Isadore Women's Alternative Long Sleeve Baselayer review

How does this eco-friendly baselayer hold up against the competition?

A close up side view of the reviewer's torso, wearing the black and white spotted base layer. Her arm is bent and raised, displaying the tightness of the sleeve around the elbow. A black and white 'Cyclingnews Review' badge is overlaid on the right
(Image: © Katie Kaestner-Frenchman)

Cyclingnews Verdict

This eco-friendly, soft and attractive base layer comes up short due to limited and unreliable sizing, and poor fit through the arms and neck

Pros

  • +

    Very soft and silky feel

  • +

    Stays put on rides

  • +

    Eco-friendly, 100% recycled

  • +

    Wicks sweat well

Cons

  • -

    Ill-fitting at the neck

  • -

    Not much stretch

  • -

    Very tight at elbows and forearms

  • -

    Limited size range

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The Isadore Women's Alternative Long Sleeve Baselayer is a shoulder season cold-weather base layer, designed to be worn under a jersey. The primary draw is arguably its 100 per cent recycled material status, which bypasses the problems posed by the two most common base layer fabrics - merino, which isn’t suitable for vegans, and the virgin plastic in many polyesters. There are drawbacks to this unique fabric, though. The stretch is much closer to two-way than four-way stretch, which means it sits awkwardly around the neck and doesn’t allow for comfortable freedom of movement when it’s fitted correctly (read: tight). I was also disappointed by the sizing: The largest size available is an XL which was a close fit for our reviewer who usually wears a UK size 12, with 98cm hips that Isadore reckons is between L and XL. That narrow range, which seems to defy the measurement table, excludes a large portion of cyclists looking for a women’s fit base layer.

Still, in terms of design and performance, how does the Alternative Long Sleeve Baselayer compete with the best women's cycling baselayers, and the best cycling baselayers overall? Keep reading to find out.

Contributor