report
Make and model: Ciovita DriRelease Short Sleeve Baselayer
Size tested: Small
Tell us what the product is for
This baselayer is designed for all-round conditions. Its DriRelease mesh fabric is designed to both keep you warm when it's colder, but also to wick sweat and keep you cool during warmer rides.
Ciovita claims: "Soft, super lightweight DriRelease fabric dries four times faster than cotton and wicks moisture from your skin so that it evaporates fast to leave you dry and cool when it's hot and warm and comfortable when it's cold."
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
The DriRelease fabric is the main technical component.
Ciovita says:
This baselayer features our patented drirelease Mesh blend fabric which lends a variety of properties to the baselayer. Firstly, the fast drying fabric has excellent moisture wicking, which moves sweat away from skin. This means that it is a great choice for both summer and winter as it is able to keep you warm when it's cold and cool when it's hot. This feature comes from the fabric itself and will not wash out over time.
The fabric is also super lightweight and comes with an anti-bacterial polygeine treatment to reduce odours.
The baselayer is constructed from recycled fabrics meaning it isn't just good for your ride, but good for the planet too.
Short Sleeve Pro Fit
Contrast Stitching Ciovita Branded Transfer
Self Fabric Binding
Advance Moisture Wicking
Quickdry
Rate the product for quality of construction:
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
6/10
My main issue was the fabric's wicking performance of the fabric – I didn't find that it dealt well with moisture as well as I'd hoped, especially given Ciovita's claims. So, while it was great when it was colder, it wasn't as effective during warmer rides.
Rate the product for durability:
8/10
Rate the product for fit:
8/10
The good fit – the stretch of the fabric made the fit tight but not restrictive.
Rate the product for sizing:
9/10
I'm 181cm tall and wear small in most cycling brands – and Ciovita's sizing was perfect for me.
Rate the product for weight:
7/10
It's a little heavier than some of the other mesh base layers I've worn, but at just 88g it's still a genuinely lightweight product.
Rate the product for comfort:
9/10
Very comfortable – the fabric's soft and the well-constructed seams caused no irritation.
Rate the product for value:
4/10
I could deal with some of the flaws if it was a little cheaper. The £44 price doesn't feel great value for something I'd just wear in colder conditions.
How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?
It hasn't shown any deterioration in around 10 washes, using the recommended 40°C wash and without using fabric conditioner.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
It was 50:50 – I really appreciated the base layer in cool conditions, when it provided good warmth. But it didn't deal as well with sweat as well as I'd hoped during warmer rides and indoor turbo sessions.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
The fit, which was just right on the sleeves and torso. And the fabric is soft and comfortable and soft against your skin.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
The moisture wicking wasn't as good as other base layers I've worn, and during warmer rides the base layer retained sweat. In spite of the claims Ciovita makes for it, I don't think I'd choose to wear this above around 15°C.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
The £44 retail price is towards the upper end of what you'd expect to pay for a quality all-round base layer. MY go-to is dhb's Lightweight Mesh Short Sleeve Baselayer, which comes in much cheaper at £28. That said, you won't be surprised to hear that the Rapha equivalent comes in at a pricier £60.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? No – not effective in a wide range of conditions.
Would you recommend the product to a friend? No
Use this box to explain your overall score
The base layer just wasn't versatile enough for me, and I feel there are better options available.
About the tester
Age: 34
I usually ride: S-Works Tarmac My best bike is:
I've been riding for: Under 5 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, Gravel on a CX bike
Nick hails from the west country and combines riding bikes with hitting balls with cricket bats and golf clubs. You'll find him riding a mix of road, cyclocross and XC MTB.
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1 comments
I'm confused. What base layer isn't damp after a warm effort - it's the purpose of their entire existence. Wringing wet I might agree with.
If you're looking for a knitted base layer for the shoulder seasons that's not as warm are merino I can recommend the Altura Tempo. Frequently found cheaper than its £40 rrp.
https://road.cc/content/review/altura-tempo-seamless-short-sleeve-basela...