Kitsbow Merino V2 Ride Tee

Kitsbow Merino V2 Ride Tee

One of the Finer Things in Life

Words by Sourpatch  |  Photos by Tyler Leicht

Founded in 2012, Kitsbow has been all about creating the best gear with the best material available while maintaining a balance of performance, timeless design with a tailor-like fit. When Kitsbow first came out I didn’t give the company the time of day as my style-mind was set on neon colors, abstract design and pedaling my bike as little as possible. But like most, the older I get the more my taste changes.

The Lab

The Ride Tee has a tailor-like fit comprised of 75% Merino – 25% synthetic fabric. This construction gives the jersey an improved stretch recovery while maintaining a luxurious feel and the Merino wool offers extreme durability, moisture wicking and impressive odor control.

Kitsbow has outfitted their Ride Tee to the summit and back with features, such as a built in sunglass chamois – located on the inner bottom left portion of the jersey, and a zipper-secured back pocket in case you run out of space in your riding shorts. Some other key features are the gusseted arm holes which allow for maximum articulation when riding, nylon shoulder panels offer some abrasion resistance, a reinforced hem and vents at the hem. The Kitsbow Merino Ride Tee is available in XS all the way to XXl and they are a true-to-size fit, meaning if you want the jersey to run a bit looser, you should size up from what you would normally wear which I may do should I be given opportunity to test another jersey. I love the way the Large jersey fits, but I could use a little extra length all the way around. Being skinny and 6’1” finding a shirt/jersey with the perfect fit is something of an impossible task.

Kitsbow Merino V2 Ride Tee

The Dirt

The Merino wool and cut make me feel like I’m meeting the boss for a semi-casual meeting, not going for a ride. On the trail however, the Ride Tee is just like any other jersey, it breathes nicely while on the move but the second I stopped my torso began to heat up as the jersey trapped in body heat, but that is to be expected of a jersey comprised mostly of wool. Per Kitsbow’s “ideal use illustrations,” the Ride Tee is good for Mild (overcast/cloudy in the high 60’s – Low 70’s) to Warm Climate (Sunny, High 70’s to Mid 80’s), I would side more towards the Mild side unless there is a slight breeze.

Where the Ride Tee differs compared to other all-mountain style jerseys, in my opinion, is durability. I hate to admit, but I have been finding myself wadding up quite frequently these days. The first ride out, an impromptu stoppie sent me flailing through sharp, SoCal shrubbery, which is never easy on riding gear. I was almost certain there would by stray strands of fabric protruding as a result, that was not the case. Even snagging branches and the occasional accidental tree scrape are no match for the Ride Tee, it still looks as it did when I pulled it out of the bag. The fact that the Ride Tee looks like a casual shirt that I don’t need to change out of before going to get my post ride pizza is extremely nice. Plus, the wool keeps my Sourpatch stink to a minimum, something my riding (and pizza) partners are happy about.

OneUp Components EDC Tool System

The Wolf’s Last Word

The Merino Ride tee is a real treat to ride in. The tailored-fit is exceptional and really does run true-to-size leaves things to be desired…like just a smidge more length all the way around, but not much. If the weather is right and the wheels are rolling, the Ride Tee is a great option to throw on and hit the trail with, but if the sun is blaring and a breeze is nonexistent I would recommend grabbing a lighter jersey from the gear bag. There is a bit of sticker shock, however, at $99 the Ride Tee is one of the more expensive jerseys on the market but with good reason. The Ride tee justifies the cost with its unrivaled construction and myriad features, like a reinforced hem, built-in sunglass chamois, zippered rear side pocket, nylon shoulder panels which double as design elements and gusseted arm holes. The subdued color pallet and subtle design elements are what gives this top the ability to pull double duty on and off the trail.

Price: $99
Sizes: XS – XXL
Colors: Vineyard Heather, Flash Yellow Heather, Redwood Heather, Coast Heather
Website: Kitsbow.com

Kitsbow Merino V2 Ride Tee

We Dig

Subtlety
Tailor-Fit
Durability
Breathability

We Don’t

Not in Our Budget

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