Sportful was founded in 1973, built on the roots of Italian underwear manufacturing house Manifattura Valcismon. Initially, the brand produced cross-country ski clothing after company founder Giordano Cremonese was left unsatisfied by the XC skiing kit that was available.
After establishing Sportful as a ski wear brand, the company began to develop cycling clothing in 1985, finding its way onto riders from Ceramiche Ariostea, Maglificio Bianchi and Mapei.
In the 1990s, Manifattura Valcismon acquired fellow Italian clothing brand Castelli; both are now produced under the same roof along with Karpos, an outdoor brand specialising in climbing, hiking and ski mountaineering gear.
Nowadays you'll find Sportful kit on the backs of riders from Bora-Hansgrohe riders.
Sportful range explained
As with any other cycling clothing brand, Sportful clothing covers a range of performance levels, from the lower end of the spectrum all the way up to the gear Bora-Hansgrohe race in at the highest level.
BodyFit Pro - the kit designed for Sportful's pro teams. It comprises tight, aero and technical kit that's ready to race everything from the Spring Classics to time trials.
Fiandre - the ‘ready for anything range’ comprising versatile clothing to battle changing weather conditions.
Protection - rain and wind jackets to stave off the worst of the elements, no matter your riding plans.
Gravel - Comprising Sportful's Giara and SuperGiara ranges, the Gravel range caters to every definition of the ever evolving discipline. Giara is the bikepacking friendly, relaxed-fit clothing that puts comfort at the fore, while SuperGiara takes the best of the Giara range and adds extra performance.
Sportful clothing you can buy today
Just about anyone can reap the benefits of owning a SuperGiara jersey. Whether you're an aspiring gravel racer, a hot-climate adventurer, or a roadie looking for a race-ready jersey. The SuperGiara is made in conjunction with Sportful's sponsored pro athletes to ensure a close fit and prevent wasted watts.
Reflective detailing throughout helps to increase low-light safety, and a taller central pocket is great for stashing larger items such as your mini pump or your rain jacket.
There's no women's specific SuperGiara jersey, but there are jerseys in the women's range that will likely suit the needs of women gravelistas.
The SuperGiara bib shorts brilliantly epitomise the SuperGiara range. Offering a performance bib short that would be perfectly suitable for use on the road, but excels when the ride lengthens and the road surface roughens.
There is a version for both men and women, and while the women's version is limited to a single black colourway, men get a choice of black or Sienna. The men's version gets an all-new DMS gravel-specific seatpad that, for the time being, is exclusive to the SuperGiara bibs. Women get the extra cushy Total Comfort W pad that is also found on the Total Comfort W bibs.
An abrasion-resistant woven material prevents snags when sending it through the undergrowth, and the pièce de résistance is the addition of leg- and lumbar-pockets that you can use to stash anything from spare tubes to your mid-ride banana, just like Peter Sagan and Daniel Oss.
Designed for the hottest days on the road, the BodyFit Pro Light jersey is made from extra-breathable material. There's a super stretchy material across the shoulders which will ensure a skintight fit for maximum comfort and increased aerodynamic efficiency.
There's a choice of four colours (black, red/orange, cement/silver and blue), which all feature a two-tone colour block design. Weighing in at just 113 grams, the Light jersey is fast-wicking, quick-drying, and features laser-cut sleeves, three rear pockets and reflective detailing throughout.
Sportful's LTD bib shorts come out of the BodyFit Pro range, and have seen a minor update for 2020 with improved rear panel construction for better fit and function.
They are Sportful's road racing bib shorts designed for - and in conjunction with - Bora-Hansgrohe riders. Using the TC Pro chamois for the men, and the TC Pro W chamois for women, the bib shorts are designed for racing in every regard. The AeroFlow Compress Lycra is designed to be form-fitting and supportive without being restrictive, and the flat-lock stitching will prevent chafing.
The two hidden radio pockets won't be too imiportant for the majority of us, but it proves the LTD bib shorts are used by the best in the sport.
There is a choice of three colours - black, blue and chocolate - for both men and women.
Fiandre is Italian for Flanders and that's exactly where this line shines, the brutal conditions of the Spring Classics. However, due to most of Northern Europe seeing rain as a year-round probability, the Fiandre Light NoRain was born.
Comprising a sleeveless vest, a short sleeve jacket and a long sleeve jacket all for men and women, as well as bib shorts reserved for men, the Light NoRain range combines the best of warm-weather usage and waterproofing technology. Rated to be used in temperatures of 10-degrees and up, the NoRain Light fabric allows sweat to escape whilst keeping showers at bay.
For 2020, the Light NoRain range has been given a minor revamp with improvements being made across the board, including an update to the fit around the sleeves and neck on the jacket, jersey and vest.
The Monocrom jersey might just be perfect for those who take pride in individuality. By double-dip-dying each jersey after construction, colours are absorbed differently each time, resulting in each and every Monocrom jersey having a slightly unique aesthetic, and rather than uniform block colouring, there is a distressed finish which adds to the character of each jersey.
Technically, the jersey features lightweight, high-stretch materials to ensure a close, comfortable and aerodynamic fit. A silicone waist gripper keeps everything in place, and as you'd expect, three rear pockets provide ample room for your belongings.
Designed with performance in mind, the Pro Light socks are made from highly breathable materials including a Meryl Skinlife bacteriostatic yarn, which means it prevents bacteria from reproducing.
Perfect for hot, hard days on the bike, such as racing and training, the Pro Light socks come in a choice of four kit-matching colours. The compressive cuff and midfoot band ensure the socks remain in situ.
These socks are used by Sportful’s sponsored athletes including Bora-Hansgrohe. However, women will need to look to the Evo W range, as the Pro isn’t available.
Designed for the rigours of gravel riding, the Giara jersey is the slightly looser-fitting sibling of Sportful's performance-minded SuperGiara range.
With a range of five colours on offer (black, grey, sea moss, blue atomic and sienna), Giara is claimed to be 'styled for any adventure'. The jersey offers a looser, all-day-comfortable fit. There are three pockets at the back, as well as a zippered security pocket.
Reflective detailing throughout improves low-light safety, and a silicone gripper around the elasticated waist keeps the jersey from riding up or twisting. The jersey is rated for temperatures of 15-degrees and up.
The Giara over shorts are designed to offer the perfect balance of off-the-bike casual aesthetic and on-the-bike performance.
There's a four-way stretch material to prevent restriction, and the DWR coating will keep light rain or puddle splashback at bay. With zippered pockets at the front, there's no chance of losing your phone and beer money while ripping through the trails, and then when you arrive at your destination, you won't look like you've just stepped out of the WorldTour.
Both men and women get a couple of options each, both get a choice of black, but for those who want to add a splash of colour to their ride, men get 'chocolate', while women get 'sea moss'.
As the name suggests, the Total Comfort (and Total Comfort W) bib shorts are designed for maximum comfort in the saddle. A four-way stretch fabric adapts to the shape of the body, and the leg endings are raw cut and made from thermowelded silicone, which essentially means they don't compress around the leg and instead offer comfort-enhancing contour-adherence.
Rated for temperatures of 15-degrees and up, the Total Comfort bib shorts will see you through three seasons, especially if paired with Sportful's range of knee or leg warmers.
There's a women's version available at the same price, too, with women's specific bib straps and Sportful's Total Comfort W chamois, which is designed for trained cyclists undertaking everything from multi-day tours to pro races.
The Pro Baselayer is Sportful's performance base layer used by pro riders such as Peter Sagan. Made with an updated fabric which sees vertical ribs that not only improve fit, but also allow breathability to regulate the wearer's temperature and keep him or her dry.
The collar is designed to work with that on Sportful jerseys, and the design offers more than the now-common plain black or white base layers, although plain white is available if that's still your bag.
There's a tee (pictured) or a sleeveless version, and while there is a women's sports bra that shares the Pro moniker and much of the same technology, the tee shape is only available in a men's fit.
Based loosely on Sportful’s Giara Thermal jersey, the SuperGiara adds a bit of protection from the cold, while still keeping aerodynamics high on the list of design priorities. While the Giara jersey is a looser fitting garment designed for long days on gravel roads, the SuperGiara sees a slimmer cut.
Combining a long-sleeve jersey and a wind vest into a single garment, the SuperGiara is made from twin layer thermal fabrics to trap additional heat and has a windproof front panel. The rear of the jersey is made from mesh serving as an exhaust for excess warmth and also features three pockets.
Sportful's version of the rain jersey is the Fiandre pro jacket made from Polartec’s NeoShell laminated wind and waterproof fabric — not the Gore fabric used by Rapha and Castelli. It’s highly breathable, stretchy and, most importantly, it keeps the rain on the outside with fully taped seams and a waterproof YKK vislon zipper.
Available in both short and long sleeve versions, the short sleeve ‘jacket’ sees the lower cuff stop just above the elbow with grippers to seal out the elements and a high-cut collar prevents the cold from sneaking in the top of the jacket.
Both have three external pockets and a pronounced drop tail to prevent the spray from your rear tyre saturating your chamois. The jersey features an articulated cut; standing up it’s not all that comfortable, however when you reach for the bars, the shoulder hem falls into place, and the jersey hugs your form.
Available in arm, knee and leg flavours, all three are made from the same DWR treated, fleece-lined fabric as the NoRain shorts and tights. They only use a single seam to limit chafing and pinching and see silicon grippers to prevent the warmer from falling down.
All three come in four sizes and feature reflective piping and logos.
Sportful’s NoRain fabric isn’t a laminated three-layer textile with a waterproof membrane in the middle; instead, it gets a 'proprietary nanotechnology treatment' — translation, DWR.
The bib tights are made from fleece-lined lycra, which sees the DWR exterior treatment which causes water to bead and runoff. They aren’t waterproof and won’t keep you dry like the Polartec fabric used in the Pro jacket, but they will keep the elements at bay for a while. Sportful has also used as few seams as possible, not only to prevent chafing but also to keep more moisture out.
At the bottom, these tights see ankle zips to make them easier to pull on and peel off. Inside, the NoRain Team bibs employ a Sportful BodyFit Pro chamois so you can sit pretty for hours on end in the rain.
Chop the Fiandre NoRain bib tights off at the knee and upgrade the chamois and you basically have the Fiandre NoRain bib shorts. The Pro version also gets the brands lay flat bib-straps which work as the name suggests, and are perforated for added breathability.
They are a pro-level race-fit bib with a raw cut leg band, and the bulk of the short is made from the fleece-lined DWR treated NoRain fabric. Instead of the BodyFit Pro pad, the Pro version of the shorts has the Total Comfort (TC) Pro Chamois, which is lighter on the padding and features extended flaps to help prevent irritation in your nether regions on long base mile rides.
Claimed to be comfortable down to 8-degrees Celcius, the BodyFit Pro jacket is made with a three-layer construction for maximum warmth with minimal bulk. The innermost layer is a fast-wicking mesh, in the middle is Thermore lightweight insulation, and the outer layer is a wind- and water-resistant face fabric.
According to Sportful, the cut of the Bodyfit Pro Jacket has seen input from WorldTour pros and features a body-hugging cut to slip through the wind with minimal resistance. A silicon waste band on the bottom keeps the rear of the jersey in place, and three back pockets keep your snacks easily accessible.
The BodyFit Pro bib tights don’t see the durable water-repellent fabrics used in the NoRain gear, instead, Sportful uses high-stretch heavier fabric in areas vital for warmth, and thinner fabrics help your body dump excess heat. This means you stay warm without overheating or getting overly sweaty.
Inside the BodyFit Pro Tights see a Total Comfort Pro Chamois pad and lay-flat bib straps at the top.
Each leg sees a 360-degree reflective leg band and Camlock zips at the ankles.
The SuperGiara bib tights are what you get if the BodyFit tights grew a moustache, started drinking IPA beer and traded 700Cx25m tyres for 650bx55mm rubber.
With a thigh pocket for keeping extra tools and snacks at hand, the tights have double thickness fabrics over the knees to keep your joints warm and happy. In areas like the lower leg where less insulation is needed, lighter weight materials are utilised.
The SuperGiara bib tights have a DMS seat pad which is designed with a bit of extra shock absorption built in for riding over rougher roads. Even though gravel riders tend to err more on the side of baggies, the SuperGiara tights offer as Sportful puts it, a ‘painted-on’ fit.