Santini Interactive 3.0 jersey review

To be honest, I probably shouldn’t be reviewing the Santini Interactive 3.0 jersey on its own. That’s because it has a zip along the back that means you can attach it to the matching Interactive bib short to create a speedsuit-esque garment – a very clever idea from Santini.

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I’ll come onto its performance when combined with the shorts, but first, as it is bought on its own and not as part of a package with the shorts, how does the Santini Interactive 3.0 jersey perform in its own right.

Well, it’s basically made of three different materials, which have been given different names by Santini. On the front there’s Artico, which is a light, thin lycra similar to what most skinsuits are made from; on the back there’s LyKra which is similarly elasticated, but has a much looser structure to improve breathability; and on the sides you’ve got a slightly less elasticated and denser mesh.

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That might sound complicated but it makes for a very impressive jersey. The fit is excellent and even without the shorts to hold it in place, the Santini Interactive 3.0 jersey feels very aero. Get the right size and there’s little to no loose material anywhere on the jersey, with a particularly snug fit on the shoulders and the arms.

It’s breathable too, which is something that cannot be said for all aero jerseys, which means that it is suitable for use in really hot weather, even if you’re heading off for a bit of climbing on the continent this summer.

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However, one thing I wasn’t sure of was the lack of pocket space. There are three pockets on the rear of the Santini Interactive 3.0 jersey, but they’re all very small. I understand that this is probably to make the jersey more aerodynamic, but if I was paying 100 quid for this jersey, then I’d want to use it for long rides as well as shorter races.

Of course, this jersey is “specifically designed” to be used with the Santini Interactive 3.0 bib shorts (£120), so how does that affect the jersey.

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Well, pairing the jersey with the shorts just makes the jersey a slightly better at everything that it is already good at. The zip helps make the jersey slightly more taught at the back, so a few extra watts that you don’t have to generate through the pedals.

Perhaps inadvertently, this Santini has also made its aero interactive kit great for climbing in hot weather. That’s because if you’ve got the jersey and shorts zipped together at the back and the front of the jersey fully unzipped, then you load up your pockets without the jersey swinging around when climbing out of the saddle. Now if only those pockets were big enough to fit a bit more in…

For more details visit the Santini website.