Having grown a reputation for road and commuter gear, Wiggle's own brand, dhb are now branching out to produce a mountain bike line up for both women and men. The dhb MTB Women’s Long Sleeve Trail Jersey proves to be simple and understated with the biggest selling points being a good fit and a great price.
The dhb MTB Long Sleeve Trail Jersey is designed to be functional and durable for all year round riding. Its entry-level kit and that’s something British brand dhb aren’t shying away from which is refreshing, call a spade a spade an all that. That’s not to say this kit isn’t up to the job though, the fabric is lightweight and relatively breathable it also withstands washing well both in terms of colour and shape.
Out on the trails the lightweight nature of the jersey makes itself evident, the 100% polyester won’t keep you warm when the wind bites. It’s breathable but doesn’t dry that quickly leaving moisture against the skin making things doubly cold if you were to stop mid-ride. Extra, thinner mesh panels are used at the underarm to further cool things in this department. Testing in the autumn and winter means you need a base layer underneath to stay warm.
The cut of the jersey offers that happy medium between well fitting and casual baggy, much like the Race Face Khyber jersey tested earlier in the year. The jersey material isn’t that stretchy but given the slightly looser fit, it doesn’t become restrictive. The fabric does 'pull' slightly if you run a close encounter with some brambles but they have to be pretty pointy and the good news is, it doesn't continue to rip material further.
A good fit can make or break a jersey and the dhb Trail jersey does well here, none of the pitfalls you might expect on a cheap jersey are present. The sleeves are plenty long enough with enough room for slim elbow pads. The round neckline sits neatly, neither too high or too low and the bottom of the jersey hangs low on the hips with a slightly dropped hem at the rear. Lastly, a side panel means the jersey sits still on the body with no twisting when pulling those shapes on the bike! There’s no raglan sleeve design here although there’s been no rubbing so far, a fact attributed to the soft and flexible stitching used at the shoulders.
The muted design will no doubt be a winner, where some women will like ‘bold as brass’ there’s a lot of others out there that will appreciate the understated aesthetics. The jersey has drawn quite a lot of attention out on the trails, ladies want to know what the brand is and where they can get one.
There’s no additional fluff or features here, no doubt in the name of keeping the costs low, but that’s fine, at £35 you get your money’s worth. This jersey does what it says on the tin, a hardwearing, all-purpose jersey and with one job to do it does it pretty well and in style too.