RACE FACE CONSPIRACY DWR LS

£119.95 SPECIFICATION Weight: 211g • Sizes: S-XXL • Colours: Black • Women’s version: No • Contact: silverfish-uk.com

The Conspiracy is one of the most interesting jerseys I’ve ever ridden in, it’s designed to replace a lightweight jacket, the idea being it’s both water resistant and breathable. No surprise that it comes from Race Face then, based in Vancouver where it’s often wet on a biblical scale.

Made mostly from tough and durable nylon, Race Face has also used Spandex to make the jersey incredibly stretchy. This means the Conspiracy is quite close fitting, without restricting your movement as you ride. The curved panels it’s made from help here too. I went for the size large but it comes up quite small, so think about upsizing. There are also bonded rubber elbow patches to give you some protection from a crash and finally an ecofriendly DWR coating to keep out light rain.

I mistook the Conspiracy for a winter jersey on my first ride out last December, and hastily put it away again for spring. It does have good wind protection, but it’s certainly not insulated and the fabric has a cool feel to it. In hot weather it’s a pretty steamy affair too, it’s nowhere near as breathable as the best here so anything above 15° and you’ll boil in the Conspiracy.

What is it useful for then? Those drippy, British summer days are when the Conspiracy really works, in these conditions it’s almost as comfy as wearing a regular jersey but as protective as a light jacket. The DWR coating is one of the most effective I’ve used, and it’s still going strong despite multiple washes, probably because it’s designed to be refreshed in the tumble dryer.

At £120 the Conspiracy is the most expensive jersey here by a mile. Its performance in the right conditions is excellent, but there aren’t actually that many times when you can wear it because it cuts such a fine line between wet and dry.

If you see it on sale it’s a smart investment, but you might only use it a couple of times a year.