ABOUT THE WILD RYE WOMEN’S SPRING & SUMMER KITS
The new Wild Rye Sloane Tee is currently available in three colors: Black, Aster, and True Matcha. Wild Rye specifically designed this tee to fit “just right” rather than too tight or too loose. The short sleeve technical tee comes in a range of sizes from 0-18, to accommodate waist sizes of 25-43 inches. The 100% recycled polyester tee has a UPF 50 rating for all colors and is a breathable, quick-drying top for long days in the saddle. The Sloane Tee is priced at $69 USD.
For the women who like a popped collar or tend to opt for a classier fit, the Lil’ Party Shirt might be a fun pick. While the shirt conveys a cool-girl, laid-back vibe, it doesn’t skimp on usability. The cropped, boxy fit tee has a buttoned chest pocket, and is made with mostly recycled polyester with a UPF 40+ rating. It’s a textured material with some added stretch to keep comfortable on-the-move. The Party Shirt is designed to be lightweight and breathable, with a retail of $89 USD. The Party Shirt is offered in three wild new patterns: Matcha Meowww, Sedona Morchella, and Roots (a Wild Rye x Smith collaboration). The sizes include XS to XXXL, accommodating waist sizes from 25 to 54 inches.
ALDEN ANORAK WINDBREAKER
Wild Rye’s Alden Anorak Windbreaker comes in a delectable Berry Blush, standard Black, and Shaded Spruce for a price of $159 USD. The windbreaker is anorak-style, meaning it’s a pull-over jacket. On the front, the zipper covers roughly ½ the jacket, letting you maneuver out of the jacket even while out on a ride. Constructed primarily out of recycled polyester, the windbreaker packs up into itself, making it easy to store. Spandex material adds a slight stretch to the jacket, and an elastic cuff on the bottom allows a customized fit. A C0 DWR treatment fends off the mid-ride sprinkle, and there’s a hood that can fit over some helmets. Rounding off the list of usability, the Alden Anorak has a sweet kangaroo pouch that zips up on both sides. The windbreaker comes in sizes XS-XL, which are intended to fit waist sizes from 25 to 40.5 inches.
REGAN PANTS
Women in the riding community have to come to know and love the signature Freyah Pants, but now Wild rye is introducing the new pants on the block – the Regans. Keeping the same beloved fit, the Regan Bike Pant is made to be lighter, stretchy, and more comfortable. The key difference in achieving that is the recycled polyester used for the pant, resulting in a lighter weight, compared with the nylon on the Freyahs. The Freyah and Regan are very similar, with the same fit; room for knee pads; 10% spandex used for four-way stretch; UPF 50 rating; three-way ankle roll-up with velcro and zipper, and C0 DWR treatment. The Regan has three button-snaps and a zipper. The Regan Bike Pant can be purchased for $159 USD in Black for sizes 0-24, covering waist sizes 25 to 54 inches. This size range is expanded from the Freyahs, which can currently be purchased in sizes 0-18, however, the Cloud Camo color of the Regan Pant can only be purchased for sizes 0-18.
SOFTSHELL FREYAH PANT
I do have a holdover from the winter that I tested – the Softshell Freyah Pant. Wild Rye has started to expand into apparel for more winter sports, and launched the winterized version of the Freyah Pant for the ‘24-’25 winter season. With a similar fit and style, the softshell Freyah has all the same features, with the addition of a little more spandex for stretch and an interior backing of 100% recycled polyester fleece for warmth while you’re enjoying the chilly outdoors. Offered in Black for sizes 0-18 (25-43 inches), the $229 USD Softshell Freyah Pants are a must-have for a winter collection.
The Freda Shorts will run you $129 USD, and are built to be tough and trendy. Recycled nylon and spandex materials give durability and stretch to the shorts, and they’ve received a C0 DWR treatment to repel rain. The shorts have two hand-pockets and one zippered side pocket that’s large enough to stash your iPhone. The Fredas could be considered a little risque in the bike world - a size 6 has a 7” inseam - but why have legs if you can’t show ‘em off? The structured mid-rise waist has button-snaps for closure and a zipper. These have been a staple in Wild Rye’s mountain bike collection and they’ve been refreshed to carry on their legendary status.
Rounding out the whole fit, the Wild Rye 6” Bike Sock is a mix of nylon, recycled polyester, and lycra to deliver a soft feel, with just the right amount of compression and stretch. They’re designed to be quick-drying and breathable for the tootsies. These come in two sizes (S and M) for women’s shoe sizes from 6 to 10.5, and can be found in four colors for $18 USD: Black, Aster, Matcha Meowww, and Spruce Roots (a Wild Rye x Smith collaboration).
THE DIRT
I have found over time with testing Wild Rye’s collections that I am reliably a Size 4 in their tops and bottoms, or a size small. Like most human beings, I have a body that fluctuates and can have a waist size anywhere between 27-28.5 inches. Sometimes, this results in a tighter waist but overall, I have found Wild Rye’s Size Guide to be accurate for my body. All products that I tested here were a size small or size 4.
SLOANE TEE REVIEW
Wild Rye’s new tops were the standouts for me this year. Starting with the Sloane Tee, the fit was immaculate. I have broad shoulders and can get a little nervous ordering tops, however the Sloane was loose in all the right places. I had plenty of room for arm movement, but the body still gave me shape in the waist. The sleeves hit at a nice point, so they don’t bunch up into my arm pits. The length gives coverage and makes the Sloane tee a solid choice for those that are tired of cropped tops. The material is soft and breathable, and I’ve been reaching for this Tee on hotter days to provide some reasonable protection from the sun but also to prevent myself from melting into a puddle of sweat. The Aster color is bright berry hue, and even though it’s quite loud, it pairs well with most of my bottoms. I have found nothing unlikeable about this Tee, personally.
LIL’ PARTY SHIRT REVIEW
As a relative newcomer to the mountain bike community, and because I’m obviously someone who is qualified to go on record about my contemplations on style, there were some quick observations I made about its fashion choices: bike shorts that are so long they remind me of middle-school bermudas and board shorts, and button-ups that belong at a party for foresters. HOWEVER, just like Wild Rye created fun Freda shorts to let your legs be free, they’ve created the Lil’ Party Shirt for creatures like me who cannot fathom being seen in a traditional button-up. I’m still of the opinion that these types of shirts look better on anyone else, but I think the cropped, boxy fit actually made a difference on my body type. I also love that it pairs well with a shirt or tank top underneath and some jeans for a post-ride look. I’m also willing to put up with the fact that it’s not my preferred style because it’s so comfortable to wear on rides. It’s super stretchy and light, provides slightly more arm coverage, quick-drying, and I feel good riding in it.
ALDEN ANORAK WINDBREAKER REVIEW
I truly enjoyed my spring season riding just slightly more with the Alden Anorak Windbreaker. I personally like anoraks rather than full-zip as a style and fit preference – I’ve never been too bothered that it’s slightly harder to get on or off. With the longer zip, I’m still able to slip this off with my helmet on just fine. The windbreaker is fabulously light, and in a very pretty and subtle color. I am lazy and never pack it up neatly, but it certainly stuffs well into the nooks and crannies of my riding pack. As with most jackets, I did find myself warming up pretty quickly while climbing in it, but again I am lazy, and found that it wasn’t too sufferable in those conditions. It does trap in the heat and moisture, but it’s important to remember the designed use is for windy conditions. The Spokane area is quite windy, and it’s been a great tool to bring on my rides just in case. I’ve often brought it for potentially chilly downhills, as it’s so light that it doesn’t matter if I don’t end up needing to wear it. I don’t love the look of a one-pouch pocket, but it is handy for hand-warming or if you like access from both sides. The sizing was spot-on, with no restriction to movement, and I also wasn’t drowning in fabric. The sleeves came down just enough to provide some coverage over my wrists and hands. The subtle Wild Rye branding was a nice added touch.
REGAN PANTS REVIEW
I imagine there must be some reason for Wild Rye to come out with the Regan Pants, which are very similar to the Freyahs, but I couldn’t find it. The material is the big difference, and I prefer the Freyah material more, personally. The Regans are cheaper, so perhaps that was a consideration when choosing materials. The problem is that the recycled polyester isn’t as breathable, and the Regan pants felt more like windbreakers for my legs. They weren’t warm enough for me on the cooler days, but were also a little too hot on the warmer days. I also wasn’t a fan of the extra fabric below the knees – I’m not sure if it was on purpose, but I was about to bust out some Hammer Time rapping, as the pants felt like they ballooned, though it was on the calves. You would think this design was for knee pads, but just like the Freyahs, you can fit knee pads underneath the pants if you put the pads on first, yet you can’t quite pull them up if you have the pants on already. The leg opening doesn’t provide enough access to above the knee to achieve that. This could be body-dependent, however, the waist fit and everything else was spot on. Something to love is that this is a cheaper alternative to the Freyahs, and they still have the same beloved booty fit. And features like pockets, DWR treatment, ankle cuffs, button-front, and waist-band type are all the same. If it weren’t for the odd extra fabric (and to be fair, it’s a fine line here), I’d probably reach for the Regan Bike Pants a little more.
FREDA BIKE SHORTS REVIEW
I have an earlier version of the Freda Bike Shorts and I did notice a couple changes. The main change that I felt I noticed was a tighter leg band/cuff. It feels subtle and unrestrictive on the shelf, but when wearing it I noticed it pressed into my leg to give a little stuffed sausage look. After trying on both versions back-to-back, I noticed that the redesigned Freda places a little more tension on the front side of the leg, making it easier to roll up a bit. A positive change for some was that the new Fredas were less snug in the waist, potentially due to some small measurement differences in the button and zip closure that I could see. Oddly, the overall feel was slightly more roomy and comfortable, until I began pedaling. I’d still say I prefer the new Fredas, but hope to see the cuff get redesigned in the future to be more relaxed. The Spruce Meowww color was beautiful, fun, and very different from what you may find at other bike brands. This color was a deeper, more blue version of green than the Freyah Pine color. Another plus to Wild Rye’s bottoms is that they include belt loops, which means more customization for your body type. I also feel that Wild Rye’s bands have structure and stay up well, but they’re still flattering. Their design is thoughtful and I like that the waists are higher but not too high.
SOFTSHELL FREYAH PANTS REVIEW
The Softshell Freyah Pants were a game changer for me this winter. We were lucky to have clear and tacky dirt for most of the winter at Beacon Hill, and I wanted to take advantage of it to practice on my jumping skills, but the cold was almost intolerable. The softshell Freyah pants were a perfect addition to my winter wardrobe for these types of rides. Pants can only accomplish so many things at once, so although they weren’t as flattering as the traditional Freyahs, the fit did allow me to ride with just the pants as a layer or include another warm legging layer underneath if it was extra cold. If I were to get back into snowshoeing or some winter hiking, I’d definitely wear these, which makes the price more reasonable to me. The fleece inside kept me at a perfect temperature and I was able to do more winter riding purely because of these pants.
6” BIKE SOCK REVIEW
In case you’re the one person reading this review just for the socks, they were standard. I found them to be softer than all of my other bike socks from a range of brands. This is nice in some ways but it also leads to a slipping feeling in my shoes, even though my bike shoes are quite tight. The cuff on the calf was a little restrictive for my insane biking calves, so I scooched them down a tad to be more comfortable.
ARE WILD RYE PRODUCTS WORTH BUYING?
And as far as price point goes for all of these products – these clothes are spendy but I have found them to be high-quality over the years. The Sloane Tee and the Softshell Freyah Pants are the two products at the top of my list for this review that feel worth the spend. There isn’t much out there in terms of winter bike pants for women and I feel that the Sloane Tee is such a solid basic tee that performs well, it’s something I would personally spend my money on. And as a plug for what I do spend my money on, I now officially own all three colors of the new Parker Skort and almost all of the new Pungo Caps. Wild Rye’s lifestyle products have been right up my alley. I’ve done trail building, hiking, errands, and fly fishing in Wild Rye’s skort and cap. Wild Rye also has opportunities to buy shirts that provide donations to worthy causes – like preventing the latest push to sell off our wild, well-used, public lands. Wild Rye gives part of the proceeds from the sale of the shirt to the Outdoor Alliance, a non-profit dedicated to preserving our access to these wild and loved spaces of ours in the United States so that we can continue to enjoy these lands for decades and generations to come.
The Wolf’s Last Word
As always, Wild Rye delivered with new products and old, creating whimsical colors and comfortable clothes for women out there exploring the outdoors. I’d happily ride in any of their new tops, including the Sloane Tee and Lil Party Shirt, all summer long because of the spot-on material selection and designed fit. And although I’m not the biggest fan of the new Regan Bike Pants, it might be the coveted Freyah Pants to be blamed for that. While pricey (what isn’t in the bike industry these days?), Wild Rye is a small brand dedicated to women and the outdoors, so it might be worth the big spend for higher-quality and creative pieces. 
Website: Wild-rye.com
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