Endura FS260-Pro Jetstream Jersey II review

The idea of sticking more windproof protection down your front possibly comes from old pro racers grabbing newspapers to stuff down their jerseys as they summited Alpine passes, but it’s now a well-established concept for protecting core warmth without creating excess heat. Protective panel placement means the Endura FS260-Pro Jetstream Jersey II runs a bit cooler than some of the best cycling jerseys and the DWR soon vanishes in the rain it’s meant to protect you from, but fit, features and pricing are all really good. 

Design

Endura has slightly changed the styling of the II but the windproof fabric still extends full length from high collar to silicon backed front hem and down the front/outer 270-degrees of the generously long sleeves. The rear three-pocket panel and dropped tail are windproof ‘shell’ material, too. It doesn’t wrap round to the sides as much as some designs though and there’s no ‘shell’ yoke across the back of the shoulders. Instead, the whole upper back, sides and inner sleeve are all light, super stretchy, brushed feel ‘Roubaix’ fabric. The long diagonal cut cuffs use the same material doubled over for snug glove docking and the same material forms a snug backing to the front zip and turns over to make a beard protecting ‘garage’ at the top.  

Performance

Despite being from the F260 performance range, fit is relatively generous and certainly roomier than the recently introduced ‘tight-enough-to-be-Italian’ Pro SL 3 season jacket. All the fabric is really stretchy though and the body and arms are plenty long so you won’t have any issues sizing down if you’re concerned about wrinkles, flap and drag.

While having belly not just chest protection is a big comfort plus in our book the front only coverage on body and arms, plus the thinner than average jersey sections mean you can expect to feel a breeze down your flanks and the occasional shiver down your spine starting out on colder rides. That’s obviously a steam and excess heat-shedding advantage when things warm up though so it just shifts the comfort window up a few degrees (or a heart rate level) compared to some similar jerseys. The windproof fabric is also slightly crackly, but nothing you’ll hear over ambient wind noise. The shell sections wick pretty well too and even when you are getting a bit sweaty it doesn’t have a clammy feel that can make some ‘fronted’ jerseys feel overly synthetic and cold as soon as you put them on.

The pockets are low enough to reach easily, stretchy enough to swallow excess loading at the start of a big day or when you’re trying to stuff a hastily bundled shell into them without losing a wheel. The zipped inset pocket on the right is big enough to swallow most smartphones, too, even if you use a protective case.

Like most eco-friendly PFC-Free water repellent coatings the ‘DWR’ is far from durable, too, wetting out rapidly even when new and effectively gone after the first wash. That doesn’t affect windproofing or warmth though so it’s much less of an issue on a jersey designed for shoulder conditions than it is on a full winter or ‘waterproof’ jacket. If you really miss it there are plenty of spray reproofing options, too.

Verdict

Thin jersey side and shoulders mean Endura's FS260-Pro Jetstream Jersey II is breezier/cooler than other similar ‘fronted’ jerseys and the DWR doesn’t last long, but if that balance works for you then the fit and features are really well sorted, there are plenty of primary colour options and it’s very competitively priced, too. 

Tech Specs: Endura FS260-Pro Jetstream Jersey II

• Price: £89.99  / $124.99 / AU$TBC 
• Sizes: S, M (tested) L, XL, XXL 
• Colours:  Hi-viz yellow (tested), black, red and blue