MAAP Women’s Alt_Road Jersey

The MAAP Alt_Road Jersey is the priciest in the women's range perhaps thanks to its merino wool blend. It's made for 'alternate paths,' by which they presumably mean gravel riding, with robust ripstop panels and earthy tones. It doesn't look out of place on the road either. It's very breathable for hot rides with a high quality feel, but it doesn't hide moisture (or you) very well and is very short in the body.

This jersey is silky-soft to the touch, a blend of 47% merino wool, 49% nylon, and a bit of elastane. This natural/synthetic mix not only feels dreamy against skin but also delivers a smooth, crease-free finish for a clean aesthetic.

The inside is pretty smooth too, with soft flatlock seams which left no imprints on me even after a good few hours on the bike. Unfortunately all this, in combination with the single colour, leaves absolutely nothing to the imagination, which is a bit annoying.

The rear pockets and sides are ripstop (woven nylon) for durability, and certainly there are no signs of wear or tear anywhere on the jersey which I have had for a rather elongated test period.

I tested a size small, which is my standard and what MAAP's guide suggests, but it was very small on me. I can just about get away with wearing it, but I feel a bit self-conscious.

The most obvious issue is the body length – sure, this is MAAP's Team Fit for a streamlined, aero, second-skin feel, but it's a full 4cm shorter than my race-cut Rapha jersey in size small.

At least the grippers do the job well, clinging without leaving any marks despite sitting in the wrong place for me (do I have to say that's not me in the pictures? Because it's not.)

I do like the long sleeves. They finish just above my elbows with no hem for a classy feel, and there are breathable green panels under the armpits. While it could look a little odd to have racing green 'pits, the matching hip panels and green zip pull the look together nicely.

The neckline is military-neat with a smooth round shape and sits in a comfortable spot. There's no zip garage but this adds to the clean aesthetic. The YKK zip has a robust, secure feel and its bold blue toggle is a nice extra touch.

This jersey is designed for 20-40C temperatures, with an antimicrobial and anti-odour treatment and SPF 50+ protection to match. I tested it on everything from the turbo to sweltering heatwave rides and found it quite cool, but unfortunately sweat leaves visible patches. It does at least dry quite fast.

Obviously this is a very light colour, which doesn't help, but while two of the three other colour options are dark (teal and burgundy), it remains to be seen if they're dark enough to hide the dampness. The final colour, lilac, definitely won't be.

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The three pockets across the back sit flush against the jersey and are at a practical height for easy mid-ride access. The zipped valuables pocket looks classy in a pop of violet, finishing with a blue toggle to match the front.

Value

At £150 this is a very expensive jersey, but certainly not alone. Pas Normal Studio's Women's Escapism Wool Jersey is £155, for instance (and also comes up short for size). Santini's stay-cool UV offering, the Redux Stamina Women's S/S Jersey is £160 and scored well in our test, too.

However, the majority of summer jerseys we test are under £100, and some – such as the nicely breathable Nopinz Pro-1 Jersey – are very good indeed, though admittedly don't use the virgin merino wool you're getting here.

Overall

The Alt_Road is no small investment, but it won't leave you wanting for quality, breathability or looks – provided you're not shy, anyway, given its revealing nature. The visible sweat patches might not suit you though, and you may well want to size up, especially if your summer shorts aren't that tall.

Verdict

Silky-soft, beautifully made and very breathable, but small, short and rather revealing