Review: Review: Assos LS.SKINFOIL SPRING/FALL

Forming part of the Assos Climarange, the Skinfoil Spring/fall base layer is a high performing piece of kit ideally suited to spring and autumn, but equally at home during the milder winters here in the UK.

It’s a very a close fitting garment, allowing for a good range of movement with it on, and with this snugness it allows for a heavier-weight jersey to go on top should it be needed under a jacket.

It’s not the quickest to wick away bodily moisture, and Assos are quick to point out that is part of the design, the skinfoil’s thermal characteristics are maximised when “slightly moist”, the fibres using the moisture as either insulator or coolant as needed.

It certainly works in this regard, I’ve been out with just this and the Assos IJ.Tiburu.4 jacket in temperatures below 5 degrees and once up to a reasonable work rate found myself plenty warm enough. I would suggest that it’s ideally suited around the 10 degree area, that puts it firmly in the October through to April range, or for those easy morning rides we sneak in when the light is better.

The garment is seamless, and with it’s elasticity it will fit a range of body shapes and sizes with ease – this was one aspect of it I found to be really good – it is very comfortable!

The biggest, there are only 2, downside for me was that it was very much a ‘wear-once,wash once’ item, wifey was particularly surprised at how whiffy I was after riding in it, this is almost certainly down to the fibres, but in fairness, it’s not designed for commuting, its natural habitat is on a tempo ride!

The other challenge is the price, at a shade under £70 it’s going to be too much to handle for many, and ultimately it’s pretty hard to justify that tag, even if it does perform well.

For the racer who needs all-out performance then it’s a reasonable buy, but you are never going to be ok with just one base layer, adding a couple of these and it gets very expensive, very quickly!