Worn underneath a jersey, a base layer (AKA undershirt) is designed to draw sweat away from your skin and help it wick away, keeping you dry – and therefore more comfortable and warmer.
Made of 95 percent polypropylene and five percent elastane, the Italian-made 4Shaw Disco is super light and dries incredibly quickly. The ultra thin, rope-like construction is surprisingly comfortable, though perhaps not so brilliant to look at (lucky it’s a base layer).
On warm, sunny days, the sleeveless Disco noticeably held heat. Although it kept us perfectly dry, it also made us feel uncomfortably hot. On milder days, though – and even ones with some chill – the garment performed admirably and helped us maintain a stable core temperature, while also keeping us dry.
The amazingly stretchy nature of this product means it’s a one-size fits all solution. We usually wear a small jersey, and this fit perfectly without bunching – though it was a touch longer than strictly necessary. Its stretch will see it happily fit both far larger and far taller riders.
Although expensive, after a few months of testing the Disco is still holding its shape and looks just as it did when we first slipped it on in front of the mirror (hoping no one was watching).
Although the Disco undershirt is not distributed outside of Australia, it can be shipped overseas when purchased through the 4Shaw website. Shipping from Australia to the UK, for example, starts at US$18.