WE DIG
WE DON’T
ABOUT STOGIES MTB
Stogies MTB is a small brand based in the UK. Lewis Swift started Stogies after breaking his back in Chatel, which gave him the nudge to follow his passion for graphic design. Beginning with the creation of t-shirt designs, Stogies has now evolved to making purpose-built mountain bike kits which feature the creative artwork on performance-driven apparel.
STOGIES MTB LONG SLEEVE JERSEY
The Stogies Serpent jersey is a design to be remembered, with hand-drawn snakes weaving through racing stripes on a lilac background. It’s designed to catch the eye of spectators, and will definitely make you stand out from the crowd, if that’s what you’re into. Whilst the bold design is the first thing you’re likely to notice on the Serpent Jersey, their MTB long sleeve is still designed to perform well as a piece of riding kit.
Stogies use their “Warp Tech” material on the front and sleeves of their MTB long sleeve jersey, which is designed to be breathable and flexible whilst remaining durable. For the back of the jersey, “Gravity Mesh” ensures breathability and sweat-wicking where it’s needed the most.
Available in sizes: 3XS – 2XL, the Stogies MTB long sleeve jersey retails for £55 / $95, with worldwide shipping available.
STOGIES MTB TECH TROUSERS
The Stogies MTB Tech Trousers feature a more subtle two-tone dark blue to match nicely with the gradient of the Serpent jersey. This more subdued approach was a deliberate design choice from the Stogies team, as it makes for a more versatile garment that can be worn with other kit, either from the Stogies range or your own wardrobe.
For the tech trousers, Stogies make use of “UFO-PRO”- a mix of polyamide and spandex – to give four-way stretch without compromising on toughness. The material’s fast-drying, breathable properties are bolstered with lazer-cut vents to keep you cool as you pedal or rip the descents.
The waist of the pants is tuned with velcro adjusters, and a metal pop-lock fastener keeps things secure. Aiding in keeping the pants in place is silicone strips on the waistband, and tapered ankles prevent any encounters with the chan. 2 zipped pockets keep your phone, keys and lift pass safe while you shred.
Available in sizes: 3XS – 2XL, the Stogies Tech Trousers are offered in a few colorways for £95 / $170.
THE DIRT
Starting where I probably should for this kit, the design is excellent. Aesthetically, the kit looks as eye-catching as it was intended to be. The hand-drawn graphics are always a plus, and the way this kit pairs up between the jersey and trousers is well thought out too. I like that the trousers are more subtle and can be worn with basically anything you already have in your wardrobe. The fit of the kit also strikes a really nice balance. It has a tight enough fit on the arms to feel comfy and sleek, but is far from a skin-tight race suit.
Naturally, my main concern is that Stogies would be a brand that puts most of their effort into looks and style. Thankfully – and somewhat surprisingly given the brand’s small size – this is not the case. It’s clear that a lot has gone into designing this kit to be capable and effective for day-to-day riding. The kit feels as good as it looks; with the same sense of quality that you would expect from some of the more established brands. The jersey did suffer slightly from thread pulls where I’ve snagged brambles, but the trousers seemed to soak up a lot of abuse without any tears or rips.
The temperature management of the jersey surprised me too. Using two separate materials to ensure a more breathable back panel works really well to prevent temperatures climbing too high inside. Even though the “Warp Tech” material is not designed to be as breathable as the rear “Gravity Mesh”, it still has an airy and breathable feel. Stogies admit that the more breathable back panel can be a touch more fragile than the front, hence its more sporadic placement. Strangely, the advice from the suppliers that make this “Gravity Mesh” material is to not use a coat hanger for the jersey. Coat hangers or not, the back of a jersey never seems to get as much punishment as the front in real life riding scenarios, and in a couple months of riding with this kit, I have had no issues.
For the pants, it again doesn’t feel like form has been prioritised over function. The quality of the pants matched that of the jersey. I was impressed with the flexibility and stretch present in the UFO PRO material, and again I was pleased that Stogies struck a nice balance between slim fit and room to move. The pants were on the thinner side, but still offered some wind resistance and a surprising water resistance. They displayed some good beading under light puddle splashes. For heavier rain, they held up a little longer before wetting out, but the thin material retained limited heat once the rain had set in.
A different, more spandex-heavy material has been used in the waistband, which helps with stretch and fit. Where many brands use a ratchet to fine-tune adjustment, Stogies use a popper fastening and two Velcro waist tabs. I was unsure how to feel about this at first, as Velcro straps always feel less secure than that reassuring click of a ratchet, and often result in a bulkier waistband. However, on balance, I have come to enjoy Stogies’ strap method, as it allows a more set-and-forget adjustment. I also find that having this adjustment on the hips rather than in the centre means the adjustment feels more like the waistband tightens where you want it to. To add to this security, Stogies have also used the same silicone grip design from one of their manufacturers’ road cycling bibs, which does a tremendous job at adding that extra bit of grip to the waistband.
At £55 for the Jersey and £95 for the pants, the Stogies Serpent kit is in the same ballpark as some of the more established brands. As a result, it would be easy to play it safe and just go for a kit from one of these same bigger brands that you are already familiar with, but you would be missing out. This is a kit worthy enough to compete with the more obvious choices.
The Wolf’s Last Word
Let’s be honest, most people will buy this kit for its design. But that’s not all the Stogies Serpent kit is. Even if it were a plain black kit, I would still have to recommend it. The kit performs well in most areas. Yes, I have ridden more bramble-resistant jerseys and better all-weather trousers, but for a small company making great looking clothing, the Stogies Serpent kit does plenty to be as good – if not better – than many offerings from established brands. The expansive size range is also a nice bonus. 
Price: Jersey: £55 / $95 | Pants: £95 / $170
Website: Stogiesmtb.co.uk
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ABOUT THE WOLF
Based in the UK’s Pennine hills, Aran is an avid enduro rider and racer occasionally dabbling in downhill and BMX. Aran has been riding bikes since he can remember but started racing in 2019. His strength is slimy corners, and his weakness will always be sprinting on the pedals, no matter how hard he trains. Lover of a 160mm do it all bike.
Rank: Contributing Writer
Size: 5’11” / 180cm | 160lbs / 73kg
Social: @aranfrancis
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