Q36.5 Hybrid Que X Jersey/Jacket Review

Q36.5 is not the best-known high-end cycling apparel brand, in an extremely competitive sector often dominated by a few brands that benefit from a history in addition to a certain brand image. For its part, the Italian firm relies on the truly exceptional quality of its products to position itself in this market, with clothing designed for cyclists in all aspects that contribute to performance. While waiting for other brand tests to come very soon on 3bikes.fr, it is here the Hybrid Que X jersey/jacket that has been examined from every angle and tested across a very wide temperature spectrum. A real favorite!

Text: Olivier Dulaurent – Photos: Q36.5, 3bikes.fr

The name chosen by the brand, Q36.5, already raises a question. Q comes from Quaerere (meaning “to seek” in Latin) and 36.5 refers to the ideal body temperature. For the record, the brand was created by Luigi Bergamo, who worked for nearly 13 years at Assos as Director of Research and Development before launching his own brand in 2013 to further contribute his vision of high-end cycling apparel.

For the brand’s creator, aerodynamics is the starting point for creating a new product, even if some items lean more towards a slightly looser fit, like those in the Adventure range (not tested here).

Bergamo details his philosophy below:

“Aero is not just something to make you faster, but a development method, a philosophy. To eliminate everything that slows you down, you have to eliminate the superfluous, the unnecessary; it’s the cleanest form, the purest form.

From this inspiration, we named our road range the Essential collection. Essential is the driving force behind our development, where we eliminate all superfluous elements to design functional clothing.

A good kit is a system composed of several variables: first, the properties of the fabric, but also the assumed speed of the activity, the type of airflow, and the placement of different materials.

We are truly obsessed with three aspects that lead to the success of a good garment:

– Thermoregulation, and in collaboration with a research center, we have developed a method to detect the exact comfort zones for different types of cycling. We collect temperature and relative humidity readings using sensors distributed both on the body and on the clothing. We also use thermal imaging to detect hot spots and see the distribution of water/sweat saturation. At the same time, we monitor the power output by the cyclist. These methods allow us to precisely study the relationship between power, temperature, and comfort, as well as the relationship between humidity and comfort.

– Another concept we focus on is sustainability. Our products are made from start to finish in Italy – from design to packaging, including the complete production of materials and finished parts. Our footprint is within a 350 square kilometer radius around Bolzano. Short transport routes during the production cycle reduce the impact of production on pollution. When choosing our raw materials, we collaborate with companies that have social responsibility; for example, they limit their water usage in the production cycle, such as dyeing fibers and materials. Whenever possible, we use recycled fibers as long as we are sure they will not compromise our final product. Q36.5 also uses eco-sustainable raw materials such as post-consumer recycled yarns, biodegradable fibers, and natural fibers.

– The third element, which is also our raison d’être, is to create a more functional product that adapts to different environmental conditions: our dream is to create the most versatile product possible, that is, a utopian four-season product that would become the absolutely essential piece of equipment.“

This last point is at the heart of the product tested here. Indeed, the Hybrid Que X jersey/jacket is designed to cover a range starting from 8°C. While this immediately rules out use during the coldest periods of winter, and conversely, the long sleeves would be uncomfortable above about twenty degrees, Q36.5 nevertheless presents this product as a “three-season” item. Which it proves to be, as the test will show over the kilometers.

Hybrid Que X Long Sleeve Jersey/Jacket Navy Blue

The Hybrid Que X product is presented as bridging the gap between a jersey and a jacket. But given the allowed temperature range and its purpose of offering wind protection, it is more considered a jacket. As mentioned above, to allow use in a range from 8 to 20°C, different materials have been strategically placed. Thus, Hybrid Shell and Hybrid Shell Light materials are placed in the most exposed areas: on the front, upper back, and 2/3 of the arms. Q36.5 presents these materials as exclusive in the sense that they are not windproof membranes as we are used to seeing on this type of product, but rather an extremely densely woven fabric. Similarly, the interior is “brushed” with a warmer fabric to retain heat.

On the back of the garment and the forearm (slightly above the wrists), UFL1 Silver is used as the material, with its breathability and quick-drying properties, not to mention a certain rigidity that allows pockets to be filled without sagging.

The collar has also been the subject of extensive study: made of 2 different panels, its purpose is to prevent any air entry while being as comfortable as possible in the cycling position.

Finally, the construction of the pockets also deserves to be detailed. They benefit from a “pre-opening” while being very discreet.

When holding the garment in your hands, you are surprised by the extreme lightness of the product. At 210 g measured on the scale in size S (corresponding to a size M at Castelli), the Hybrid Que X jacket is barely heavier than many short-sleeved summer jerseys…

The excellent finish is obvious wherever you look, and the very construction of the panels of different materials suggests that the jacket has been designed down to the smallest detail, for the cyclist.

The fit is ideal: both very close to the body but without the slightest restriction or discomfort, quite the opposite. Note that sizes start with XS.

While riding, the impressions are confirmed: the jacket’s fit around the body is perfect, a real feeling of well-being is present over the kilometers and rides. There is no part that flaps in the wind or creases around the stomach.

While the brand’s claim of a very densely woven material replacing a membrane while ensuring the breathability of a non-membrane fabric might have seemed ideal in theory but somewhat utopian in practice, reality proves the product’s designers right. Indeed, the front part genuinely blocks the effects of wind (and speed of movement) without causing significant sweating, to the point of being truly astonishing! Breathability is even improved by the cuffs, which use the very thin UFL1 Silver fabric, while at this level, the sleeves are quite long, even for a cyclist who is 1m90 tall. On the back, the sensation of overheating is also absent with the use of the same material.

The rear pockets are both easy to access and deep enough to carry everything necessary, including a rain jacket like the R.Shell Protection X jacket from the same brand, or even another bulkier jacket. The reflective band located under the pockets also plays a role in maintaining the garment’s structure, while promoting good visibility in dark weather.

Personally, I found that the lower limit for comfortable use at a reasonable pace was around 10°C with a long thermal base layer, but for the 8°C indicated by the brand, the intensity level of the ride had to remain sporty. In any case, versatility is further increased with the addition of a sleeveless vest, such as the brand’s L1 vest, which will be the subject of a later test. And while usually layering a jacket with a membrane and a vest (with a membrane) quickly leads to high perspiration, the effect here is completely absent. At least, the limit is not having stacked these garments, but rather the level of intensity.

To be concise, for the targeted temperature range and for riding in the absence of rain, I would say this is the best jacket I have ever tested. At this level of versatility, the very relevance of a traditional mid-season jersey is also called into question, as the Hybrid Que X can replace it.

=> SEE ALSO : All our Gear articles