Rapha Winter Jersey - how warm?

ajb72

I have been offered the latest version of Rapha's winter jersey at a good price. On first view it looks nice, but not overly thick/warm.

Anyone have experience on what sort of temperature range this works in? I appreciate we all have different tolerance to cold weather but it would be interesting to know how effective this is, or whether it requires lots of layering etc.

philbar72

warm enough. i use the standard long sleeve jersey and last weekend in 1-2 degree temeratures it was absolutely fine. thats with just a running top on underneath for a 1 and a half hour ride.

can't say the same for my feet! like blocks of ice....

ajb72

philbar72 wrote:

warm enough. i use the standard long sleeve jersey and last weekend in 1-2 degree temeratures it was absolutely fine. thats with just a running top on underneath for a 1 and a half hour ride.

can't say the same for my feet! like blocks of ice....

Cheers, that's interesting although it sounds like you don't feel the cold much (feet apart!). I struggled with cold feet until I picked up a pair of Gore Xenon thermo overshoes in the sales - awesome, although not pretty!

il_principe

It's very warm. I've been wearing it with just a base layer on some pretty cold rides this winter. At 0 or below you might want a windproof gilet over the top as well. It's a lovely bit of kit, the best bit of Rapha kit I've owned.

ajb72

Thanks, another opinion suggesting this is warmer than I suspected. That's what I'd hoped for, it just looks too thin to cope! The size large I have been offered is roomy enough to wear a base layer and jersey underneath if needed, so sounds like that would be enough to cope with everything except wet conditions?

Hanners

I wore mine last Saturday with just a base layer and i was plenty warm enough

schlepcycling

Ok, I'll offer a different view. My version of the Rapha winter jersey is a couple of years old so may differ from the current version and I find that it's fine down to about 4-5 degrees with a long sleeved base layer underneath, but below that I find I get too cold, maybe I just run colder than everyone else.

daviesee

A superb piece of kit! Rapha do some over priced items that quite rightly get flamed but this is one of those items that their good reputation is built on.
It has a very effective windstopper layer on the front and shoulders and a long vent on either side to cool down if you get too hot on those Spring days that works equally well. The back is breathable which also helps.
The only slight downside is that my arms get cold @ 5 degrees and below due to wind chill if travelling quickly due to no wind stopper layer there.
I have been lucky enough to have never been caught in the rain so I cannot comment on that score.

Conclusion:-
Use with a S/S base layer down to 5 degrees.
Use with a L/S base layer 0-5 degrees.
Add an additional wind layer at less than zero.
Carry a light rain jacket for the rain or as an additional layer below zero.
YMMV.
If you can get it at a reasonable price - Do It!

ajb72

Hanners wrote:

I wore mine last Saturday with just a base layer and i was plenty warm enough

How cold was it? (didn't ride last w/e due to manflu!!

ajb72

daviesee wrote:

A superb piece of kit! Rapha do some over priced items that quite rightly get flamed but this is one of those items that their good reputation is built on.
It has a very effective windstopper layer on the front and shoulders and a long vent on either side to cool down if you get too hot on those Spring days that works equally well. The back is breathable which also helps.
The only slight downside is that my arms get cold @ 5 degrees and below due to wind chill if travelling quickly due to no wind stopper layer there.
I have been lucky enough to have never been caught in the rain so I cannot comment on that score.

Conclusion:-
Use with a S/S base layer down to 5 degrees.
Use with a L/S base layer 0-5 degrees.
Add an additional wind layer at less than zero.
Carry a light rain jacket for the rain or as an additional layer below zero.
YMMV.
If you can get it at a reasonable price - Do It!

Cheers, that's incredibly helpful. Seems the popular vote is this is a superb jersey and quite versatile then? Looks like a purchase to me!

Just out of interest then, what it the warmest you think you can wear this in? Double figures celcius, or too warm for that?

asprilla

ajb72 wrote:

daviesee wrote:

A superb piece of kit! Rapha do some over priced items that quite rightly get flamed but this is one of those items that their good reputation is built on.
It has a very effective windstopper layer on the front and shoulders and a long vent on either side to cool down if you get too hot on those Spring days that works equally well. The back is breathable which also helps.
The only slight downside is that my arms get cold @ 5 degrees and below due to wind chill if travelling quickly due to no wind stopper layer there.
I have been lucky enough to have never been caught in the rain so I cannot comment on that score.

Conclusion:-
Use with a S/S base layer down to 5 degrees.
Use with a L/S base layer 0-5 degrees.
Add an additional wind layer at less than zero.
Carry a light rain jacket for the rain or as an additional layer below zero.
YMMV.
If you can get it at a reasonable price - Do It!

Cheers, that's incredibly helpful. Seems the popular vote is this is a superb jersey and quite versatile then? Looks like a purchase to me!

Just out of interest then, what it the warmest you think you can wear this in? Double figures celcius, or too warm for that?

I wouldn't wear mine in double figures but I do run quite warm.

In the cold though I's making me question whether I actually need my rapha softshell.

daviesee

ajb72 wrote:

Just out of interest then, what it the warmest you think you can wear this in? Double figures celcius, or too warm for that?

Realistic situation - Spring day at 5 degrees in the morning rising to 12.
That would be too cold early on for a normal jersey so I would choose the Winter one easy.
The vents work well and unzipping the neck would be fine to 12 degrees IMHO, all with a thin S/S base layer.

If the forecast was to go above 12 then I would use a B/L, normal jersey, arm warmers and a light wind jacket.

ajb72

Asprilla wrote:

ajb72 wrote:

daviesee wrote:

A superb piece of kit! Rapha do some over priced items that quite rightly get flamed but this is one of those items that their good reputation is built on.
It has a very effective windstopper layer on the front and shoulders and a long vent on either side to cool down if you get too hot on those Spring days that works equally well. The back is breathable which also helps.
The only slight downside is that my arms get cold @ 5 degrees and below due to wind chill if travelling quickly due to no wind stopper layer there.
I have been lucky enough to have never been caught in the rain so I cannot comment on that score.

Conclusion:-
Use with a S/S base layer down to 5 degrees.
Use with a L/S base layer 0-5 degrees.
Add an additional wind layer at less than zero.
Carry a light rain jacket for the rain or as an additional layer below zero.
YMMV.
If you can get it at a reasonable price - Do It!

Cheers, that's incredibly helpful. Seems the popular vote is this is a superb jersey and quite versatile then? Looks like a purchase to me!

Just out of interest then, what it the warmest you think you can wear this in? Double figures celcius, or too warm for that?

I wouldn't wear mine in double figures but I do run quite warm.

In the cold though I's making me question whether I actually need my rapha softshell.

I think that's hit the nail on the head. I ordered a Castelli softshell, but it strikes me that it's not properly waterproof and probably too warm for anything other than low single figure temperatures. The winter jersey sounds more versatile as I can stick a rain jacket over the top for the worst weather. Saves quite a few £'s in the process over the Castelli too.

Thanks again all for your input.

APIII

It seems significantly thicker than the regular long sleeve jersey, but I sent mine back as the fit was a lot looser than I expected and it just didn't feel as good as something like an Assos air jack. Bit disappointed really as their other jackets are great, the pro team in particular is superb.

daviesee

APIII wrote:

It seems significantly thicker than the regular long sleeve jersey, but I sent mine back as the fit was a lot looser than I expected and it just didn't feel as good as something like an Assos air jack. Bit disappointed really as their other jackets are great, the pro team in particular is superb.

The Winter Jersey is probably more fitted to suit it's intended market - Me, the MAMIL. :oops:
The Pro Team kit is probably as named - more suited to racers, i.e. - Assos fit.

FatTed

One of the best jerseys I own, temperature below 11degrees Centigrade, arms are not windproof
It does not get cold here, I just use a thin baselayer, I guess if it gets colder you could use arm warmers.

bigpikle

This is interesting - always wanted one of these but was put off by the black, but now its red its more interesting...

I have a thick merino winter jersey from another company, and its much thicker and brushed than a normal l/s merino jersey but I wore it last weekend on a dry day and even with a l/s baselayer I was pretty cold. It doesnt have the windproof layer though which I think is the key.