Price: £190/$240
Sizes: XS-XXL
Colours: White, Black
Main fabric: 62% Polyester,35% Lyocell, 3% Spandex
One of my revelations of last year (I know I am late to the party but sue me, I’m a busy guy) was thin, summer-weight long sleeve jerseys. For harder efforts in slightly cooler conditions spring days and summer evenings) they are wonderful, and a lot more comfortable than faffing about with arm warmers, and now, when considering which options to include in my guide to the best cycling jerseys, there's always going to be one. The Maap Evade Pro Base LS Jersey has become a real staple, as has the Rapha Pro Team Long Sleeve Lightweight Jersey.
There’s now a new kid on the block, or at least on my specific block, and that’s the Maap Aeon LS jersey. It is by far the lightest, most breathable long-sleeved jersey I’ve come across and poses the question of whether you can wear long sleeves in high summer.
In short, the answer is yes, you can go long sleeves in summer with this jersey. It doesn’t mean you should, but it is very much possible if that’s your cup of tea. I have really enjoyed using the Aeon LS jersey, and it’s become a regular part of my wardrobe. There is a short-sleeve version, which probably makes a little more sense to my mind, but as I’ll go into later, the material is so breathable it’s going to be more of an aesthetic choice than a performance one.
Design and specifications
Normally I’d tackle the aesthetics first, but in this case we’ve got a new fabric to discuss: Polartec Delta. You’ve probably heard of Polartech Alpha, primarily because kit reviewers like me rarely ever stop banging on about how good it is as an insulator in winter cycling jackets. Polartec Delta is the polar opposite (pun sort of intended), insofar as it is designed to be worn in the hottest, most humid conditions out there.
The entirety of the Maap Aeon LS jersey, except for the lower hem and the outer pocket fabric, is Polartec Delta. It is mesh, but not in quite such an extreme way as the likes of dedicated climbing jerseys, which are borderline translucent; nobody is going to see your nipples, even in the white version that I’ve been testing.
The outer face of the fabric is a series of lozenge-shaped scales, but flip it inside out and at the meeting point of each lozenge is a raised dot of material. It’s a little like shark skin, in this regard, but not nearly so abrasive. The aim is that the little dots raise the surface of the fabric away from your skin, reducing the cling you feel when the fabric gets wet. There are also claims of enhanced evaporation cooling thanks to the use of hydrophobic (water repellent) and hydrophilic (water-loving) yarns, but I’ll get to that in the ‘performance’ section.
In terms of construction the Aeon LS jersey is the polar opposite of the Maap Alt_Road Jersey that I recently reviewed, insofar as the pattern is very simple. One main back panel, one main front panel with a full zip, two side panels, and raglan sleeves, all in the same material. The cuff and collar are rollover stitched, while the lower hem is a wide elastic strip with plenty of tiny dots at the rear, and a bonded, elasticated strip of Delta at the front. The rear pockets are stretchy Lycra with a bonded rollover hem at the top, plus an additional valuables pocket.
All in all, it's neat, crisp, unfussy, and in the off-white I have here, a very pleasing visual package that would go with basically any set of shorts you can think of. A couple of big, black ‘MAAP’ wordmarks on the shoulders, and a wee little logo on one side panel, and it’s a feast for the minimalists out there who prefer block colours over jazzy designs.
Performance
While I am a little sceptical about any claims of ‘active cooling’, there is no denying that for hot weather, and even high tempo efforts, it’s a brilliant jersey.
The fit is excellent, I actually can’t fault it at all in this regard. The sleeves are long enough for even my gangly arms, there is barely a wrinkle anywhere and at the same time it’s never restrictive as some aero jerseys can feel. It is very similar in this regard to the Maap Evade Pro Base LS Jersey, but the Raglan sleeves are an improvement in my eyes. When riding, everything stays exactly where it should, with the sleeves never riding up, nor the hem.
The lower hem was something I was critical of with Maap’s new Alt_Road Jersey, but it’s a very different story here, with a lovely low-profile rear gripper keeping things secure without being restrictive at all. It’s not all out aero, and so don’t expect a truly skintight fit as you’d get with the likes of the Castelli Aero Race 8S, but for longer days out, I’d be picking this every time. It’s tailored enough that it’s not going to flap, and that’s about as aero as many of us really need.
In terms of breathability, the Polartech Delta really does work very well indeed. It’s not quite so breezy as some really open mesh jerseys, but it’s also a lot more versatile. I spent a relatively high effort day in this jersey with just a mesh base layer beneath it in temperatures around 9ºC/48ºF and it was absolutely perfect, but I really wouldn’t feel uncomfortable pulling this on for rides where the temperature is approaching the high 20’s, which is unheard of for a long sleeve. The little dots really do feel like the fabric is almost hovering above one’s skin, rather than resting on it, something the body fabric of both the Maap Evade Pro Base and Rapha Pro Team Long Sleeve Lightweight suffer from when it does get warmer than expected.
I don’t have anything to complain about in the pocket department either; they’re roomy, relatively easy to get to, and despite the meshy nature of the jersey as a whole, didn’t seem to mind being loaded up. They are quite tall, meaning the opening is somewhat high up the back, but it’s not super extreme. There’s even a hole in the base of the middle pocket through which one can thread cabled headphones; I’d rather this was on the right, but at least in the middle, it caters to those on either side of the ‘which pocket does your phone go in?’ debate.
The question is… why would you want a long-sleeved jersey that deals well in really hot conditions? I think part of it is aesthetics, but I also think that having the fabric raised ever so slightly off the skin creates a little bit of insulation, meaning it’s also a bit warmer than you might expect. A 9-degree ride, even a high tempo one, would not normally be warm enough for mesh fabrics in my book, but I was just grand in this. There is also the fact that the fabric itself boasts UPF15 sun protection, which isn't enough to replace sunscreen for a really long day, but it's certainly helpful.
I think the short sleeve makes more sense from a purchasing standpoint, as the material is really a summerweight option, but if you’re looking for something that can stand you in good stead from spring through into summer, then it’s a really great option.
Value
At £190/$240, it’s relatively pricey as jerseys go. It’s more expensive than the likes of the Castelli Aero Race 8S, which has a more complex design and variety of fabrics. They are different horses for different courses, but for a relatively simple design, however well executed, you are paying a bit of a premium.
The short-sleeved version is £170/$210, which is still quite dear but a little more in the right ballpark. You are getting a new fabric in either case, though, and there are performance gains that come with that in terms of it being very comfortable, but I think in both cases, there is an amount of aesthetic premium at play, too.
Verdict
As long-sleeve jerseys go, the new Maap Aeon LS jersey is one of the best I’ve tried, but you do almost have to view it as a summer jersey and ignore the sleeves. It’s perfect for long, spring and autumn days out, and is good down into high single figure Celsius days all the way up to pretty roasting rides, even at high intensity.
The fit is exceptional, the comfort on offer from the Polartec Delta fabric is brilliant, and it’s a jersey I keep coming back to even as the temperatures continue to rise. It is a little expensive for quite a simple design, however, but being one of the first garments to use a new fabric often comes with a premium.
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Design and aesthetics | A well executed simple pattern, clean design, with nothing superfluous. A real winner in my eyes. | 9/10 |
| Thermal management | For a long sleeve jersey, as long as you know it isn't for winter use, it's pretty brilliant. | 9/10 |
| Storage | The three pockets are roomy enough, and stretchy enough, and the zipped valuables pocket is crucially on the outside. | 9/10 |
| Comfort and fit | I don't think I've had a long sleeve jersey fit this well or be this comfortable, while also remaining tight enough to not flap. | 10/10 |
| Value | There is a new fabric, and something of an aesthetic premium at play here, but nevertheless it is a good jersey so it's not too bad. | 8/10 |
| Overall rating | 90% |
