Altura Tempo Seamless Short Sleeve Baselayer

The Altura Tempo Seamless Short Sleeve Baselayer is very soft, lovely against the skin and highly breathable too. The 'seamless' part of the name is a bit misleading though as there are plenty of seams – just fewer than you'd find normally. It's more 'fewer seams' than seamless.

Right, so the whole seamless thing. It's not. There are still seams around the shoulders, but I think the point Altura (and other brands) are trying to make is that the torso is one single, seamless section. It's 3D knitted as one big tube rather than using front, rear and side panels like many baselayers do.

Panels are typically used to create a tailored close fit, as the more contact the fabric has with your skin the more efficient it is at removing sweat. The Tempo still has that close fit thanks to the stretch in the material, and the wicking really is impressive – so much so that I have used it both outside and indoors on the turbo.

Out of the packet it looks small, even in the correct size, but as it stretches over you without too much compression the Tempo never feels restrictive.

The softness of the material is really pleasant against the skin. Under a waterproof jacket this baselayer did get damp when I was working hard on the climbs, but with the jacket open a bit and the pace dialled back, it soon dried and I felt fresh. If you are wearing a more breathable outer layer, this baselayer does extremely well.

Altura stuff always shapes up realistically to UK sizes, and that is no different here, although the stretchiness means that getting a perfect size isn't quite so critical.

Value

At £40 the Tempo is at about the right sort of money when looking at the competition, and it works well in various layering setups. Quality is also good; everything looks tidy, although it does hitch easily so be a bit careful around sharp edges or spiky foliage.

The Endura Engineered baselayer is only available in a long-sleeved option, but it is 3D-knitted like the Altura. I was impressed with it overall, despite the higher price of £54.99.

Specialized's Seamless LS Baselayer also only comes in long sleeves, but again the construction is the same. It's a bit more heavyweight compared to the Altura though, being only suitable for winter. It costs £65.

Overall

The Tempo offers a great fit and impressive wicking. The fabric is soft against the skin, and while it may not really be seamless there is a lot to like here.

Verdict

Feels great against the skin, while breathability and wicking performance is great