Lose the zipper, free the mind! Velocio Men’s Concept Radiator Zipperless Jersey, reviewed

The dog days of summer are upon us here in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Pacific Northwest that means skies dusky with wildfire smoke, warm evenings and scorched dry earth. For these hot, lazy days, warm weather-specific clothing is a must and Velocio’s Concept Radiator Zipperless Jersey is designed for these very conditions. By foregoing the usual front zipper, the jersey is more comfortable and lighter. We dig in to see how it performs.

Design & Construction

The defining feature of the Velocio Concept Radiator Zipperless jersey is, of course, its lack of zipper. As such, it needs to be stretchy enough to pull on and remove without ripping or losing its shape. This stretch factor, along with the crew neck collar, gives the jersey the feel of a favorite T-shirt.

In order to achieve this fit, the construction is quite unique. A single piece of material is used across the chest, shoulders and upper arms, and instead of seams on the shoulders, the jersey has stitched in darts. The lack of seams across the shoulder is comfortable, and likely helps its aerodynamic performance as well.

The jersey uses Polartec’s Delta fabric, which is known for its weight, wicking and breathability. It also uses slightly more than 50% recycled material. Our test jersey arrived in the “Dusk” colour option, a very appealing lavender. The silhouette of the jersey and lack of zipper has a less technical vibe, and I received multiple compliments while wearing it.

At 104 grams for a size Small, this is an extremely lightweight jersey. Weight is typically not the first metric one looks at in regard to clothing, but it demonstrates the pared back approach Velocio took when designing it.

The Ride

I tested the Concept Radiator Zipperless jersey in a variety of different warm weather conditions, from sunny and dry to humid and overcast, over the course of the summer. It really shines on hot days when worn without a baselayer. The sleeve length brings the material down to the crook of the elbow, which seems to be the current trend for race-oriented jerseys.

The fabric is very soft and breathes exceptionally well. I liked the feel of the low-profile collar, but missed the extra material when layering with a vest on top. This truly is a race jersey and keeps the bells and whistles to a minimum—there is little in the way of reflectivity for low light conditions except for tiny tabs on the sleeve backs. Branding is similarly understated with a small logo on the chest and Velocio written out in full on one sleeve. The reinforced pockets are placed in the mid low back and are generously sized. It’s nice to have plenty of room for snacks. Often lightweight jerseys suffer from pocket sag, but Velocio has added in some additional structure to prevent this. A single zip pocket is located on the right side.

Really, my only qualm with the jersey is the sizing: it’s off. Not only is Velocio’s own sizing information conflicting, but the range is lacking at the smaller end. Velocio produces this jersey for men up to 4XL, which is commendable, however the smallest size available is the XS, which would fit me, at roughly 6 feet/182 cm and 150 lbs/68 kg, better than the size Small I tested out. And if someone my size can comfortably wear an XS, what about those shorter and lighter than me?

Helpfully, Velocio’s website includes the height of the model wearing each garment. The model for the zipperless jersey, Aaron (no last name listed), is 6’2” / 188 cm. He is wearing a size Small. Per Velocio’s own size chart, located on the same page just above this information, Aaron should be in a Medium, or possibly even a Large depending on his weight (also not listed). Something is amiss if someone that tall can comfortably fit into a Small jersey. It appears that the women’s equivalent goes down to a XXS, however this is not the case for the men’s jersey.

It would be great to see Velocio reconcile these discrepancies. With this particular piece, shifting the sizing down (L becomes M, etc.) and adding a smaller offering would bring it more in line with the offerings of other jerseys on the market.

Specifications

Name: Velocio Men’s Concept Radiator Zipperless Jersey
Weight: 104 grams, size Small
Size range: XS-4XL
Colours: Black, Sulphur, Dusk
Price: $179 USD

Value and conclusion

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This is a phenomenal jersey. Velocio’s zipperless design is exceptionally comfortable, and the construction is excellent. For a top-of-the line jersey, the price is reasonable; for example, Pas Normal’s Mechanism Zipperless jersey retails for significantly more at $220. Assos makes a similar garment—so svelte that Assos explicitly recommends applying sunscreen underneath—is priced at $170. I wouldn’t be surprised to see more comparable products come onto the market, for both aesthetic and performance reasons.

My sole issue with this jersey is the confusion of Velocio’s sizing guidelines. It’s great that there are larger sizes available, but there don’t seem to be corresponding sizes for smaller folks. As a 6’ tall, 68 kg person I should not be swimming in a size Small jersey. I hope that Velocio updates its sizing, but in the meantime recommend purchasing a size (or two) smaller than you’re accustomed to.