ASSOS’ Trail Collection
I’ve had so many messages about the lovely kit I was wearing whilst bikepacking in California so I thought it was about time I shared some more details with you.
My longterm sponsors ASSOS recently released a their new Trail collection, a selection of lightweight, comfortable, performance driven clothing designed with, you guessed it, trails in mind.
The shorts
Based entirely around a desire to ditch buckles, buttons, clips and straps that might rub or impede movement, ASSOS have managed to product clothing that nonetheless fits in all the right places, thanks to clever fabric cutting. At 12 inches long, the shorts are designed to finish just above the knee
The fabric they’ve used for the shorts is ultra-soft, light and able to stretch on either axis. It’s very quick drying and seemingly immune to odours and even dirt – I wore mine for four days in a row in Cali. The waist band is smooth, stretchy and feels soft next to the skin. It doesn’t pinch or dig in, in fact you barely feel like you’re wearing shorts at all.
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Incredibly, this lighter-than-air comfort doesn’t come at the cost of durability or abrasion resistance – the shorts are deigned to hold up to the rigours of off-road riding, the fabric having undergone a DWR treatment.
Undershorts (called Trail Liner Shorts) are very lightweight and comfortable with a similar soft, wide, waistband to the one on my favourite UMA GT shorts. Should you want to, you can use 10mm memory foam inserts to protect your hip bones, neatly slotting pads into their very own pockets.
The material uses a very open weave so they’re very cool plus all seams are reversed so they can’t rub. Like all the ASSOS shorts that are designed to be worn next to the skin, the chamois is not stitched on either side of the mid section so that it can move with the body rather than with the shorts. This preventing any chafing. Of course, it’s also made with ASSOS’s legendary 3D waffle foam so you know you’re gonna be comfortable.
The jerseys
Short and long sleeve jerseys are available in both men’s and women’s cuts, both of them keeping a streamlined aesthetic – ideal if you prefer a slim silhouette without extra material flapping or bunching. Again, ASSOS have used their access to advanced material technology to deliver jerseys that are cool, breathable, lightweight and stretchy.
The brand have added added well thought out details such as ultra-vented underarms and a zippered pocket (in the long sleeve version). Areas that are vulnerable to abrasion use of a fabric called ‘DyneRope,’ a high-density woven textile with ripstop weave that’s fifteen times stronger than steel.
As you would expect of ASSOS, the kit is exceptionally well made, stylish and durable so would certainly made a solid investment.
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