RaceFace Stage Men's 3/4 Sleeve Jersey: Rider Review

Our "Rider Review" article series features honest reviews from verified purchasers of Worldwide Cyclery. They contain the photos, thoughts, feedback & overall review you are looking for. 

Riding kits are almost as important as your bike. You want to feel comfortable on the bike no matter what and your jersey can really make or ruin your ride. The fit has to be just right, it has to be breathable and most importantly, durable. No one wants to buy anew jersey every month because the seams can't stay together. John recently ordered a RaceFace Stage 3/4 Sleeve Jersey. Let's see what his thoughts were:

John's Review

I bought the Race Face Stage Jersey because I was looking for something that would offer a little more wind protection than a typical short sleeve Jersey - it works pretty well for mild temperatures when you’re undecided whether or not to wear a long-sleeved shirt or even a light jacket, but definitely not SO much that you get really sweaty once you start warming up. The shirt looks great with the black and gray color scheme – I especially liked the black trim covering all the seams, which looked awesome and kind of futuristic (you can tell it adds to the durability of the seams too – which is good since that’s where most clothing fails).

The three quarter length sleeves are what I was really interested in when I purchased this shirt, as I was looking for something to wear in milder temperatures, but this turned out to be my biggest gripe about the shirt, they sit a little too low on my arms which means I have to keep pushing them back up until they grip over my elbow (which kind of defeats the purpose IMO) until I hit a rough section of trail and they fall back down again… oh well, if it annoys me enough I just push the sleeves all the way up to my biceps a leave it. It’s not a huge deal, but I do wonder sometimes if I should have just bought a smaller size (a med instead of a large for me).

The fabric is amazing on this RaceFace jersey… it feels cold when you first put it on, but trust me – it’s what you want on a shirt like this. It’s breathable but blocks the wind. It’s comfortable but doesn’t get hot. I really like wool clothing but this shirt feels good on the skin but without getting itchy like wool, It dries quickly and doesn’t stink like wool when it gets wet. One of my pet peeves is when my chest hairs get caught in the fabric on a shirt or even poke through (LOL), but this shirt doesn’t do that since the knitting is about as small as possible (seriously it's microscopic). I really like the look of the armpit nets by the sleeves which I didn’t even notice until I put the shirt on and thought to myself, “well that’s cool!” the jersey breaths so well that I honestly don’t know if they do anything, but they look cool which is always a win.

I don’t usually wear goggles or glasses, but I thought the microfiber material on the inside was a nice touch. Same with the front pocket, which is more aesthetic than practical, but I like the character it adds to the shirt. Overall I’m happy with the shirt, but I have a few gripes:

Conclusion:

"PROS: very comfortable fabric, looks great, high quality, good functionality

CONS: ¾ length sleeves, the jersey might be a touch too large for me (maybe I should have gone with a medium - then this kit would be “DiALd!” as they say." - John