The Men’s Trail Merino Long Sleeve jersey is another addition to Rapha’s ever-expanding mountain bike range, and functions as an outer or mid-layer garment. It adds a bit of extra warmth, making it ideal for rides through the cooler months or shoulder seasons. However, in the Pale Green colourway tested, it stains very easily and is one of the pricier options in the best mountain bike jerseys space.
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Buy the Rapha Men's Trail Merino Long Sleeve at Rapha.cc
Rapha Men's Trail Merino Long Sleeve - Technical details
Rocking Rapha’s signature cool styling with that recognisable armband, the Trail Merino jersey is designed for all-day comfort, while effectively regulating temperature.
To do so, the jersey is made using a blended fabric that’s proprietary to Rapha consisting of nylon with merino wool interwoven to combine the wool’s natural thermoregulation and odour resistance with nylon’s durability. On top of that, Rapha has added a treatment that enables the jersey to wick moisture.
The contrast sections on the armband use 100% polyester.
It’s designed using the brand’s regular fit that helps the jersey sit off of the body to enhance freedom of movement whilst encouraging airflow. Rapha says that it’s designed specifically for mountain biking and long-distance gravel rides.
Rapha Men's Trail Merino Long Sleeve - Fit
The medium jersey pictured here is a little large, mostly in the sleeves. When riding, they run a little baggier than usual which resulted in more flapping when descending but generally, this had no negative effect on the jersey.
The rest of the top fits very well. There’s a long dropped rear that keeps spray and muck at bay. Elsewhere the regular fit sits well on the shoulder and chest.
Rapha Men's Trail Merino Long Sleeve - Performance
The Trail Merino jersey is super comfortable. The nylon/merino blend results in a super soft fabric that feels excellent against the skin. Even when wet, comfort was great. Compared to other cold-weather jerseys, this one feels super light and thin which improved comfort further but adds an impressive level of warmth considering how light the fabric looks and feels.
The thermoregulating properties are clear, making it a great top for riding in cooler weather. During my testing, I used the jersey as an outer layer paired with a base layer and, in temps of around five degrees, I was kept perfectly warm. Though when things got cooler, I employed the Trail Merino jersey as a mid-layer, utilising the Leatt MTB Trail 3.0 insulated jacket as an outer to boost warmth further.
At the cuff, the fabric thickens up a touch which offers a softer interface for your wrists, but there’s also a slight stretch that seals cooler weather from making it up the sleeve. It also ups the comfort level of this jersey.
There’s one pretty large downside to this Trail Merino jersey, however. That flaw is that the fabric stains very easily. My first ride in the top was fairly damp and any spray that found itself onto the fabric left its mark and it remains after a number of washes. For a jersey that’s just south of £100, that’s a niggle that simply can’t be ignored.
Rapha Men's Trail Merino Long Sleeve - Verdict
At £95, there’s no getting away from the fact that the Rapha Men’s Trail Merino jersey is quite expensive. If you’re looking for a jersey winter/autumn/early spring there are plenty of much cheaper alternatives available.
One such option is the Madison Zenith Men’s Long Sleeve Thermal jersey at £50. This one’s made using a brush-backed fabric that keeps the chill at bay and it fits better. The brushed backing does show through the jersey over time, however.
At £55, there’s the Altura Esker Trail Men’s Long Sleeve jersey that comes with fancy Polartech technology. This one is warm when it needs to be and it gets a DWR coating, which boosts performance and possible use in wetter weather.
If you’re a devout fan of Rapha kit and don’t mind the premium price, the Men’s Trail Merino Long Sleeve jersey is incredibly comfortable and it adds an extra hint of warmth when necessary. It fits a little large but the biggest turn-off is that it stains very easily, which is a shame considering its lofty asking price.
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