The Madison Isoler Merino Women’s long sleeve baselayer is a hardwearing and versatile piece for cooler rides. The addition of the zip-neck is a nice feature if you start to overheat, the jersey could just do with being a little longer at the bottom hem to prevent it riding up.
The Madison baselayer is simple yet effective, it has got everything you’d want in a 100 percent merino garment; raglan sleeves to prevent rubbing, a good bit of stretchy, a nice soft feel and it’s flatlock-stiched too. There is also a thoughtful extra panel under the arm which helps make a nicely shaped ladies base layer. The Isoler Merino is mid-weight for a baselayer at 190gsm, boasting good warmth and wicking qualities all for a price very similar to its competitors at £49.99.
Performance wise it rivals other popular brands such as the Baa Baa from Endura with regards to the fabric, although not as soft as the Endura offering. It dries quickly too, so is good for all-day all day rides, whilst staying warm at the pub/coffee stops too. I mostly wore the baselayer underneath long sleeve mountain bike jerseys such as the Ion Scrub Amp, where it kept me snug and warm.
The Isoler Merino base washes well and has retained its shape over the winter test period. I usually wear a Madison size 10 kit but found this base layer to come up pretty small. The top was skin tight which didn’t hinder its wicking performance but I would have preferred something with a little more wiggle room as sometimes, even with the stretch on offer in the fabric I felt a little restricted. I liked the added zip and collar on this version of the jersey, it kept the chill off my neck on colder days as well as helping me cool down when pedalling hard. If it’s not your thing, though, then you can buy the same baselayer without a zip or the high collar for £5 less.
The sizing of this garment could account for the fact that I found the base layer to come up a little short at the bottom hem, I'd prefer a slightly longer baselayer to prevent any drafts. This was no problem when tucked into lycra short but I did notice it riding up at the rear if I didn’t secure the jersey into my shorts!
In short, if you are looking for a long lasting, well performing baselayer to combat winter with then the Madison Isoler Merino Zip-Neck will be a good partner. It has a nice cut and the wool fabric works a treat, just make sure you get the right size as the hem is rather short and it does size up small.
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