Singletrack Lite Outfit Ultra Marine

Endura Singletrack Lite: Adding a Soft Touch to Enduro- by Grannygear

From the Endura press release:

Livingston, Scotland, 22nd May 2014 – Let summer begin! To become an all time favourite, a MTB jersey needs to be fast wicking, good looking, compatible with armour, affordable, and – most importantly – comfortable. As usual, Endura ticks all the boxes with the new summer weight Singletrack Lite Jerseys and Tees. Whether you aspire to be an Enduro World Series champion like Tracy Moseley, a freerider like Chris Smith, or you simply enjoy a variety of trail riding, you will love these new Singletrack Lite tops!

 The thought behind the Singletrack Lite tops was to create mountain bike specific riding jerseys, therefore Endura decided against roadie-style features like the traditional three back pockets or reflective details. Instead, the Endura product development team focussed on finding the most comfortable performance fabric with a more casual trail look. And, as you will know as soon as you touch the fabric, never mind ride in it, they have succeeded. The polypropylene/polyester mix feels like supersoft cotton but is in fact an ultra fast wicking technical fabric that transports sweat away from the skin quickly, leaving the rider dry and comfortable. The material also features an antibacterial finish to stop unpleasant odours from developing, so you feel fresh like a daisy even after a long day on the trails.

When we saw the press release of the summer oriented Endura Singletrack Lite gear for MTB riding, it was just about the time that the mercury on the patio thermometer was getting reacquainted with 90+ degrees again.  Sigh.  It is the not-so-nice part of having sweet winters in So Cal.  So this seemed like a good time to wave our little hands in the air and request a sample.  With Guitar Ted in flood stage in Iowa, the jersey was shipped to the land of the sun on the West Coast.

Having worn the Endura Singletrack Lite now for many outings, including taking it on Vacation to Colorado and Utah, I am very happy with all the features and fit of it.  No complaints.  Wow.  Hard to say that.  One thing that stands out about the zip up model I requested is the soft feel to the garment.  When I mentioned to Endura marketing that I pretty much always wear a base layer, even in summer (a very light tank, like one from Alpinestars), they suggested I wear it at least once with nothing between I and it…it and I…me and thee?  Anyway, bare skin to jersey.  I did, and I was struck by how comfortable and breathable it was.  It was like I had almost nothing on and air moved through it well and it dries quickly, and the soft and unrestricted feel to the garment was very nice.  I still might reach for a base layer when I use it, but I don’t have to.

The LG size I have is a semi snug fit and just about hides the vacation pouch I acquired.  I like a zipped jersey for temp regulation, but this breathes so well that I would have gone for the ‘Tee’ model sans zipper if I had known.  If you do not need the features of the Jersey ($79.99), such as the zipper, small zipped side pocket, and sewn in glasses wipey, over the Tee model ($39.99), the Tee is much cheaper and should have that comfy feel as well.

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Dressed for the sun…Dead Horse Point State Park, Utah.

Note: Endura sent over the Singletrack Lite jersey at no charge to Twenty Nine Inches for test and review. We are not being bribed nor paid for this review and we will strive to give our honest thoughts and opinions throughout.