Vermarc Zero Aqua PRR Long Sleeved Jersey

Belgian cycling kit manufacturer Vermarc produces kit for both Etixx Quick Step and Lotto Soudal professional race teams, so when it comes to clothing for wet and cold days they know a thing or two. The Zero Aqua PRR jersey superbly showcases that knowledge.

This weekend I had a bit of an off while riding the rather wet roads of Northern France at the Paris Roubaix challenge, and I wasn't even on a cobbled section. Nothing major, a couple of scratches here and there and a banged up knee. Seems irrelevant but oddly it was this crash that made me realise how highly I rate the Vermarc Zero Aqua Jersey, as I was far more concerned that I had put a hole in it than I was about the integrity of my own body parts.

The reason I love this jersey is the way the fabric handles rain. Granted it's not quite as much of a barrier to rain as a full on waterproof jacket, but without any kind of hard-shell type outer layer to the jersey, water just beads up and rolls right off you. On my first ride I was suitably impressed, but wary, as I've had supposedly waterproof clothing on test in the past that completely loses its 'waxed car' properties as soon as you even think about a washing machine. However, the Zero Aqua came out of the wash just as impermeable as it had been when it came out of the plastic packaging. At this point I knew I had a bit of a winner on my hands.

The breathability of the jersey is also excellent, especially considering its waterproof properties. A nice fleecy material on the inside keeps you warm on chillier mornings, and when paired with another jersey and/or base layer underneath, I was happy wearing the Aqua Zero down into the lower single digit temperatures.

Fit is as I've come to expect from Vermarc, excellent. Being tall and relatively skinny I sometimes have trouble with arm and torso lengths on jerseys but not the case with the Zero Aqua. The arms extend all the way to my wrists allowing for the all important glove overlap to be possible in colder conditions, and the back of the jersey was more than far enough down my back to achieve plenty of coverage. A silicone gripper at the edge also ensured that the jersey never rode up.

There is also a fold out flap to protect your bum which is a nice addition, and will keep at least a bit more of the rear wheel spray out of your bottoms. Having a way of being able to secure the flap up inside the jersey when it isn't needed would have been nice but I'm nitpicking.

The rear of the jersey has two large pockets, closed off by a single zip, which is then covered by a flap of material to ensure no water is going to leak through into the pockets. This worked excellently, and I had enough confidence to put my phone in the pockets with no extra water protection even on wet days. The zip is slightly fiddly to use when you're riding along, but this was a compromise I was happy to make in order to ensure my phone and wallet remained dry.

I'm trying to stay away from directly comparing the Zero Aqua to a Castelli Gabba as I've not spent that much time in a Gabba, but there's no doubt that comparisons can and will be drawn between the two. If it were my money, I think I'd buy the Zero Aqua. I see it as a slightly more versatile garment, that is £60 less than it's scorpion-emblazoned counterpart.

A note on the price. It's £125, and, yes, that is a lot of money but I would buy one of these in an instant. It's one of the best jerseys I've ever tested, and has become my go-to jersey on those days where it's threatening to rain/drizzling all day.

Overall, I have massively enjoyed using the Zero Aqua PRR jersey, and it cements my view that Vermarc are producing some of the best cycling kit around at the moment. This jersey has gone straight to the top of my wet weather kit bag.

Verdict

Fantastic, well fitted, waterproof jersey for damp and cold conditions