Pearl Izumi Interval jersey review

At a scant 103 grams, Pearl Izumi’s Interval jersey is without doubt a real featherweight piece of kit.

It’s made from an incredibly soft and silky feeling fabric Pearl Izumi call Elite Transfer, giving it an almost ‘barely there’ feel as soon as you put the jersey on. This fabric has also got another trick up its sleeve and is covered in tiny perforations to enhance its performance in warm weather. It also has coldblack technology, designed to keep you cool in hot weather even in dark coloured clothing. Whilst it all sounds a little bit like marketing hyperbole it actually does work and the Interval jersey feels cool to use and is incredibly breathable.

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The fit is quite race or form-fitted but thanks to the fabric it lacks the compressive feel that other jerseys have when cut to this shape. This less compressive fabric extends to the sleeves and here it is a little loose in places – not baggy, just a little less figure hugging. An issue further exacerbated by a doubled over cuff that does nothing to prevent the sleeve from riding up during a ride.

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The rest of the Interval has been designed to be unobtrusive and as sleek as possible. The collar is low cut, protruding just 1.5cm, so causing zero restrictions even when the jersey is done up completely. The locking YKK zipper is also shielded behind the main jersey fabric rendering it almost invisible when the jersey is closed, lending a seamless look. The lower hem also only features silicon grippers across the rear panel, however I never had an issue with the jersey riding up.

To keep the weight down Pearl Izumi has stuck to three basic rear pockets. These have been reinforced but the stretchy and thin nature of the fabric means you are fearful of overloading.

It’s a really good jersey for riding in the heat but the price puts it at the top of the budget when compared with other similarly featured jerseys.