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Tactic Sport Hard Day Long Sleeve Jersey

8
£98.00

VERDICT:

8
10
Stylish, snug-fitting layer with well-judged sleeves and cuffs for easy glove pairing
Breathable
Well-cut sleeves
Stretchy cuffs
Snug, slim fit
No scratchy labels
High neck cut could be tight, and no zip garage
Weight: 
270g

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Tactic Sports' Hard Day Long Sleeve Jersey is a slim-fitting, fleecy layer that works very well for spring and autumn days. The sleeves are a great length and the stretchy, well-cut cuff design helps when pairing with short cuffed-gloves. I found the high neck a little tight, though, and there's no top garage on the zip so it wasn't that comfy to ride with it done all the way up.

Tactic is a Girona-based apparel brand that has previously focused only on custom kit, but has recently expanded its offerings to include stylish performance options for general sale.

> Buy this online here

Designed and manufactured in-house, the Hard Day Long Sleeve jersey is made from a 80% polyester, 20% elastane blend. It's stretchy and soft to the touch, so nice to have straight up against your skin.

The cut is described as being an 'aerodynamic race fit' – it's slim but not restrictive. I found it hugged my figure well while still providing room to pair with a baselayer for cooler outings.

Tactic Sport Hard Day Long Sleeve Jersey back.JPG

It's not windproof at all, but the fabric is reasonably thin so easy enough to add a race-fit windproof layer on top.

The Hard Day isn't the warmest long sleeve – you'd need to pair it with a decent baselayer to wear in even high single figures. But thanks to well-placed mesh inserts at the underarms that massively help with breathability, it'll cover milder spring and autumn days. This breathability also helps on colder days when you're pushing on the pace for prolonged periods.

Tactic Sport Hard Day Long Sleeve Jersey side.JPG

The sleeves are cut long so there's no chance of a dreaded skin gap between the jersey ending and where your gloves begin. To ensure coverage for the tops of your hands, the stretchy cuff has also been cut slightly longer round one side. This is a neat touch for gloves with a short cuff and works very well.

Tactic Sport Hard Day Long Sleeve Jersey sleeve cuff.JPG

The elasticity of this sleeve cuff means it sits flush against your skin so there's no chance of chilly air finding a way inside, and also makes the jersey easy to take on and off.

A full length YKK camlock zip with a garage at the bottom is smooth to use, but the tag could do with being longer for easy grabbing with gloves while riding. The zipper is white and designed to be concealed, but I've found the fabric on either side never sits flush and so parts are visible, so doesn't look as smart as the rest of the jersey.

The high collar keeps your neck snugly warm and blocks out the fresh wind well, but there's no zip garage at the top to prevent irritating chin rub. However, care and wash instructions are handily printed on the inside of the collar, so there's no irritation caused by labels.

Tactic Sport Hard Day Long Sleeve Jersey high neck.JPG

There are three standard pockets at the rear, as well as a zipped security one for keys. These are all a good size, but the zipped pocket isn't water resistant, so beware when stashing valuables.

Tactic Sport Hard Day Long Sleeve Jersey zip pocket.JPG

The waist hem of the dropped rear has a silicone gripper tucked away on the inside and it's also very wide (4cm) as well as elasticated. There's good length to the tail of the jersey so it covers your back well and the gripper ensures it stays put superbly.

Tactic Sport Hard Day Long Sleeve Jersey gripper.JPG

There's also a small reflective panel for a touch of visibility, but this only extends the width of the middle pocket.

Tactic Sport Hard Day Long Sleeve Jersey back pocket.JPG

There are plenty of subtle styles to choose from in the same three-tone design as the grey 'rock' option I tested: ice (light blue), lime (light yellow), leaf (pink/coral) and lake (dark blue).

Costing £98, this well-fitting jersey is reasonable value for a performance long sleeve. Sportful's Bodyfit Pro Women's Thermal Jersey is at the £100 mark and is similarly nicely styled. It also impressed with it's performance-focused fit and great breathability, but doesn't have a zipped valuables pocket.

> How to choose the best clothing for cycling in spring

I recently tested Le Col's more expensive £165 Hors Categorie Long Sleeve Jersey. It has a comfier inner liner and is impressively thin, meaning it's easier to layer with, but I found the sleeves of the Le Col too short and the cuffs too tight, whereas this is where the Tactic offering excels.

> Read more road.cc reviews of women’s cycling kit here

Overall, this is a great-fitting performance layer for riding in spring/autumn. It's not that warm by itself, so it doesn't have the largest temperature range, but the breathability is good, extending its use into milder days.

Verdict

Stylish, snug-fitting layer with well-judged sleeves and cuffs for easy glove pairing

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Tactic Sport Hard Day Long Sleeve Jersey

Size tested: Small

Tell us what the product is for

Tactic Sport says: 'With an aerodynamic race fit, the Hard Day women's jersey now comes in two new colours for the 2020/21 season, meaning you can ride in style this winter without compromising on performance.

Designed in-house in our Girona factory and made using lightweight, breathable fabrics, this jersey takes the KOM for comfort, sustainability and performance. Thermal lycra will keep you warm when the days get cold while strategically positioned mesh inserts maintain breathability for when the riding gets tough. "

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

Tactic Sport lists:

PATTERN - Slim fit . Designed to adapt to the cyclist and give the greatest comfort on the bike.

COLOR - Grey.

COLLAR - Anatomical and asymmetric, higher on the front part, to protect the neck.

SLEEVE - Classic and elegant sleeve that fits perfectly to the cyclist's position.

FABRICS - All the jersey is made with thermal lycra. High elasticity with very good thermal protection and good breathability

ZIPPER - YKK zipper with Camlock handle (zipper lock).

ADJUSTABLE WAISTLINE - Elastic rubber with inner GRIP. Maximum fit and comfort.

FINISHES - Concealed zipper and invisible seams. ('Overlock'). Reflective strips on the lower part of the pocket

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10
Rate the product for fit:
 
8/10

Perfect around the main body. Also great sleeve length and dropped rear. Tight fit at the high neck.

Rate the product for sizing:
 
8/10

Spot on.

Rate the product for weight:
 
7/10
Rate the product for comfort:
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
5/10

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

Washes well in 30 degree machine wash as instructed.

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

Snug-fitting layer that's excellent on mild spring/autumn days. It pairs very well with short-cuffed gloves thanks to its well-judged sleeve length and stretchy cuffs. Just need to put a decent baselayer below if riding in single figures as this is not the warmest long sleeve.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The fit, the long sleeves and the stretchy cuff.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

The cut at the neck and the lack of zip garage.

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

It is a similar price to other race-fitting long sleeve options such as Sportful's Bodyfit Pro Women's Thermal Jersey.

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

It's very good: a great-fitting performance layer with very well-designed sleeves and cuffs for riding in spring/autumn. By itself it is not very warm and so it doesn't have the largest temperature range, but the breathability is good so its use extends more to milder days. Also missing a zip garage at the neck.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 23  Height: 177cm  Weight: 63kg

I usually ride: Road bike  My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, cyclo cross, commuting, touring, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, Gravel riding, indoor turbo and rollers, track

Add new comment

6 comments

Avatar
Sam3 | 2 years ago
0 likes

Looks like this with a thin wool layer would be really good for autumn...

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Tactic_Craig replied to Sam3 | 2 years ago
0 likes

Definitely! Spring, early winter and unfortunately UK summer as well! 

Avatar
zero_trooper | 2 years ago
0 likes

Nice cuffs!

And with 'aerodynamic race fit' you know what you're getting into…

 

Avatar
Tactic_Craig replied to zero_trooper | 2 years ago
0 likes

Thanks, we think they're great too! smiley

Avatar
Secret_squirrel | 2 years ago
0 likes

Is it Italian or English sizing?

Avatar
Tactic_Craig replied to Secret_squirrel | 2 years ago
0 likes

Italian 

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