Australian brand MAAP added this M-Flag Ultra Light jersey to its collection for the 2018 summer season, which is designed to be worn in hot or humid conditions to help regulate body temperature. It should also offer marginal weight savings for a long day's climbing.
Weighing just 97g, the lightweight mesh material does lose some coverage, and when worn without a baselayer, the jersey is slightly see-through. However, what the material perhaps lacks in modesty, it makes up for in technical performance.
The mesh fabric offers excellent wicking from sweat, by drawing the moisture away from the body, and allows the breeze to flow through the material, keeping skin cool and dry, even in temperatures exceeding 30ºC — the jersey can be zipped up throughout longer riders, even while climbing.
MAAP says it has also added UV protection to the more exposed back panel of the jersey and, during testing, no signs of skin damage from the sun through the jersey was experienced.
MAAP makes the jersey at an undisclosed factory in Italy and the finish quality is comparable with some of the most respected apparel brands in cycling. As is the trend with modern, technical jerseys, the MAAP M-Flag Ultra Light jersey has pro-style longer sleeves and a minimal collar too.
To make such a lightweight jersey, some compromises have been made. Some of the structure you might expect from a high-end technical jersey is lost with the lightweight material, and while the cut of the jersey is close to perfect otherwise, if the three cargo pockets are overloaded the jersey can sag to one side or twist around the torso, even with light silicone grippers around the waist at the rear of the jersey.
This can easily be combatted by storing tools in a saddle bag and saving the cargo pockets for all but the most essential of items, and is a small price to pay for the technical performance of the jersey.
Available in navy with white detailing or black with blue detailing, the jersey is a stylish, high performing jersey for hot weather riding or long days spent climbing, and while undoubtedly an expensive piece of clothing, the quality and performance put the MAAP M-Flag Ultra Light jersey easily on par with similarly specced jerseys.