Reviews

Altura Podium Elite Thermo Long Sleeve Jersey – review

Warm, windproof jersey ideal for cold winter rides

The Altura Podium Elite Thermo is a extremely windproof yet relatively lightweight jersey ideal for cold weather riding. It also offers six pockets in all, ensuring there’s plenty of capacity to carry the essentials for long days in the saddle.

Altura use a fabric imaginatively named Thermo – which does exactly what you would expect it to do; keep you warm. It has a ‘thermosuede’ interior, which is essentially a fluffy, fleecy lining, paired with a smooth, ultra-windproof exterior. Despite that windproof outer, it breathes very well in lower temperatures, say from around five degrees and below.

Out riding, I nearly always felt comfortable in Thermo. The windproof fabric means it’s definitely one for cold weather and above eight of nine degrees I found it became too warm, but in typical winter conditions it works a treat.

The Altura Podium Elite Thermo Long Sleeve has a windproof outer which does an excellent job at keeping the elements out

Specification
Price: £79.99
Sizes: S-XL
Size tested: M
Colours: Hi-viz yellow/black; red/black
Website: Altura
UK distributor: Zyro-Fisher

The jersey isn’t waterproof but the Thermo fabric does bead and repel water in a light shower or when riding through mist or fog. Drizzle will seep in after about an hour and while it doesn’t necessarily soak the fabric, there is evidence of water intrusion. Despite that, the jersey still does a good job at retaining warmth, thanks to the windproof and thermal qualities of the fabric.

The cut and on-bike fit is also excellent – the arms are plenty long enough to get a good overlap with gloves, the tail is dropped, and the neckline is high to make you feel super-snug when riding. At times some thermal jerseys can feel restrictive or heavy, but the Podium avoids this – there is little bulk to the jersey.

On the bike, the shape of the jersey lends itself well to a fitted, semi-racy feel. It’s a sensible design as it minimises the amount of air that needs to be kept warm when riding, helping to keep you toasty. However, there is still comfortably enough room underneath for a base layer, and if you need more protection from heavy rain, a waterproof layer would do this.

There are five open pockets in all, as well as sixth zipped pocket, positioned on the right of the centre main pocket. It’s easy enough to get in and out of, but I’d have preferred it to be on the outer pocket to help make it even easier. There is also a media port, to thread your headphone into – handy if you ride with music at times.

I like the fact that Altura have included plenty of pockets as it allows you to carefully position all of the kit you want to carry, rather than loading everything up into just three pockets and having to dig around for a gel or snack alongside your multi-tool and jacket. The neat little side pockets make for quickly accessible stash points.

Otherwise, Altura have got the rest of the details well sorted. The hem holds the jersey in place well both at the front and rear, and the zipper has a chin guard to keep it from rubbing a bare chin or snagging a beard. All things considered, the jersey has a good feel to it and it performs well for its price point.

The jersey has six pockets in all, giving you plenty of options as to where you keep your ride essentials

Finally, there are some helpful reflective details on the lower back, as well as on the logos. The version we tested was neon yellow, which is great for visibility in the lanes during winter, though some additional high-viz on the back of the jersey would have been better as it’s pretty much all black. There’s also a red version of the jersey for a slightly more restrained look.