LEATT 2.0 MTB WOMEN’S APPAREL REVIEW

Words by Marissa Krawczak
Photos by Caleb Ely

From their foundation in the early 2000’s, Leatt’s goal and passion as a company has been centered around protecting athletes. They began with an award-winning neck brace protection system for off-road motorsports, and since have used cutting edge technologies to produce a variety of protective product lines. In 2010, they entered the mountain bike market, and now produce mountain bike specific helmets, braces, shoes, and apparel. For 2021, Leatt offers the 2.0 Trail and Enduro mountain bike apparel line, that has a more casual vibe than the high-performance race kits they also produce. Even better, they have women’s specific fits and color ways and all pieces come in a wide size range from XS to XXL. So, let us see what I thought of the new Leatt Women’s Trail 2.0 Mountain Bike apparel and how it’s casual looks actually performed out on the trails.

THE LAB
The MTB 2.0 Women’s shorts are constructed from ultra-lightweight poly/spandex 4-way stretch material. The fabric is coated to be dirt and stain resistant, perfect for easy washing after muddy days. The shorts are specifically tailored for women, featuring a roomier hip area compared to a men’s cut. There are two zippered waist pockets lined with soft polka-dotted printed mesh and have laser cut ventilation on inner thighs. The waist is lined with soft touch material and has a dual Velcro cinch system.

The MTB 2.0 Jersey is a short sleeve tailored t-shirt shape. The poly/nylon stretch material is printed with palm fronds and features a glitter baby pink logo on the Jade colorway. There is also a goggle wipe under the seam of the jersey. The collar of the jersey is made to be compatible with Leatt’s neck brace, with a little bit more material incorporated in the back of the neck for comfort.

The MTB 2.0 Long-sleeve Jersey is made from a poly/nylon MoistureCool material that is comparable to cotton in feel but performs much better for wicking away moisture. Like the short sleeve jersey, the long-sleeved also features a goggle wipe and has a neck brace ready collar. Both jerseys come in Jade or Copper colorways.

The MTB 2.0 Jacket is a 100% Polyester, lightweight 4-way stretch shell. It is lined with polka-dot mesh that matches the lining of the pockets on the shorts. The shell material is soft but durably rated at 5K waterproof and 5K breath ability. Similar to the shorts the fabric is also dirt and stain resistant so you can play in the mud and easily put it through the wash. The jacket also features a magnetic hood fastener, so you don’t have to worry about it flapping around when you are ripping around the trails.

THE DIRT
The first thing I noticed about the new Leatt 2.0 women’s line was the vibrant color palette. I received the Jade kit and forgot all about how much I loved wearing all black. I would say the statement piece of the kit is the short sleeve jersey, featuring a palm tree graphic print and a baby pink glitter logo across the chest. Now, this is certainly not the casual vibe the whole kit encompasses but it is done in a tasteful way, and I did not feel like it was too much to be wearing on a weekend ride with my friends. I would be stoked to see and wear more graphic jerseys with fun prints and colors like this in the future.

Aside from aesthetics, I appreciated the tailored fit of the short sleeve jersey, but the fit of the shoulders and chest was a little bit tight for being a size Large. The length was also a little bit short for my torso, so I would size up in the short sleeve in the future. Also, the material of the short sleeve is a shiny poly blend, so it feels silky against the skin and maybe a bit warmer than other performance jersey’s I have worn.

The 2.0 long-sleeve jersey is made from a heather-knit material that is super soft against the skin. The breathability of the fabric was great, and it held up after several washes. The fit of the long sleeve was true to size and is cut longer than the short sleeve. I am a big fan of layering, so I liked the option to wear this over a short sleeve or tank and that it was slim enough to wear underneath a fitted jacket. I found the long sleeve really comfortable in feel compared to other mountain bike jerseys and I didn’t really want to take it off, making me wish it didn’t have such a bold graphic on the chest so I could just wear it as streetwear.

The Leatt 2.0 Shorts were my favorite part of the whole kit. I liked the Jade color but was a bit worried about mud stains. Turns out, the stain resistant fabric performed as advertised and I did not need to worry about that at all, with any dirt washing out easily in the laundry. The shorts were a true to size fit, which is hard to come by in women’s wear. In reality, I am a Medium, but I used the Velcro waist adjusters with the size Large. I was super impressed with the adjusters, they never loosened or detached on me and are by far more durable than any other waist adjusters I have tried. Even after washing the shorts several times, the cinches held place from when I first adjusted them. The fabric of the shorts was lightweight but still rugged enough to feel protected and still look new after bushwhacking during a long adventure race that included miles of off-trail exploration.

Another important functionality of the shorts that surpasses any other women’s trail shorts I have tried are the pockets. They are zippered hand pockets that fit a phone easily and are accented by polka dot mesh lining. The rubber pull tabs on the zippers make them super easy to access and hold items well, as opposed to side thigh pockets that leave things banging against your leg when riding. Overall, the shorts look cool, are true-to-size, are soft and comfortable but also provide the durability needed for being out in the cut.

To round out the kit, I tested the women’s 2.0 Jacket. The dark blue color accented the rest of the kit without being too mono-tone and had tasteful detailing and tailoring. The fit as well as sleeve length is a little bit short for me at 5’8” in a size Large. I would have like to see the fit be a bit longer for a mountain biking jacket as it was shorter in length than the size large jerseys. In the future I would size up for a roomier fit. The shell of the jacket was super durable, yet breathable and had a nice roomy hood that could fit over my helmet. The jacket does fold into its own chest pocket but compared to other jackets that have this feature, it was a bit time consuming to accomplish, with the pocket barely being big enough to get the rest of the jacket stuffed in. Overall, the jacket is a great addition to any kit as it functions as a light rain and wind shell that packs down reasonably tight.

The Wolf’s Last Word

The new Leatt Women’s Trail 2.0 apparel is worthy of some head turning and is far from just casual trail wear. The new colors are choice, and the wearability is next level. This kit quickly became my favorite for performance and for comfort out on the trails. I am a big fan of practical, durable gear and Leatt did not let me down with the 2.0 line. While we’d like to see them follow other companies out there that are doing more with recycled fabrics, the quality of Leatt’s 2.0 mountain bike line will outlast the cost of investment for this quality gear.

Price:
Jersey MTB 2.0 $39.99
Jersey MTB 2.0 Long $44.99
Shorts MTB 2.0 $79.99
Jacket MTB 2.0 $129.99

Website: Leatt.com

Disclosure: Our team selects all of the products we review and do so with honesty and objectivity in mind. Some of the products we receive come directly from Competitive Cyclist, who also value our readers and have offered them a 15% discount (exclusions apply) on their first purchase by using LOAMWOLF15. Through this program we may also receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks for your support, TLW.