COMMITEQ JERSEY AND TRAIL TROUSER REVIEW

Words by Robert Johnston  |  Photos by Finlay Anderson

Commiteq (formerly Commit Equip) is a brand based in the North of England who offers high quality mountain bike apparel with a moto-inspired style. After seeing their latest 2024 range dropping, I had to reach out to put some of their new kit to the test and see if the performance matched the styling. Much to my relief, Commiteq has provided me with some of my favorite gear so far this year.

ABOUT THE COMMITEQ JERSEY AND TRAIL TROUSER

JERSEY | Commiteq offers their jersey in a wide range of designs and colorways, from subdued to saucy. There’s a choice of short, 3/4 and long sleeve jerseys, letting every rider get their preference. All are made from their Flowteq fabric – a lightweight Polyester and Elastane mixture that promises excellent airflow thanks to its mesh design. The elastane content ensures the jersey can stretch to move with you on the bike.

Featured on the flank of each jersey is a zippered pocket. Inside one is an eyewear wipe, secured with a long elastic cord.

Offered in sizes XS to 3XL, most riders should find their perfect fit in the Commiteq jersey. They retail for $61/£49.99.

TRAIL TROUSER | The Trail Trouser is Commiteq’s do-everything mountain bike pant. Made from a polyester and elastane blend material offering four-way stretch, they’re designed to be lightweight and breathable while retaining reasonable durability. This material is treated with a DWR (Durable Water Resistant) coating to fend off light rain and puddle splashes. Cut with a slim fit and featuring an elasticated waistband and ankle cuffs, the Trail Trouser is designed to minimize excess material that may get in the way.

Commiteq gave the Trail Trouser a ratchet buckle to help fine tune the fit. The legs have laser cut vents to improve breathability in key areas, helping to make these a great pant for hotter temperatures. Each leg is given a pocket equipped with a YKK Vision zipper to stow the essentials safely.

Riders with waist measurements between 26” and 41” can pick up the Trail Trouser in a choice of four colorways from mild to wild, with a retail price of $110 /£89.99.

THE DIRT

I opted to test the XL sized Commiteq Jersey for my 220lbs (100kg) and 6’2” (189cm) stature – most of my bulk is in my legs. This provided a true-to-size, slightly baggy fit through the body with some slimmer sleeves.

It takes a lot to stand out in the packed mountain bike jersey space, but Commiteq does exactly that with their bold designs as well as the ultra-airy Flowteq material in their jerseys. With so much ventilation that you could see through it – thankfully not in an unflattering way – the Flowteq material did a great job at letting air through and helping to keep me cool. Of course, this comes at the expense of heat loss on the chilly days – this is not the ultimate winter ridewear. But in sufficiently warm conditions, the airflow was rivaled by only the Endura MT500 Lite. This came with the added benefit of resisting getting heavy when sweating, improving comfort.

Flowteq material’s mesh structure does make it slightly more susceptible to snagging, but impressively I avoided sustaining any damage during testing. The light colors have also avoided becoming stained by mud, though I’m yet to get the jersey absolutely saturated with Scotland’s finest slop. There’s a few stray threads up at the sleeves, but otherwise the Commiteq jersey is ready to support many more hot days in the saddle, and I’m stoked to keep wearing it.

The Trail Trouser in this limited edition Timeshift colorway was the item that caught my eye first in a Commiteq post on instagram. I had to have them! Undeniably a bold statement item, I was intrigued to find out if they were all just show, or if they would perform good too. Thankfully they turned out to be some of my favorite pants from a fit and feel perspective too, and I’d happily rock a plain black set. The checkered design is extra rad though, and I got a few compliments along the way to back them up.

Commiteq’s fit – as with most mountain bike pants – was tight through my legs, yet a fraction too loose around the waist. Look at just about every other pant I wear and you’ll see the same – my legs are chunky. The four-way stretch material plus enough room at the knees for a mid-thickness knee pad ensured I was able to pedal comfortably, and I never felt resistance even though they were close to my skin. The pockets are slim, but sufficiently big and stretchy enough to store a phone, key and multitool without issue.

The material was soft to the touch, and relatively thin and cool. The Trail Trouser was not quite as airy as their Jerseys, but still sat on the lighter and cooler end of the mountain bike pant spectrum. In terms of durability, I’ve yet to cause any damage and they continued to wash up clean. That said, they didn’t feel like the toughest pants on the market – there’s got to be a compromise somewhere. Thankfully, if you do manage to crash and damage them beyond repair, Commiteq will give you 40% off a replacement with their Crash Replacement policy, which is awesome to see.

The Wolf’s Last Word

I really like this Commiteq Jersey and Trail Trouser pairing. Whether you’re a fan of the designs I’m wearing here or not is one thing – I personally love them – but their performance stands up strong too. So if you’re looking for a new moto-inspired, lairy kit, or a decent value and solid performing kit with one of their mellower designs, I’d say Commiteq gear is a solid choice.

Price:
$61 /£49.99 (Jersey)
$110 /£89.99 (Trouser)

Website: Commiteq.com