Best Cold Weather Jersey!

Riding off-road when it's cold and/or wet is always a challenge gear-wise. Jackets tend to be too much and the typical jersey, not nearly enough. Your choices then are either to sweat endlessly or freeze. Neither is good.

Fly Racing recently introduced a new windproof, technical jersey that makes cool-weather riding/racing much more enjoyable. The front and arm panels are windproof and provide very good protection from wind and water without the restriction and bulk of a jacket. Yet because the back of the jersey and the armpits are breathable, heat is transferred out. You stay comfortable.

I put it to the test on a low-40s day at a track in Wisconsin. Besides being cold, there was a nasty and stiff wind blowing and a steady drizzle. Cold, wet and windy sums it up. 

Normally, in conditions like this, I would have zipped into an enduro jacket . . . and then spent a bunch of time readjusting the zipper to either cool off or warm up. Curious if the Fly Technical Jersey was worth the price, I decided to give it a few laps to prove its worth -- I still had my enduro jacket nearby. 

I headed out, fully expecting to quickly be too chilled and wet in a lap or two. The weather was just plain nasty.

Surprise! After five laps, my fingers were freezing despite winter-weight mx gloves, but my body was just fine. I was comfortable the whole time, never missing the enduro jacket. In fact it was the cold fingers that sent me back to the pits for a break. 

The persistent drizzle didn't penetrate and my core was warm and comfortable. I spent the next four hours riding with just the Fly Technical Jersey, no jacket.  I was comfortable the entire time and this jersey now rates a favored position in my gear bag. Perfect for those cooler and wetter days.

The jersey comes in black, blue, red and a bright orange that is eye-searing! My wife liked that I went with orange because she could tell where I was on the track by the orange glow reflecting off the clouds (she might have been exaggerating about that). There's a simple FLY logo printed on the front and they are fade-free,

Sizes are adult S through 2XL and the sizing is just a little larger or more generous than other jerseys. Order the size you'd normally wear. These are true riding jerseys, with sewn cuff sleeves, high necks and a long tail so they can be tucked in.

Retail is just south of $75, but well and truly worth it. You can find the best price here.

Sounds like a lot of money, but this jersey is absolutely priceless on those truly crappy days when you want to ride and stay comfortable.