Tried & tested

  • Tried and tested: Rapha Women’s Classic Bike Jersey & Arm Warmers

    I was super excited to test this Rapha Cycling Jersey & Arm Warmers, and they definitely lived up to my expectations. They were put to the test on a chilly February morning and passed with flying colours!
    Score: 4.5/5

    GOOD POINTS:
    - Extremely warm, yet breathable and suitable for many weather conditions.
    - The styling is great and has a really feminine silhouette, plus the stretch material is really comfortable to ride in.
    - The attention to detail is brilliant. There are three main cargo pockets, an elastic waist band with drawstring, a full zip and reflective tabs.
    - The arm warmers are a great addition. The soft gripper elastic to keeps them in place and the brushed fleece inner lining feels lovely.
    - Rapha offer an amazing service with a free 90 day returns policy to test your kit, and free repairs if any kit is damaged in a cycling accident – pretty good policies!

    BAD POINTS
    - Arm warmers were only just long & small enough, but I do have exceptionally long arms!
    - Price may put some people off but Merino Wool is durable and I am sure the kit will last well past the investment, so don’t be put off.

    Price: Classic Bike Jersey with arm warmers £125, black arm warmers sold separately £40.
    Colours: Black or red with cream arm warmers
    Sizing: XXS - XL
    Fabric: Polyester, Merino Wool, Elastane
    More Info: www.rapha.cc

    More tried and tested:
    • mizuno-trainers Sportsister tests: Mizuno Wave Rider 15 running trainers
      24.02.12
      On first glance, these neutral (high arch) trainers looked ideal; feminine in colour and subtle in style, the ice cold silver and blue tones on their outside seemed perfect for some outdoor winter running. But on the inside, things weren't quite as p...
    • arcteryx-atom-hoody-thumbnail Sportsister tests: Arc’teryx Atom Lt Hoody
      08.02.12
      Aside from being eyelash flutteringly pretty, the Arc’teryx Atom Lt Hoody is a super versatile bit of kit and there are essentially two ways of using it to maximize its functionality. 1. You can wear it as an external layer in winter for walking/c...
    • workplay fleetfoot II Sportsister tests: Workplay fleetfoot II
      17.01.12
      A great waist bag perfect for those longer distance runs where supplies might be needed! Workplay design their products specifically for women with a lot of thought and consideration. Super lightweight and versatile, the fleetfoot II is shaped to fi...
    • Sportsister tests: Panache Sport Bra Sportsister tests: Panache Sport Bra
      04.01.12
      I love this bra! As a woman with a fairly big bust (I tested a 32DD) I often find sports bras are quite unflattering. They either make your boobs pointy, or squash them as flat as possible! The Panache bra in my opinion has the perfect balance of gi...
    • New Balance Welded Half-Zip running top Sportsister tests: New Balance half-zip run top
      29.12.11
      This running top from New Balance is brilliant. It is made with state-of-the-art X-Static fabric that is bonded to genuine silver to help regulate your body temperature, keeping you warm whilst keeping away any moisture whilst you run. It’s great ...
    • bike-thumbnail Sportsister tests: Boardman CX Team
      12.12.11
      This all-round bike can be used for winter training, commuting, cycle touring, recreational off-road rides and of course for cyclo-cross racing. The Boardman CX Team is part of the new generation of cyclo-cross bikes with UCI approved disc brakes, w...
    • sb_jacket_thumbnail Sportsister tests: Sweaty Betty Protector Jacket
      28.11.11
      This is a really great jacket, it combines practical sports detailing with a feminine cut and detailing, the perfect mix of sport + style. Score 4/5. The Sweaty Betty Protector jacket is very lightweight yet shower resistant so is good for most spor...
    • bath-soaks Tried and tested: Muscle soaks
      14.05.11
      We’re all wising up to the importance of recovery as part of a training regime – well this is the nice bit! Soak in a warm bath with our favourite muscle ease products and feel that weariness float away.
    • Lipbalm3 Tried and tested: Lovely lip balms
      15.10.10
      Sportsister tests lip balms and glosses. They're perfect for sporty girls both during and after your workout thanks to their fresh and natural look.
    • Fit-Bitch-boot-camp-2 Tried and tested: training jackets
      26.01.10
      We gave a selection of training jackets to a group of Sportsister readers to test out for us. Read on to see which one they thought was the best buy.
    • natural-deodorant Deodorants: tried and tested
      25.11.09
      With so many products on the market to combat body odour, and so much conflictling information we decided to try four completely natural and four traditional deodorants and see which ones worked.
    • eas-energy-gel2 Tried and tested: energy gels
      10.09.09

      Sportsister puts four leading brands of energy gels to the test and finds out the best ways and times to use them to help improve your performance.

    • skins_ice_top_long-sleeve_ Tried and tested: cooling base layers
      29.05.09

      Cooling base layers are relative newcomers to the market. Do they work? Are they worth buying? We gave five garments to Letchworth Ladies Cricket club to try out.

Run England