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Pas Normal Studios Women's Escapism Wool Long Sleeve Jersey

7
£160.00

VERDICT:

7
10
Excellent long sleeve jersey for mild to chilly temperatures, but the short body length lets it down
Performs well in mild conditions
Comfortable
Good looks
Decent size pockets
Pricey
Body is very short
Weight: 
205g

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The Pas Normal Studios Women's Escapism Wool Long Sleeve Jersey is a high-quality spring/autumn jersey designed to keep you warm without overheating on longer rides. The overall performance is pretty good, and it's versatile enough to act as a mid-layer when the temperature plummets – though it's slightly held back by how short the body is.

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

Performance

I'm really happy with the overall performance of this jersey. I tested it through a very wet and wild Yorkshire during October and November that saw temperatures vary between around 5-13°C. Throughout this time I used it as both an outer layer with a base layer underneath, or as a mid-layer with a jacket – usually a rain jacket – on top.

I can honestly say that throughout testing I never felt overly warm or sweaty to the point where it was uncomfortable. You know the feeling when you've overdressed or when a jersey just isn't as breathable as it should be – well, I never got any of that.

I'd say for me personally – and I know we're all different – the lowest temperature I'd wear this in as an outer layer is about 10°C. Below that, or if the weather is just plain terrible, it's best suited to hiding under a jacket.

2023 Pas Normal Studios Women's Escapism Wool Long Sleeve Jersey - shoulders.jpg

Pas Normal Studios recommends this jersey for use in 'chilly to mild temperatures', which it lists as roughly between 0-15°C. I'd say this is pretty accurate, as it's unrestrictive in its movement, even as a mid-layer, although the sleeves feel a little long and can bunch around the wrists or elbows, but I'll get to that later.

2023 Pas Normal Studios Women's Escapism Wool Long Sleeve Jersey - cuff.jpg

It also washes well, although it can appear to be a little smaller when it comes out than when it went into the washing machine, but the fabric seems to stretch back to normal when worn. Pas Normal Studios says this is because the 'synthetic polyester enhances the elastic properties, allowing the jersey to retain its shape without restricting movement'.

Fit and sizing

The biggest downfall of this jersey is the sizing. I tested this in the XS size, which to be honest seems a little generous in terms of measurements – my chest measure 30 inches, but the XS on the website is listed as 32-34 inches. I don't think there was an extra 2in of fabric in the jersey, and likewise around the waist.

2023 Pas Normal Studios Women's Escapism Wool Long Sleeve Jersey - hem.jpg

Essentially, it seems to come up a little small. It was still a nice, snug fit, but I did struggle to get comfortable with a long sleeve base layer on underneath. The arms were quite long and I did find it a little annoying when the material bunched up by my wrists – perhaps I'm more like a T-Rex than I thought.

2023 Pas Normal Studios Women's Escapism Wool Long Sleeve Jersey - collar.jpg

The biggest issue I had with this jersey was the length of the body. I'm not sure if it's some new aerodynamic trend, but the body just didn't feel long enough. It barely covered the top of my bib tights, and any sort of movement of the arms meant it would ride up.

2023 Pas Normal Studios Women's Escapism Wool Long Sleeve Jersey - pockets.jpg

This isn't the first time we've highlighted this in a Pas Normal jersey either, as Janine reviewed the short sleeve version last year and had the same problem.

If you look at the images of the model on the website, you can see it's slightly short. I didn't find it that noticeable when I was riding – but it did make me more self conscious when I was wearing it as a top layer. I much preferred using a light gilet over the top just to avoid having any fashion faux pas moments.

The final thing I'd like to mention is the colour. The 'off-white' colour is beautiful, but not really appropriate to riding in a British autumn. Particularly if you carry on using your posh bike until the first gritter of the year, though that's my fault...

2023 Pas Normal Studios Women's Escapism Wool Long Sleeve Jersey - chest.jpg

There are several other muted colour options, though one benefit of the white is that I felt it made me more visible to other road users.

2023 Pas Normal Studios Women's Escapism Wool Long Sleeve Jersey - zip.jpg

I did like the two-way zipper, and the pockets were fit for purpose. I could fit my usual stash of wallet, glasses, mini-pump, phone and food in there with relative ease – without needing to contort myself to retrieve any items.

2023 Pas Normal Studios Women's Escapism Wool Long Sleeve Jersey - zipped pocket.jpg

Overall, it's a high-performance jersey that is genuinely versatile in terms of layering. I'd say short sleeve base layers work better as there's not a massive amount of stretch on the arms, but equally it's not bulky enough to be noticeable under a jacket.

Where it is let down is the fit. The body is simply very short, so in my opinion it will fit the few rather than the many.

2023 Pas Normal Studios Women's Escapism Wool Long Sleeve Jersey - gripper.jpg

Value

The price is quite high for a jersey, but then again, kit prices do seem to be trending in that direction and we've tested are a few similar offerings around this price point.

At £160 the 7mesh Women's Ashlu Merino Jersey LS that Emma reviewed in August comes in at the same price. Emma found that it worked well as a mid-layer in similar temperatures to the Escapism jersey.

For a little less you've got the option of the Stolen Goat Women's Green Kiko Bodyline LS Jersey at £130. Emma felt it suits changeable temperatures and dry conditions, like the Escapism jersey, but it had separate fit issues that brought the overall score down.

Conclusion

A high-quality autumn-cum-early winter top that works on its own or as part of a layering system. Decent size pockets and a double-ended zip contribute to the overall package, but the jersey's let down by its odd sizing, notably the short body and long sleeves.

Verdict

Excellent long-sleeve jersey for cold autumn and winter days, but the short body length lets it down

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Pas Normal Studios Women's Escapism Wool Long Sleeve Jersey

Size tested: XS

Tell us what the product is for

Pas Normal Studios says: "The Escapism Wool Long Sleeve Jersey is a versatile, all-purpose cycling jersey designed to combat the colder temperatures over longer rides. Constructed from a blend of polyester and premium wool, this jersey keeps you warm as a result of the wool's inherent ability to effectively disperse moisture for regulated drying times. The synthetic polyester enhances the elastic properties, allowing the jersey to retain its shape without restricting movement."

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Pas Normal Studios lists:

Naturally odour resistant

Fully-dyed fabric

Abrasion-resistant material to eliminate fabric pilling

Two-way front zipper

Side zipper pocket

Bonded hems

Main Material: 71% Polyester, 27% Wool, 2% Elastane

Sleeve Material: 42% Wool, 29% Polyester, 29% Polyester

Made in Lithuania

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10

Feels really well made and robust.

Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10

Performed well on its own or under a jacket in colder conditions.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

No bobbling or any signs of wear to report, even after a month of regular use (and washes).

Rate the product for fit:
 
5/10

Seems smaller than the size guide suggests. The thing that bothered me most was the shortness of the body, and the over-long arms.

Rate the product for sizing:
 
4/10

The body of the jersey is very short. I have longer legs and a shorter torso, so I was quite surprised at how short it was. The arms also feel quite long and bunch up around the wrists/elbows.

Rate the product for weight:
 
8/10
Rate the product for comfort:
 
8/10

Besides the fitting issues, the jersey is super comfortable. The zip doesn't come up so high that it chokes you, and the wool-mix fabric quality is excellent, providing a nice comfortable mid to outer layer.

Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

Seems very pricey for what is essentially a mid-season jersey. It's not thick enough to be worn solely in winter, and not light enough for summer so suits a very specific set of temperatures. It's the same price as the 7mesh Women's Ashlu Merino Jersey LS, which Emma found to be a good mid-layer and didn't report any body length issues.

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

When washed it comes out looking slightly shorter, but stretches back to regular size when on. Otherwise, all good – although perhaps this wasn't the best colour to wear when I forgot my mudguards...

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

I wore it throughout late October/November so not exactly the warmest part of Yorkshire's year. It performed well in mild (think around 10-12 degrees) as a top layer worn over a base layer, but anything below that and my arms felt quite cold. It's light enough to be used under a jacket, which I did, but I think the temperature has to be quite low to warrant that, so it suits a very specific set of temperatures. That being said, it was breathable and comfortable throughout testing.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

I like the performance of the jersey, and the three pockets that can actually fit what I need in without them getting baggy or being too restrictive to access when full.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

The length of the body is very short.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

At £160, it's not a cheap piece of kit. That said, it's the same price as the 7mesh Women's Ashlu Merino Jersey LS that Emma rated quite highly as a mid-layer for autumnul rides. The Stolen Goat Women's Green Kiko Bodyline LS Jersey, also reviewed by Emma, is £30 cheaper S and acts well as a spring/autumn jersey, just like the Escapism jersey.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes – if the fit works for them

Use this box to explain your overall score

If the score was based purely on performance then it would easily be an 8 or 9, but the shortness of the body lets it down. I think if I had a particularly long torso it might be forgiven, but as far as I'm aware, I don't. The construction is great and the material feels of high-quality, but the sizing just seems slightly off.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 29  Height: 5'5  Weight: 55kg

I usually ride: Trek Émonda  My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 5-10 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, sportives, general fitness riding, mtb,

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1 comments

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stucolnago | 1 month ago
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I agree re the body length. I found that the long sleeve body was so short I am like a contorsionist trying to reach back and access the rear pockets which due to the short length are therefore very high up my back. The quality etc. is great but on the basis of the weird cut I won't be buying again. 

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