Qloom Woolley Mid-Layer Jersey - Review

On Trail
Let’s start with the basics—the Woolley is not made of wool. It’s an entirely synthetic affair—94 percent polyester and 6 percent Elastane. Qloom calls the stuff “Technostretch” and they claim it boasts excellent stretch, insulation and breathability.

The Wooley has a “performance” fit, which is not going to be kind to anyone who spends significant amounts of time on the couch or at the bar. It’s fairly form fitting. Although the Swiss company bills their general design aesthetic as “surf-inspired”, the Wooley has a decidedly less casual vibe. As with most Qloom apparel, the aesthetics are colorful. The jersey comes in two colorways, both of which pack a lot more oomph than anything I’d normally buy. I’m a huge fan of black. And black. And maybe grey. To each their own.



Despite the clinging cut of the jersey, the Wooley is actually comfortable. Very comfortable, in fact. Kudos on the pattern work here as there’s excellent range of motion and freedom of movement in the shoulders. The jersey may look like an insulated sausage suit, but it sure doesn’t feel that way. The back of the jersey is also a good length—there’s no icy plumber’s crack that develops in the middle of your ride.

As for warmth, the Woolley is killer. I've racked up plenty of long rides with this thing—in temperatures down to about -6 °C (20 °F)—and I've yet to shiver. What’s more, I generally opted to wear the jersey without any baselayer at all, though I imagine running a thin merino wool baselayer would grant you even more leeway. As it was, I never felt the need. The jersey is good at pulling sweat away from your body and it nails its job as an insulation layer.

What about water repellency? You’re not getting that benefit with the Woolley—this is a mid-layer, after all. You’ll want some kind of hardshell to fend off rain. That said, the Woolley is so warm that you’ll probably restrict your use of it to days when the only thing falling from the sky is snow. I can’t see myself wearing this with an outer layer during rainstorms; well, maybe if I was hiking, but not when I’m riding and my heart rate is in the stratosphere. This thing is like a portable oven.

There are a few additional details worth mentioning. The Woolley features a high collar that keeps drafts away. It also sports a full-length, YKK zipper, which is great for regulating your heat levels. Finally, I’m always a fan of a zippered back pocket (something that you see less and less of on jerseys these days)—the Woolley gets bonus points for keeping your multi-tool, sandwich or cell phone safely stashed.

So where does all this leave us? The Woolley's price is steep, to be sure. Then again, I haven't worn many jerseys that have been this comfortable in such severe cold... It's hard to put a price on being warm in hypothermic conditions. I'm generally a fan of genuine wool, which has the added benefit of providing similar levels of warmth--even when wet--and which also fends off funk-spawning bacteria. Name notwithstanding, this Qloom jersey is synthetic, which means it may develop a less appealing aroma by the end of the season, though, to its credit, it's still fresh as a daisy. A big point in favor of synthetics in general and this jersey in particular? They often withstand careless washing a whole lot better than wool. That definitely proved true in this case.



Pinkbike's Take:

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