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Review: Ground Effects’ MTB Apparel For Women

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Ground Effects Gear With roots dating back nearly twenty years, Ground Effects is no new comer to technical riding gear. Started in 1994,  the company has dedicated itself to producing high quality clothing that is both affordable and understated.

Today, they’ve expanded that mission to include environmentally sustainable business practices. Not only is the gear designed by cyclists for cyclists, it’s made in New Zealand out of locally sourced fabrics. That’s all good and great, but how does the gear perform on the trail?

Hot Toddy Long Sleeve

Ground Effects Merino Top and Tantrum ShortsOn the women side of things, we picked up three article of gear – the Hot Toddy Merino Top NZ$139, Tantrum Shorts NZ$99, and the entry level Dovetail Mech Liner NX$69.

The Hot Toddy Long Sleeve top is listed as thermal underwear, but can be worn alone or layered when the temperature dips. It’s not quite the depth of winter yet, but the jersey is plenty warm when riding in the 50s . When it gets windy out, you will want to have a gore-tex type jacket within reach.

One thing to note, is that Merino Wool doesn’t wick sweat as efficiently as modern polyester fabrics, but it is more odor resistant. Which makes this number a great bet for touring. Unlike many cycling tops, this long sleeve does not have pockets. Which is a negative for those who’ve grown addicted to riding without a pack. What it does offer is a measure of camouflage. With it’s unassuming cut,  few will guess you’re actually a dorky cyclist when you’re out running errands or stopping for a brew.

The size small top fit my 5’8 frame well, with enough room to wear a light t-shirt underneath. The best feature of this top is the lack of seems across the shoulders. So the jersey is form fitting without making you feel like the She-Hulk.

 

Tantrum Shorts

Ground Effects Tantrums Waist Fit The Tantrum trail shorts are made from a soft lightweight Nylon material that makes them a joy to wear both on and off the bike.

My favorite feature was the adjustable “Trim Tabs” located on the front of the shorts. Unlike shorts with the velcro tabs located inside the waistband, you can wear the Ground Effects short without a liner and not worry about any exposed velcro chaffing your skin.

The fit is loose but not baggy.  Compared to offerings from Dakine and RaceFace, the sizing is on the smaller side of a medium, but if sometimes find you fall somewhere between a small or medium  – these will fit perfectly.

Ground Effects Tantrum Shorts with KneePadsThe shorts also offer plenty of room for knee pads. The G-Form pads pictured are fairly minimal, but you could easily run a more robust pad underneath these shorts. A full on DH knee pad like the 661 Kyle Straights might feel a little tight.

My only complaint about this model is the lack of pockets. The singular pocket is just barely large enough to zip up with an iPhone 4s inside. Since the Hot Toddy Top doesn’t come with pockets either, they are best paired with a hydration pack.

Dove Tail Mesh Shorts

Ground Effects Dove Tail Mesh LinerThe Dove Tail liners are Ground Effect’s entry level chaomis, but don’t confuse low cost with low quality. The liners are extremely breathable and utilize a soft ~2″ wide textured-lycra cuff that gently grips your thighs.

The actual chamois was comfortable for longer rides, but the shorts tend to ride up uncomfortably when pedaling. Sizing felt right but perhaps going down a size would have ameliorated the issue.

On The Trail

True to their reputation, Ground Effects delivers quality in an understated package. The refreshing lack of logos keeps you flying under the radar and riding in style. Fit was spot on, although it did run a touch smaller than similar American offerings. So far they have held up admirably through several washings and I expect they will last for years to come. My only complaint is the lack of pockets. This is a common non-feature of women’s clothing in general, but is a trend I’d rather not see extended to outdoor oriented clothing.

If you’re in the market for simple high quality gear, look no further.  Not only is the clothing competitively priced with many of the big-box companies that dominate the industry, but as an added bonus, it’s sustainably produced in New Zealand by a rider owned company.

Tyler has several mens items in for review as well, so stay tuned for the XY perspective.

For more gear, visit Ground Effects

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Rob
Rob
10 years ago

Correction: It’s Ground Effect – singular.

Adam
Adam
10 years ago

Is that down in Santa Cruz at the EMT trail?

filibuster cash
filibuster cash
10 years ago

General question: why must everything be “good on and off the bike”?

Antipodean_G
10 years ago

@filibuster cash, ha too funny. People tell us that off the bike our bibs feel not right but on the bike they are perfect. I say it’s because bibs are meant for riding, not standing around….

Ham-planet
Ham-planet
10 years ago

“riding in the 50s”
Fifty degrees North/South?
50 metres elevation?
50 kilograms of bodyweight?
Which is it?

AlanM
AlanM
10 years ago

@Ham-planet, really? When the sentence refers to warmth and riding in the 50s, you don’t think people can figure out they are talking about temperature? Do you just spend your days online looking for ways to nitpick?

Ham-planet
Ham-planet
10 years ago

@AlanM
It doesn’t seem reasonable to guess at what unit was intended when there are so many possibilities. Temperature doesn’t fit in this case anyway: 50 K is far below the lowest natural temperature ever recorded on Earth and 50 °C is in the vicinity of the hottest natural temperatures ever recorded, so it wouldn’t make sense for the temperature to ‘dip’ into that range.

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