WILD RYE WOMEN’S APPAREL REVIEW

BIRDS, BIBS & BIKES

Words by Emma Wooldridge | Photos by Cole Gregg

People often joke that all Idaho offers is potatoes, but perhaps its best hidden gems are the small-town entrepreneurs. Cassie Abel founded Wild Rye, a 4-season mountain apparel brand based in Ketchum, in 2016 when she recognized women needed more gear options in the outdoor industry. As an avid outdoor enthusiast with a career in the industry, Cassie was a firsthand witness to the one-sided marketing – brands weren’t particularly concerned with the women who were increasingly spending their time exploring the mountains on bikes and skis. Operating out of the Sun Valley, Wild Rye provides apparel for women-identifying individuals, which is designed to be confidence-inspiring and technical. The latest collection dropped in February of this year and features new products and fresh updates. I’ve put a few of these products through the usual crash course tests, enduro training rides, and the bike park to put together a comprehensive review below.

THE BADDIE BIB

The Baddie Bib is Wild Rye’s first bib to come to market. It’s been modeled off their Alyssa and Alice chamois, built with the same fabric but intended to fit women’s bodies more securely. Like all their chammies, they’ve opted for an Italian-made chamois pad and low-profile elastic bands. The leg bands are 64% poly, 16% elastic, and 20% silicone, while the body of the bib is 80% nylon and 20% spandex, held up by mesh shoulder straps. All this shapes up for a comfortable, breathable bib with an athletic fit. The bib has a 7-inch inseam and a total fabric weight of 210 grams per square meter (although it is unclear how these specs vary across the sizes). The Baddie Bib is available in two colors, black and mahogany (with a sunflower print), in sizes 0 through 18 with a retail price of $149.

THE MACKAY CROP TEE

Wild Rye watched as their Merritt tank flew off the shelves, and decided to create a tee using the same fabric – enter the Mackay Crop Tee. Keeping the latest trends in mind, the tee is cropped with a flattering cut, making it a go-to top whether you’re riding on the trail or venturing into the city. The fabric is Wild Rye’s “Chill Out” fabric, consisting of 76% recycled poly, 19% tencel, and 5% spandex, producing a super soft tee that’s still breathable and quick to dry. Labeling the fit as “generous,” the tee is oversized and roomy and weighs approximately 175 grams per square meter. Available in tangerine, sky, and black in sizes 0 to 14, the Mackay Crop Tee is priced at $69.

THE GALENA GEL GLOVES

The Galena Gel Gloves have been released in new prints for Wild Rye’s Spring Collection. The gloves are made with gel padding and four-way stretch materials that wick away moisture. The palm, which features a grippy #Play Wild print that reminds you to have fun on the trail, is a synthetic suede while each thumb has cotton on the exterior to help wipe up any messes on your face. The gloves are touch screen compatible – can you even make gloves that aren’t these days or is that just criminal at this point? The fingers are also equipped with silicone grips to help latch onto the handlebars when you’re faced with rough terrain and sweaty hands. You can opt for the Deco Birds, Happy Hour, Tie-Dye, or Midnight Paradise designs in sizes XS-L for $38.

A specific part of Wild Rye’s mission is to “use only premium materials so your apparel lasts a lifetime…and doesn’t end up in a landfill.” If you’re looking at these price tags and gasping with outrage, it may or may not help you to know that Wild Rye WANTS you to wear these products until you’re dead…and then probably pass the clothing along to a friend rather than be buried in it. And to help make that process a little easier, Wild Rye has a unique option on their website where they’ve provided a peer-to-peer platform for the community to sell “pre-loved” pieces. If you can’t afford these products brand new, check out Wild Rye Redux.

Wild Rye Redux isn’t their only sustainability initiative – when you shop with Wild Rye, you’re shopping with a woman-owned company that is Climate Neutral and B Corp certified, uses recycled materials and Bluesign-certified fabrics wherever possible, offers carbon neutral shipping, ensures fair labor practices of the companies it works with, and supports many causes that are close to our hearts.

THE DIRT

Using Wild Rye’s sizing chart, I discovered I was my typical size in their apparel lineup. I ordered a size small for the Mackay Crop (roughly 28-inch waist), size 4 in the Baddie Bib, and small Galena Gel Gloves.

The tangerine Mackay Crop Tee is delectable and juicy-sweet, with such silky material that I’m hoping the trail won’t take a bite out of it. The fit is slightly oversized but doesn’t feel boxy. The sleeves hit just above my elbow and allow for unrestricted movement on the bike. As I’ve said before, I’m a sucker for any MTB apparel that I can use in my daily life and this tee adds a lot of value to my closet. I’m honestly wearing it right now, paired with denim shorts and Birks, so I can head to the Sturdy Dirty Enduro packet pick-up in style after I’m done pouring over this review! The material is thick yet soft, and has held up well through washes and rides. It did feel like too much material on the more humid days of early summer, but it’s been a great pick for the warmer rides as it covers my shoulders from the sun and the cropped fit gives more airflow. I’m starting to wipe out less these days, but I’m not aiming to have road rash on my sides, so the tee hangs in my closet when I’m in the bike park or at the enduro races. The Mackay Crop is a dreamy tee and it shines on evening neighborhood cruising and shorter days at my local mountains.

I had high expectations for Wild Rye’s first bib. And I’ll admit they did plummet when I realized it doesn’t have pockets. I’ve always viewed bibs as 1) suitable only for roadies which then evolved into 2) occasionally okay for mountain bikers if they provided additional utility. Pockets would have been appreciated, especially a back pocket that I often see is used to store an additional water bottle. Part of the difficulty of wearing a bib is the dreaded bathroom break. I don’t have an issue when I’m wearing tank tops, as it’s easy to remove the bib’s straps, but some shirts can make it a hassle. If I’m wearing a long sleeve, the Baddie Bib isn’t an option anymore. Perhaps the next version of the Baddie could incorporate squat-and-pee-friendly technology.

I will note that the mesh on the upper body could be uncomfortable at times. The straps didn’t dig into my shoulders excessively, but with a recent 4th of July sunburn, I didn’t love how tight the straps were combined with the material. And although I love the feminine cut of the mesh around the stomach and waist area, it probably only looks and feels perfect for women with a 6-pack. It hit just above my belly button, where I have a natural and normal crease, and the mesh would dig into my stomach. I can see a mark after riding and there’s been a few times where I decided to just readjust and tuck my little pouch into the mesh portion while I was sitting. I want to add that I really enjoy the intent of the mesh cut as it feels unique and makes me feel like I’ve spent my money on a product that was actually designed for women. The cut in front and in the back is flattering, but typically only when I’m standing, which doesn’t happen often in mountain biking.

The Baddie Bib may not have met my expectations for a high-tech bib, but the comfort of the chamois was unmatched. Italy can sure make some supple padding, and it is by far my favorite chamois to climb in all day long. I usually have issues in the nether regions with chammies, but the material combined with a bib to hold everything in place made the Baddie Bib a perfect fit for me. The low-profile silicone on the legs had enough grip that they don’t ride up but they don’t make my thighs look like stuffed sausage casing. Regardless of the issues I’ve mentioned, I’ve chosen to wear this bib over my other chammies for most of the summer. I even chose to wear this at the Sturdy Dirty Enduro because of how overall comfortable it is, and the only con was the 10 minute wrestle match I had to get the straps back on under my shirt and chest protector.

I’ve found that the Galena Gel gloves are absolutely amazing for wiping snot, mud, drool, whatever it may be, off my face with the thumb cloth. The fit was spot on and the gloves excelled when used at the bike park. I don’t have problems with the base of my thumb/palm area getting tired, but these did help prevent the calluses at the bottoms of all my fingers from getting gnarlier and beat up. The gloves were touch-screen compatible and I didn’t experience any issues whenever I needed to use my phone. I’m used to riding in thin gloves or winter gloves so thick they’re like mittens, and the Galena gloves feel like they’re in the middle. My hands were getting a little toasty in the early summer and I haven’t wanted to use them at all in this recent heat wave. Wild Rye designed the cutest tropical-feeling designs for the Galena gloves in this latest collection so I do get caught wistfully staring at them in my bike gear box, mesmerized by the adorable flamingos.

The Wolf’s Last Word

According to a podcast rabbit hole that I went down, the name Wild Rye was chosen after a legal kerfuffle with the selection of “Buttermilk,” yet in hindsight, choosing to name the women’s mountain apparel company after the wild grasses that grow in the brutal and relentless, but glorious high alpine environment was always the right choice. The Wild Rye brand is easy to get behind when you learn about the ways they’re trying to show up for women and our planet. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed testing out pieces from their latest collection and wearing their label. The Mackay Crop Tee is versatile and you’ll feel equally confident in it while tackling your home mountain’s big slabs or your weekend errands. Although the Baddie Bib feels like a plain Jane when it comes to new bibs, sometimes simple is best. And for your next trip to the bike park, I’d highly recommend checking out the Galena Gel Gloves to score easy style points and keep your hands happy.

Prices:
Baddie Bib – $149
Mackay Crop Tee – $69
Galena Gloves – $38

Website: Wild-rye.com