Strato in Italian means layer. The Sportful R & D Strato top is a gilet bonded to a thermal jersey. “The moment we stitch a new piece [at our Fonzaso HQ], we go out and try it. We don’t wait long from the concept to the realization. We don’t think too much about it; we just go out and try it,” explained Sportful marketing communications manager Alberto Zanotto. “Behind this there is six or seven prototypes.”
The Strato combines two extremely useful pieces of cold weather riding gear, a windproof gilet and a warm long sleeve jersey. “It’s a concept we drew from running. You see people running with tights and shorts on,” Zanotto said.
The Strato may sound like an unusual piece of apparel but that’s no surprise for a piece in the R & D collection. This top is just one example of the R & D concept in action. The pieces in the collection are never static, staying for two or three years depending on how effective they prove to be. The R & D collection allows Sportful’s designers to take new and potentially risky design choices. It’s a collection where you’ll see new fabrics used in new and innovative ways.
The R & D Strato
With the Strato, a floating design allows heat to escape from the gilet through the thermal layer for a sweat-free ride. The windproof fabric covers mostly the front of the top stopping a chilly wind from penetrating while heat can escape from the rear. The thermal jersey sits independently underneath. Three pockets provide plenty of storage; the Strato has a splash flap and zippered vents to allow more air to circulate in the top if required. It’s a piece that is designed for cool late or early season rides.
For hot days, there’s the R & D Cima jersey and bib shorts. Vincenzo Nibali chose to ride the bibs during the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España. “It’s a series of new concepts. Here we have mesh on the jersey and on the bib short. This is something we proposed to the racing teams and then they choose whether to adopt it.”
The fine compression mesh found on the Cima bib shorts is one of the fabrics Sportful have been experimenting with for a couple of years. On the shorts, the mesh fabric wraps along the outer side of the legs until it reaches the hips. It’s a striking design with minimal seams and a clean cut cuff. A double mesh fabric on the back panel allows for maximum ventilation on the hottest days on the bike.
Sportful has been producing clothing for the world’s top cyclists since 1985. From Peter Sagan’s world champion kits to the famous threads of Mapei, the company has experience with the sport’s most demanding professional riders. In 2017, Vincenzo Nibali and his Bahrain-Merida teammates and Trek-Segrafedo home to the now-retired Alberto Contador and returning rider John Degenkolb wore Sportful apparel at the WorldTour level.
“The R & D collection is our technical playground, where we test things. It’s our ‘what-if’ deparment. We constantly introduce new ideas, renovate and see where the concept goes,” Zanotto explained. “We go forward with what works. It’s a line for the demanding but curious cyclist.”
The R & D collection is made to drive innovation. The ideas that take off can then be filtered into the rest of the lineup. Designers know the clothes have been proven in the hands of their professional riders. The technology will also work for everyday riders who want to have the best experience on the bike.
