dhb Aeron Thermal Jersey review - exceptional quality for the price

dhb has delivered a high quality autumnal offering to the market – and at a solid price point – with its Aeron Thermal Jersey. A warm, yet breathable, so-called ‘Italian Roubaix’ fabric has brought pleasant comfort to my autumnal riding during the testing period, and in a variety of weathers. It performs well in a competitive market and can easily be considered one of the best long sleeve cycling jerseys.

Depending on where you live, autumn can be defined with anything from strong sun and 20 degrees all the way down to a freezing wet misery which leaves us questioning why we even ride. As such, it’s important to have clothing that offers versatility – and this is something dhb has done particularly well with its Aeron Thermal Jersey.

dhb Aeron Thermal Jersey: construction

In a more eco-conscious era, it’s good to see dhb getting involved in a more sustainable approach to new 'garms'. It claims that now 10 per cent of its sportswear is created completely from natural or recycled fabrics. 

Although the Aeron Thermal Jersey is a 100 per cent polyester based material, it is at least a Bluesign approved fabric - meaning there is control on the manufacturing standards from an environmental viewpoint. While this isn’t quite the net zero target of a company like Rapha, it is still important to see a market focus on sustainability.

All that said, though, the Italian Roubaix fabric dhb has chosen for this long sleeve is great. On first impression the jersey did seem to be on the lighter side, but really this was just a testament to its breathability. After a few minutes of riding you really feel a snug blanket of warm air forming and I found it to be wearable in temperatures as high as 17 degrees Celsius (unzipped), all the way down to around 5 degrees. 

The Aeron Thermal excels in combination with a rain cape or gilet - which can really extend the temperature range for very little pocket real estate. In short, it did a great job of temperature regulation for a midweight jersey - tipping the scales at 296 grams for my size small. 

Okay, so this is still inferior to something like Rapha’s Classic Long Sleeve Jersey which is lighter and – with a merino wool integrated to the fabric – warmer too, but dhb's offering is $100 / £85.00 rather than $185 / £135 jersey, which is also important to consider.

One thing dhb has gotten spot on with the new Aeron Thermal Jersey is the grippers. These are great from both a stylistic point of view with thick black accent bands, and in how they feel. The grippers sit close to the wrist and the jersey doesn't ride up at the waist. I am not the stockiest build, so sleeves that stay put without feeling constricting is always a priority for me. 

The size small fit well on me, with a healthy amount of room in the length and shoulder department, and thankfully without too much bunching up. For reference, I am 6’0” and weigh 66kg on a good day! There was room for some layering underneath, which again bodes well for all weather conditions.

dhb Aeron Thermal Jersey: pockets / practicality

dhb has incorporated a sweat resistant barrier between jersey and pocket, which was found to be genuinely effective - only on the middle pocket, though. That said, the middle pocket is where I would normally stow my phone, and therefore I found no issue with the lack of sweat protection elsewhere.

The pockets themselves are more than adequate. Deep, built with solid stitching and a hi-viz lining up top left me with no complaints in our test period. They distributed weight well on the back and of course include the customary zip side pockets for keys and valuables on the left hand side. No complaints!

dhb Aeron Thermal Jersey: value and conclusion

With a retail cost of $100.00 / £85.00, dhb has pushed the quality expected at this price point with its Aeron Thermal Jersey. Rapha's Classic Long Sleeve Jersey does boast a better performance, being both lighter and warmer due to its blend of merino wool in the fabric, but this jersey comes in at $185 / £135 – which is a significant hike in price. 

That leaves me with my only negative being the styling. And it’s really only a personal gripe - but to me the design just lacks some character. It must be said the tan colour on test isn’t quite my cup of tea - but plenty of options are available including red, green and blue options. 

That said, though, you can’t argue with the on point materials and construction, and a nice close cut for those used to race cut kit. It’s definitely worth a look going into the depths of winter.