AKTA TRAIL PANT + SHIRT REVIEW

Words by Alex Sardella

Unless you are living around the Vancouver area, there is probably a pretty good chance you have not heard of Akta. After recently launching into MTB with an ethos ‘to exist more than the bottom line’ Akta is seeking out to focus on passion and creativity in their small line of clothing. Akta’s mission reflects simple design, sustainability, and functionality. We’ve been spending the Spring testing out some of the apparel options and have found Akta’s apparel to be more than suitable for the trails.

THE LAB

The Trail SS Jersey is a fairly simple tee with no frills. It’s an 87% Recycled Polyester, 13% Spandex blend that feels good against the skin with tried-and-true materials. The yarn has a Prosilion® silver ionic permanent antimicrobial technology, helping to keep the jersey free of stink for the long haul. There is an integrated goggle wipe on the bottom of the shirt, which is a nice, clean touch. A logo on the front, a logo on the back, nothing overthought or overbranded, which I like. The shirt retails for $72, comes in 2 colors, and sizes XS – XL.

The Trail Pant has a bit more going on in terms of technical features. They are a lightweight trail pant, designed to be fit for pedaling all day but durable enough for some serious enduro punishment. The pants are a blend of 88% recycled nylon and 12% spandex and have a natural 4-way stretch. The fabric features PFC-free DWR treatment to lightly repel rain and moisture, but are by no means a true rainy-day pant. Some hits of ventilation are featured on the pants on both the inner thigh and back of the knee thanks to laser perforations. On the right-side thigh there is a cell phone pocket with a thin layer of D3O ZERO recycled impact foam to offer protection for your phone – a really neat touch. Lastly, the pants have a plastic ratchet system for adjustment at the waistband, and silicon branded grippers on each inside hip to help grip to spandex. The Trail Pant retails for $159, comes in 2 colors, and sizes XS – XL.

It’s worth noting that all the clothing in Akta’s lineup are Bluesign approved, meaning the fabrics and production process pass an environmental standard. All of the Nylon, Polyester, and D30 used are all used from recycled materials and garments. Akta is doing their part, you can read more about their sustainability processes here.

THE DIRT

I’ve worn the shirt on a few rides now and its everything you would expect. High performance, comfortable, and breathable with an airy fabric feel. No annoying collar or weird irritations by the stitching. The shirt is simple, and the design is not overthought. I tend to wear more muted clothing and the Akta Trail Shirt fits that vibe. Only gripe would be the price of the shirt, paying $70 is a bit steep for a traditional and no-frills jersey, however the recycled aspects and the antimicrobial technologies go some way to justifying that price tag.

The Trail Pant is exactly as the name suggests, and everything I like to see in an all-day riding pant. The 4-way stretch is comfortable both on and off the bike, the ventilation is in the right spots, and the pants have a slim fit all the way through. No extra bagginess around the ankles or thighs with the pants fitting on the thinner, athletic side. They fit well around the ankles and are still easy to get on and off – I have tried pants that miss the mark on this and can be a wrestling match to get off. The pants fit well with knee pads underneath too. For the waist adjustment, the trail pant uses the moto style ratchet system. I know a lot of brands choose this for micro adjustments, but I prefer Velcro adjustments on the hips – it’s a bit more minimal and out of the way.

The cell phone D30 protection pocket is a small touch with attention to detail. We all ride with a phone, and most likely all have cracked our phones due to a crash; I know I have. While I didn’t truly get to test the feature, I dig the addition of something with added value. Lastly, I am a fan of the DWR treatment on the pant. The lightweight and repellent fabric is always enough to get through a light rain or wet ride, and being less harmful to the environment with its PFC-free formula is great too.

The Wolf’s Last Word

Akta sought out to design a simple and sustainable product line and the Trail Shirt and Pant combo fit the ethos. The shirt is incredibly simple and the price touch steep for a jersey, but the quality is there to be seen. The pants have gone well this Spring with rides around that 45-50 ° F mark and I have found to be wearing them long after the ride is over. I’m excited to see what Akta keeps on doing in the mountain bike world and where they will add to their slim product line. They’ve got a new fan in me.

Prices:
Trail Shirt – $72
Trail Pant- $159

Website: Aktamtb.com