Windproof base layers are an acquired taste because it flies in the face of your learned wisdom to tuck your windproofing next to your skin instead of pulling it on over your wicking/insulating layers in the form of a jacket.
But get your head round the concept and it does make for a very unencumbered ride and you can head out (especially in the autumnal months) still feeling like you’re just in a jersey.
The Santini Windproof BL uses a combination of something called Dryarn, which incorporates polypropylene and strategically placed wind-proofing panels. You could be forgiven for blowing right past it on a rack because those panels have something of the plastic bag about them, but that’s why we test ‘em for you.
Get this top on and it feels smooth and comfortable next to your skin, with the knit sections proving very stretchy to give a secure fit. It wicks efficiently and we didn’t experience any of the clammy build-up we’d feared with the additional windproofing. It’s not cheap, but this is hard working quality that will last you a long time.
This article was originally published in What Mountain Bike magazine.
