WomensCycling.net
WomensCycling.net
PRODUCT REVIEWS
Products of the Year
WomensCycling.net has tested many items throughout the year, on our travels, at races, in races and training. All of the products have been purchased and used in the same manner as anyone else would do - nothing has been received for test from suppliers or manufacturers, the items listed below are therefore considered as serious contenders for something you might like to buy for yourself.
Impsport - Thermadry Bodywarmer
click for a larger image 
This
gilet / bodywarmer has certainly seen some action in the past 12 months - road
and track racing / training, protection on a chilly descent of Mont Ventoux and
in the rain and fog of recent winter weeks in the UK....
Made
from Moria "Thermadry" and lycra, the gilet / bodywarmer is a solid
piece of clothing. Shaped slightly to fit on the bike, with a longer back, this
is also an ideal item of kit for racing in cooler weather or for riding home
from evening events in. The front and back are Thermadry & Impsport claims
that this is windproof - the reality does not disappoint! The sides are more
flexible - made from ordinary lycra. The inner is good: fleecy & therefore
giving the garment a snug feel. The results of a crash in April are just a bit
of scuffing to the fabric and a small hole in the side panel, caused by the
crash, which has not got any bigger, despite heavy use. There are no signs of
fading or misshape as a result of regular machine washing.
The
gilet / bodywarmer has been worn on most rides since purchase - either as
absolute protection from the cold or as a convenient warm-up jacket in the
summer. The armholes have a cuff which prevents the wind from entering at the
shoulder and thereby preventing "ballooning" of the bodywarmer at
speed / into a headwind. The three back pockets are good-sized and have not
suffered the fate of some - there are still three back pockets at the end of a
year of use / abuse / over-filling. The fact that they are fleecy-lined (made
from the same material as the main front / back) also makes putting your hand in
pleasurable too! The neckband is also lined with a soft material - very
comfortable when the reasonably high collar is zipped up all the way.
Impsport
manufacture the gilet / bodywarmer as a standard item, or it can be made up into
your Club colours. Their "blurb" states that it is cut larger to allow
it to be worn over the top of other winter-wear, such as a Thermadry jacket,
which is probably true, but it feels no less snug over just a jersey in the
warmer weather.
A
recommended addition to any cycling wardrobe.
The
downside, not really to do with the garment, but Impsport can take some time to fulfil
orders for club kit and bespoke items, so plan well ahead. Although, they do
recognise this in a statement included with the 2003 catalogue that 2002 was not
their best year for orders met on time and that the introduction of new
equipment and practises should help the situation in the future.
Price : £31.00 each - single colour + £1.00 per extra colour (when ordered as part of a Club order) Contact Impsport direct to check prices / availability for one-off ordering)
