Rapha has created the Ghost range of kit to perform in the hot temperatures experienced by racers in high summer events where 30-40˚C / 86-104 ˚F is not uncommon.
With the Pro Team Ghost jersey, Rapha went into climate chambers to develop and test a jersey that's created to improve heat transfer and temperature regulation in the pursuit of performance.
Construction
The entire jersey has been made specifically for improved moisture transfer, given that the primary way in which we lose heat is via sweat evaporation. Rapha claims that the new Ghost jersey has four times more airflow when dry, and eight times more when wet, is 25% faster drying, as well as 12% lighter than their previous lightest jersey, the Flyweight. The sleeves and the body are all made of a thin and perforated material, with even the hem being a thinner and more breathable material as well.
Despite the weight of the material, a level of compression has also been maintained, while the sleeves are cut to extend far down the arms. The neck has also been cut very low to enhance temperature regulation while a zip guard is present at the top to avoid irritation. Three cargo pockets are used at the rear but no valuables pocket is present.
Sizes are XS up to XXL, while there are three colour options of white, and then a faded white/pink and white/blue option. Rapha explicitly states that the jersey performs best when worn without a base layer.
The ride
The Ghost jersey fits just like a lot of the other Rapha Pro Team garments. This is a race focussed piece of equipment that hugs the body, although not with the level of compression that the Aero and Flaero jerseys have. Rather, the Ghost sits close but hovers over the silhouette of your body, a bit like a ghost. The sleeves sit long on the arms, and the waist pinches in, tell-tale signs that this jersey has been designed for racing and for fast paced rides.
This speed and lightweight focus do have some drawbacks to the jersey's practicality, however. There is no lower zip guard to protect the shorts, while a zip-up valuables pocket is a casualty of its lightness. I do, however, really like the low cut neck for comfort, and the pockets that are there are a decent size for stashing most items; given it's a hot weather only item you wouldn't need room for extra layers anyway.
The main focus of this jersey is temperature regulation. The Ghost range of kit has been designed by Rapha to be its most efficient piece of kit at cooling yet. It's lighter than the brand's Flyweight jersey, and according to climate controlled lab testing far more effective at cooling the body. This has been achieved by using a fabric knit that is not unique in the cycling kit industry, but it has been tuned to 11 by reducing the amount of material drastically. This does lead to a somewhat see-through element akin to mesh jerseys. However, whereas mesh jerseys just allow more airflow, the Ghost has another trick up its sleeve.
In dry, hot weather, airflow helps cooling dramatically, and that’s where mesh jerseys perform well thanks to more perforations. Indeed the Ghost also performs well here and in the mid-20˚C range it’s very effective. Where things start to change is when the temperature ramps up. The problem with mesh jerseys is they can get saturated in very hot conditions and then evaporation is not as effective. It’s most apparent at high intensity and low airflow conditions such as when you're climbing in the heat. Where the Ghost has an edge is that it appears to transfer moisture from the body to the top of the jersey fabric, which then evaporates very quickly even at low airflow speeds. The jersey seems to take moisture away from the surface of the skin enhancing the cooling effect relative to other jerseys quite dramatically.
I would say that in particularly hotter dry weather conditions, this is the most effective warm weather jersey that I have used. I’m a huge fan of the Castelli Aero Race 8S thanks to the combination of warm weather performance and aerodynamics, but in the warmest of conditions the Ghost outperforms it and makes higher intensity up climbs far more tolerable. It lacks any form of aero texturing or indeed aero claims, but the gains of not overheating in extreme conditions outweigh that.
But that does severely limit its use, especially in the UK, when you're likely to only need a specialist such as for a handful of days a year. That’s not a great cost per use at £225 / $300. But then if I was doing an event such as the Etape du Tour, which was mid 30˚C this year, and had spent a lot of money on travel, entry, and bike, then the cost of this jersey to make the event far more enjoyable and my performance likely a good level better would seem worth it.
Value & conclusion
It has become slightly worrisome in the last year that cycling clothing prices have increased quite dramatically. The Rapha Pro Team Ghost jersey is yet another example of jerseys breaking the £200 / $250 barrier, a price once reserved for high-end bib shorts, let alone jerseys.
At £225 / $300 this the most expensive short sleeve jersey that I have yet to encounter. The Castelli Premio Evo comes close at £205 / $250, while Rapha’s Flaero jersey is £200 / $280, the same price as the Q36.5 Dottore Clima jersey.
When looking specifically at hot weather focussed performance jerseys the Ghost still exceeds much of the competition. The aforementioned Q36.5 Dottore Clima sits high on that price list. However the PNS Mechanism Pro Zipless is £175 / $220 while the Assos Equipe RSR is just £140 / $170 along with LeCol’s Pro Air jersey. These latter ones however rely mainly on highly perforated fabrics for more airflow, whereas the fabric technology in the Ghost is more effective at faster moisture transfer and therefore evaporation rates.
The Rapha Ghost is admittedly the most effective jersey I have tested when it comes to proper hit weather performance. It wicks moisture away quickly and transfers heat at a rate that is noticeably quicker than even mesh jerseys. It’s just hard to recommend with a price this high.
For those who want a hot weather cycling jersey, there are effective alternatives for near half the price or £100 / $150 less. But if you’re competing in hot weather events, and cooling will have a significant impact on performance or enjoyment, then a specialist piece of kit like the Rapha Pro Team Ghost jersey might be worthwhile.
