Review: Kalas Cycling UK women's jersey

I have really enjoyed seeing Cycling UK’s new brand launch this year, so I was excited to see how this would look on our new kit and have an opportunity to test it out. The jersey is produced by Kalas, a family-owned company, with its headquarters in the Czech Republic. I tried out the women’s fit, but it is also available in standard fit and junior sizes.

First things first, the new brand looks great on these jerseys. The bright orange is balanced out by the muted grey and it’s a lovely use of the cog design, a key feature of the new brand. It feels stylish and modern to wear and I can see friends asking about it and wanting to know more about Cycling UK – never a bad thing!

It’s a short sleeve jersey, but with slightly longer sleeves than some, which I enjoy, but is very much a personal preference. The sleeves are silicone lined to prevent too much movement, as is the waistband. I would have liked to see a little more length in the back, and although better than some, I did find the jersey rode up quite easily. 

It has a full-length zip, which is always useful for those warm days when you need a bit of extra air. The zip itself is good quality, with guards to prevent rubbing against the skin. The pockets are fairly standard, a good depth for all the key items and a keyring clip in one of the pockets is always a useful addition.

The material is SPINN, which in terms we would understand is a kind of knitted polyester, with a layer of microfiber against the skin to remove sweat to the outer later.

I really liked the mesh-like material, both for comfort (it’s very soft) and it felt more breathable than some jerseys I have, and was very quick to dry out, so the SPINN certainly seems to be doing what it’s meant to be!

It comes in six sizes. I almost always fall between two sizes and went for the Size two. This was a tight fit, so if you are looking for a race fit, I’d go with your standard size, but if you like a more relaxed fit, or you fall between sizes, I’d recommend sizing up.

I also found the neck a little restricting when zipped up fully, but this could be down to needing a larger size more generally.

The jersey retails for £99. This is more than I would usually spend on a jersey, but in reality, it’s in line with other good-quality brands. Kalas also offers Cycling UK members a 15% discount on its cycling apparel and accessories, bringing this to £84.15.

Verdict

I really like the fresh, modern style of this jersey and it’s comfortable and practical to wear. There are a few elements I would adjust, but some of these might be down to the need to size up if you’re not used to a race fit. The cost compares to other similar brands and the Cycling UK discount helps make this even more appealing. 

The jerseys are available now from Kalas.