Castelli Puro Jersey Review

by Paul Horta-Hopkins · 09/02/2016

Castelli Puro Jersey Review

Robert Vokes

Castelli Puro Jersey – the perfect 3 season jersey?

One of the great benefits about living in Spain is that it is always warm, except when it isn’t! Granted if you are in the Canary Islands you get more or less the same weather all year long, but for the rest of the country there are a great amount of temperature changes, and not just on a seasonal basis. The summers here can be +45C and in winter it is quite normal to see -10C or lower. During spring and autumn we usually have a 15-20C daily variation, so finding the right cycling jersey has been something of a mission (almost impossible) over the last few years.

The Castelli Puro, the perfect 3 season jersey?

Just over a year ago I wrote an article on Castelli’s Gabba 2 that had a fantastic fit, but was a little too warm for most of the year, then whilst looking through their website for a little research I accidentally stumbled on the Puro jersey, according to the Castelli website description: “It’s a PERFECTION SIMPLIFIED kind of garment: Warmer fabric on the body to keep your core warm, Warmer X-Stretch on the sleeves to eliminate flapping fabric, a YKK® Vislon zipper for easy up/down. Just one ride and it’ll change your idea of how good a thermal jersey can be.”

So a couple of mouse clicks and one was purchased. I must admit that at first I thought that the marketing department had been a little over enthusiastic and perhaps coined this description up after a few too many Prosecco’s! Just one ride to change my mind? Hmmm!

The inside of the Castelli Puro has a fleecy lining, which not only keeps you warm, but helps wick away sweat

My first outing with the Puro was around Prades and down to the coast. It’s one of my favourite areas in Catalonia and has some nice steady climbs, that go up to just over 1000m in elevation, – Strava link – as usual I took a windproof vest (or Gilet) with me as the temperature around Prades is usually 10-15C colder than elsewhere. I must admit that said windproof vest stayed in my pocket for the whole ride, and as much as I’d hate to admit that Castelli’s marketing chaps may have drunk a few too many Proseccos, they were quite right in that it did change my mind on how a thermal jersey ought to be. So much so I bought a second one.

Thanks to the thicker material on the body you don’t seem to get as cold, the fleece on the inside does a very good job at wicking away sweat, and even with a short sleeve base layer your arms don’t seem to get too cold. Over the last months I have worn the Puro whilst riding in conditions between 7-20c. On the colder days I have paired it with a Fawsome vest or a thin windproof jacket for long descents.

Team the Castelli Puro with their Fawsome vest for really cold or wet days

It has 3 normal pockets and a small zipped pocket on the right side for change, and keys. It is available in mens S-3XL Black, Red Green and Blue with no over the top logos. As with most Castelli clothing you may have to go up a size, also the jersey is cut quite high at the front so it doesn’t bunch up when in a riding position. One of Castelli’s nice little touches is a small reflective strip with the words “you know you’re getting an unfair advantage” that runs along the 4th pocket zip.

I have found it to be the perfect jersey for all but the coldest or wet days. I get quite a few comments from the local riders who cannot understand how I am not layered up to the teeth, yet I am not cold, and they seem to be half frozen. What the Puro isn’t, is a jersey for social rides, unless it happens to be warm out. As with most of Castelli clothing it is a jersey meant to be ridden in, not for posing at the local café whilst having espressos.

I would dare to say that this is the perfect 3 season Jersey, granted back in the UK that would probably also include summer.