The Summit is Altura’s new trail jersey and we certainly found the polyester fabric to be up to scratch, shrugging off gorse bushes without a pulled thread to be seen – although it did get rather stinky after a few hours in the saddle.
The straight hem and polo shirt styling says anything but bike jersey, but subtle details like underarm mesh vents and a neat zip baffle to save neck scratches betray the thought that’s gone into its functionality.
A single chest pocket is welded for toughness, and transfer decals add a welcome splash of colour. There are a few too many seams around the shoulder area for our liking though, and bunched fabric rubbed slightly under pack straps when wet.
Small reflective accents are poorly placed at the lower back and don’t show well when wearing anything bigger than a race pack. We’d rather see them on the chest and arms, where they’re more visible to car drivers.