Pearl Izumi Interval SS jersey

The Pearl Izumi Interval jersey is a lightweight, breathable, and comfortable warm weather jersey. Although there is no getting round the high price, the performance goes a long way to justifying it.

The first thing you notice about this jersey is just how lightweight it is – not only coming in at a smidge over 100g, but also the material itself which is thin and perforated, so feels almost weightless when you're wearing it. What this normally means is that it's see-through, but that's not the case with this jersey, so you don't feel exposed.

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It is therefore no surprise that this is a great jersey for hot weather. I used it up to around 26°C and would have been happy to wear it into higher temperatures because the breathability is excellent. When riding you can feel the breeze coming through the material really effectively, and your bodyheat isn't trapped at all. Wicking is great too: any sweat you do generate is quickly moved away from the body to the outer material where it dries.

The fit is close and aero, with a fair amount of stretch within the material allowing it to contour easily to the body regardless of size or shape. There is no excess material flapping about to sap any watts. The elongated sleeves without thick hems assist with this aero performance.

My favourite ride in this jersey included a deserted central London in 26 degree heat – partly because it was the most surreal ride of my life, and also because it gave me the best chance in my lifetime to get some Strava KOMs on Embankment. This meant that for a large portion of it I was going one hundred per cent, yet this jersey kept me cool and comfortable throughout.

On the back of the jersey Pearl Izumi has included three large open pockets with a reflective logo on the middle one. These were large enough to fit everything I needed for a multi-hour ride. The only slight downside is that, like many lightweight jerseys, there isn't a zip pocket for your valuables.

It does have a silicone gripper that keeps everything nicely in place and stops it riding up – something that can be quite difficult in a material that is so lightweight.

At the front of the jersey is a full length YKK zipper that feels robust and reliable. This allows you to increase airflow if required, although to be honest there was only one time that I felt I needed to, which was during some hill intervals in high heat.

One small element I really like that shows the attention to detail is the material covering the zip. On some lightweight jerseys this overlap gets caught in the zip, but Pearl Izumi has folded it over to make it thicker in this area and not have too much overhang, so it stays out of the way of the zip well.

With an RRP of £124.99 it's not a cheap jersey, but the performance on offer goes a long way to justifying it. The closest comparison I have reviewed recently is the Castelli Aero Race 6.0 Jersey, which is £15 less; it offers similar breathability and wicking, but with material that is more see-through. The Le Col Pro Air Jersey comes in at a similar weight, with only 1g in it, and is £5 cheaper, but again is basically see-through.

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Overall I was really impressed with the Interval jersey. It is lightweight, breathable, wicks very well and doesn't have the kind of see-through look that some lightweight jerseys do. There is no getting around the price and the lack of a zip pocket, but I think the benefits more than outweigh these small elements.

Verdict

Excellent hot weather jersey with very effective breathability – but expensive