The Ispirata Women's Jersey from Castelli is ideal for cyclists who seek performance and a great fit, but with a softer feel and features that augment, not detract from, performance and comfort. At 129 grams (Small), the Ispirata is reasonably lightweight, with excellent heat and moisture management. The aesthetics are clean and fairly simple for Castelli, with a main and contrasting colorway, along with a simple horizontal stripe that adds a nice complementary touch. The fit is intended to be close to the body, basically form-fit, but not a restrictive, race-type jersey. The key to the fit of this comfortable design is the combination of fabric application and garment construction.

Today's technical fabrics are amazing in how well they can be constructed to offer light compression, stretch, and moisture transfer, but the key to performance in these areas is fit. The best fabrics require skin contact to actively do their work properly, so the availability of a loose fitting, comfy jersey of the past has been curtailed. The Inspirata's textile blend is called Micro-pique, a proprietary fabric incredibly soft on the skin that combines 95% polyester with 5% elastane. The inner surface is velvety soft, and the fabric has the perfect amount of stretch to conform, but not restrict. The main front and back panels run vertically, with side panels under the arm pulling the body together. The key panel is a shoulder yoke that spans the across upper back of the shoulder shoulders and over the top, curving with the neck line. The effect is jersey that has just the right amount of pull to keep the body from flapping in the breeze, while the neck and shoulders get some light compression that helps to reduce fatigue of these muscle zones that are consistently under pressure as you ride. One interesting feature is that the sleeves have their own construction, and won't be overly taut from shoulder action, with a light elastic cuff. Again, this design keeps the material in contact with the skin, but is not restrictive.

Consistent with this design philosophy, the rear pocket structure is built to "float", so that it doesn't pull with the jersey, and although it may sound counter-intuitive, this keeps the pocket centered, riding in the same place despite body movement. The pocket itself is a pro-style three section design with a zippered security pocket located on the exterior of the left pocket. The rear hem is extended about 2" beyond the silicone/elastic gripper at the base of the normal length. The Ispirata features a full length YKK® Vislon zipper, with an exterior placket (flap) that runs from hem to neck. At the top a zipper garage protects the skin from the zipper. Castelli keeps the logo simple, with a relatively small silicone tone-on-tone script logo above the left chest, and Scorpion logos on both sleeves and the lower back.

The Ispirata Women's Jersey was designed for summer weather, with long rides in mind. The comfort, support, breathability, and features favor the cyclist who seeks to enjoy both the ride itself and the experience that makes it worthwhile. At the same time, the fit and cut is flattering, yet won't sacrifice performance or feel like a flowing gown on a speedy descent. The clean graphics, colors, and overall effect are a nice touch. If all this sounds appealing to you, this jersey may inspire you all summer long.