Patagonia Debuts Mountain Bike Gear
Everything this company touches seems to turn to gold—and now it’s trying its hand at mountain bike apparel. We test its debut pieces on the trail.
When I heard that Patagonia was launching mountain bike apparel for spring/summer 2016, I was surprised. After all, the company was founded by a climber—big-wall conqueror Yvon Chouinard—and alpinism remains its mainstay, along with backcountry skiing, hiking, yoga, surfing. These are the sports that Patagonia outfits with uncompromising functionality. But it has backed away from chamois-making, until now.
Patagonia unveiled three new pieces aimed at singletrack devotees: the Dirt Craft Shorts ($149), Dirt Craft Jacket ($129) and Forerunner Zip-Neck ($49 for long sleeved, $45 for short-sleeved). The first thing I noticed was the luscious hand of all fabrics.
Silky and thin, the jersey feels weightless when worn. That makes it perfect for hot-weather rides when most fabrics (even reputable synthetics) feel like an oppressive layer between scorching sun and overheated skin. The Forerunner, though, isn’t like mid-pack jerseys: It’s comparable to high-end road cycling kits made of top-shelf Italian material. Weighing just three ounces, the short-sleeved Forerunner feels airy in the hottest conditions—like my 3 pm climb up Moab’s Hymasa Trail in mid-June. Admittedly, nothing would make that kind of ride feel comfortable, but the Forerunner definitely game me one less thing to complain about. It seemed like my only ally.
Nikki Hollatz shreds the forest for the trees. Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Washington.
The shorts combine a chamois with a baggy, jeans-cut overshort, and I have mixed feelings about both. I love the yoga-style waistband on the chamois, which let me take full, deep breaths (not quite as unconstructed as a bib, but close). And the meshy fabric throughout the seat and thighs is wonderfully breathable—again, this is a great choice for sweaty hammerfests. The pad is broad and thick enough for long-mileage rides totaling several hours in the saddle. But, that fabric proved to be more abrasive than most chamois I’ve worn, so even though I’m not addicted to Chamois Butt’r, I must use it when wearing the Dirt Craft.
The outer shorts also feature a fantastic nylon/spandex fabric that’s light enough for cross-country cranking but tough enough to survive unscathed through thickets of willow and scrub oak. However, I don’t find it practical to use the two open hip pockets while on the bike, because they’re located right on my hip crease—and the pedaling action ends up pushing out anything I try to stash there. The one zippered back pocket hasn’t proven to be handy because it’s uncomfortable to store stuff between by butt and the saddle.
And the cut might suit straight figures better than my curvy, little-waist/big-hip body. Although there are two adjustable tabs that can cinch up the waistband, they create bunched-up fabric that looks and feels sloppy. I much prefer shorts that use a bit of seaming to help create shape, rather than relying on cinch tabs alone.
But the jacket is a stroke of real genius. The lightweight softshell fabric is more breathable than a rain shell, but provides enough protection to keep me from feeling chilled once my sweaty climb turns to a cool, high-speed descent. The hem is a bit lower in the back, so it doesn’t ride up and expose my lower back while I’m bent forward on the bike. I wouldn’t want to rely on its waterproofness in a sustained downpour, but it kept me dry throughout passing showers. And it seems wonderfully versatile, suitable for cool-weather trail running and Nordic skiing—in fact, I’m looking forward to keeping the Dirt Craft jacket in the closet once I start waxing up my skate skis.
With its entrée into mountain biking, Patagonia’s fabric savvy helps make these pieces a cut above the average—as befits the company’s overall reputation for excellence. With a few more refinements to the shorts (which probably required the biggest departure from Patagonia’s shirt-and-jacket talents) it’ll have an unbeatable kit.
About Kelly Bastone
Once upon a time, contributor Kelly Bastone lived in the Big City of Denver, Colorado, where she visited the mountains as much as she could. Then she wised up and flipped the arrangement: Ten years ago, she moved to Steamboat Springs, where she skis (resort, skate, and backcountry), hikes, mountain bikes, fly-fishes--and occasionally ventures forth from her beautiful mountain valley to visit cities worldwide. A freelance writer,— More about this author →
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