Pas Normal Studios Men's Escapism Wool Long Sleeve Jersey

The Pas Normal Studios Men's Escapism Wool Long Sleeve Jersey is very effective, both as a first warm layer next to your skin and as a mid-layer over a base. It's slim but unrestrictive, warm but not hot, and very solidly built. It's a little narrow across the shoulders, too dull and unreflective to suit everyone as an outer and arguably not really 'wool' – the main body is 71% polyester – but it still works very well.

> Buy now: Pas Normal Studios Men's Escapism Wool Long Sleeve Jersey for £80 from Pas Normal Studios

Pas Normal Studios (let's call them PNS) says the two blends of wool and polyester found here are chosen for a duo of properties: stretch from the polyester, and performance when damp from the wool. Actually, PNS says it's the wool's 'ability to effectively disperse moisture for regulated drying times,' by which I assume they mean it wicks well. They don't expand on who's regulating drying times or how.

Wool is also well known for being able to take a lot of sweating and drying before it starts to smell, unlike some manmade fabrics, and this jersey (despite the mix) is good at that too. It's always nice when you can reuse a dried jersey instead of having to put it in the machine every time.

There's more wool in the sleeves than the body (41% instead of 27%), and the whole thing is well judged for thickness – it feels substantial enough for winter, but not so thick it's an issue fitting it beneath other layers. It's soft and comfortable against your skin if you wear it as a base layer, too; not plush or cosseting, but not scratchy or rough the way some wool tops are.

The fit is very good, and in my recommended size (medium) it's a slim, tight but unrestrictive thing to wear. The only issue I had was with the shoulders; if I just pull this on as normal, a small movement sees the zip (garaged at the top, wind-baffled all the way down and two-way openable) shoot down from my neck to mid-chest. I have to carefully drag the shoulder seams well up onto my shoulders to make the front sit right and the zip stay put.

I'm 6ft 1in and have broad but proportionate shoulders – I'm not narrow, but a long way from a looking like an American footballer – and don't usually have this problem. It seems it's cut with bamboo-like racers in mind. Still, good news: I can make this size fit very comfortably just with some careful arrangement, the sleeves are long enough that the cuffs aren't pulled up short by doing it, and there are seven sizes to choose from anyway.

The gaps between sizes are small, too, so it's safe to size up or down if you're at the end of a range. I'm also pleased to say that the waist at the front, though reasonably high, is not as short as those found on some PNS tops – including the women's version of this same top, as reviewed by Rebecca. I found this men's version reliably overlaps even summer bib shorts, despite my torso being relatively long (by enough to reguarly cause issues with bib strap tightness), and although it was close, it never left a gap.

Across the back sits the usual three-pocket arrangement, and the relatively heavy fabric means they're very secure when filled.

There's a zipped pocket for valuables on the right-hand side, too, though it's small and only good for keys, cards or cash. You won't be fitting a phone in there.

There's a silicone gripper inside the elastic of the rear hem, but it's not the grippiest I've tried and can, at times, rise up. I'd like to see the gripper running all the way around the waist instead of just across your back. Still, what's here is very well put together, and all seams and details are neat and strong.

I'd also like to see more than just one tiny reflective tab to help with visibility, especially as even that is on the wrong side (the one by the gutter) for UK riders. If you don't like this 'steel' grey there are also murky off-white, pale baby blue and half-hearted brown versions alongside the inevitable black.

In any colour the press shots give this jersey the crisply ugly look you know straight away is expensively high fashion, but in real life I think it looks much nicer; the different textures create subtle interest, and the shine on the main fabric creates a silvery look. Handle this top and it has the pleasing feel of quality. Just don't stand near anybody wearing FCUK, in case people start thinking PNS is the same sort of thing.

Value

At £160 this is fairly expensive for a long-sleeve, though you can still spend considerably more. The Q36.5 Jersey Hybrid Que X, for instance, is great (and probably better as an outer than this PNS), but costs £209.99. Ben was a big fan of the jersey, less so of the price…

It's not hard to get a similar thing for less, however. The Band of Climbers Empire LS Thermal Jersey is similarly slim-fitting and insulating (and similarly lacking in reflectives or vibrant colours), and £115. Laurence appreciated the attention to detail, but would have preferred more reflectives.

Alternatively the Nalini Ergo XWarm Jersey is £120 and useful in the same circumstances – it's not actually XWarm though, it's Quite Warm, or QWarm – and I found it very susceptible to wind chill when using it as an outer.

Overall

This is really nicely made, comfortable and good looking winter layer, and the plethora of sizes means you should be able to find a really good fit. It's not the cheapest option, but if you want designer looks and boutique branding it actually looks a pretty reasonable buy.

Verdict

Very nicely made with a great slim cut and strong designer looks, but not the most visible