Castelli

Perfetto RoS Long-Sleeve Jersey - Women's

We'd be fibbing if we said we've had enough of Castelli's Perfetto line. In fact, we're ecstatic every time a new piece is announced, and this year's Castelli Perfetto RoS Long-Sleeve Jersey takes the cake for winter rides. Now in the Rain or Shine line, the Perfetto sees an improvement in water and windproof protection, without kicking breathability by the wayside. It still offers a Gabba-esque cut that we covet, but with elevated fabrics and technology, packing in new GORE-TEX Infinium fabrics to offer you heat at the core, and ventilation at the back, enabling you to ride hard no matter the weather.

Changes were abound on this generation of Perfetto, with all new fabrics going into the construction in its entirety. Instead of the GORE Windstopper X-Lite of previous years, Castelli employs a balance of GORE-TEX Infinium 205 Warm and 203 Stretch fabrics. At the front-facing panels, the warmer 205 is placed to provide you with an insulated brushed lining to trap in heat, while a fully waterproof membrane takes on showers, gusts, and hail, contrasting to the ultra-breathable 203 Stretch at the back panels that offer exceptional mobility, while ushering perspiration outwards to maximize ventilation and keep your core primed through the miles.

While the materials are undoubtedly an impressive feature of the Perfetto, what makes the piece truly stand out is its attention to fit. Cut with the race in mind, the Perfetto features forward-oriented sleeves, and an abbreviated chest that reduce bulk when you're in the cycling position. Of course, this means that the jersey feels a bit tight across the chest when standing upright, but when stretched out on your bike its built to contour perfectly to your muscles for an aerodynamic fit that skips bulky folds of excess fabric. In contrast to its predecessor, the Gabba, the Perfetto fits even closer to your chest and stomach, preventing any sagging and bulk through your core that we often find in winter-oriented kits.

Castelli recommends the Perfetto RoS Long Sleeve for temperatures ranging from 39-to-57-degrees Fahrenheit, which stretches comfortably into slightly cooler temperatures than the previous Perfetto. Just as with the Gabba and previous Perfetto, we find this jersey to find a bit on the toasty side in the mid 50's, especially when hammering up major elevations, though its temperature designation is something we'd say is subject to personal tolerances, and with a proper base layer we can see it working well for many riders at even cooler temps.