100% Skylar Jersey and Shorts – Review
The 100% brand has been around since the early 80’s, laying down it’s roots in the motocross scene and gracing some of the biggest names in the sport.
Thirty years later they have an equal passion for the MTB industry and also have some of the biggest names in the sport on their roster. Such as Josh Carlson, Loic Bruni, George Brannigan, Myriam Nicole to name but a few.
We have to admit, there’s always been something uniquely cool about the brand over some of the other mega brands. It could be the imagery they use. Just check out some of their archives.
“100% is about to inspire a whole new generation of racers and
ask them the original tag line, “How much effort do you give?”
It could be as simple as the style of their products, they’re motto and ethos or the all star line up of racers they have on their team, influencing our purchasing decisions. Whatever it is, 100% have a secret ingredient in there somewhere and we like the taste of it.
Womens Skylar Air-Matic All Mountain Shorts
What we do know is that we got our hands on the new Skylar range for women, and they have certainly lived up to the hype. The Skylar jersey and shorts are from the Air-Matic range which is to say, their All Mountain products.
Look and Feel
Straight off the bat we have to admit, they look good. The jersey and the shorts can be worn separately and will work well with your other MTB clothing but when worn as a combined piece, you certainly get the full force of the Skylar effect!
Yes they are quite bold, so they may not be for everyone but if you yearn to see and wear something a little different on the trails, then you can’t go wrong with these.
We’ve only seen a small handful of brands that offer something a little different in the visual department but now 100% are part of that small but hopefully, growing group.
Shorts Key Features:
- Lightweight polyester/elastane 4-way stretch construction
- Zippered pockets for security of essentials.
- Hidden Snap Closure offers a clean look.
- Velcro waist tabs increase adjustability for the perfect fit.
- Stretch-mesh back panel promotes airflow and motion.
- TPR back tab for pulling or hanging ease.
- Includes detachable liner. Premium CyTech chamois.
- Quick absorption, anti-microbial, poly / elastane mesh.
- Flat-locked seams maximize comfort & minimize chafing.
Womens Skylar Air-Matic All Mountain Jersey
Look and Feel
To compliment the shorts is the Skylar jersey. Another nice piece of kit from 100%. They’re targeting the All Mountain riders but to be honest, you can wear this jersey for absolutely anything.
It’s styling and weight is something you could wear on an epic XC ride or hitting the more gnarlier trails. We don’t really see any design features that couldn’t work across all types of riding, whereas the shorts may, with their slightly longer length may be more attractive to the AM trail rider?
To be honest, the “All Mountain” range of clothing these days is so blurred, that we feel anything works on everything. Except lycra of course, we can keep that well hidden 😉
We really liked the way the Skylar jersey has a good balance of femininity but not overly so, such as the neck line for example. The rest of the garment, as with the shorts, has some nice touches such as the mesh sides for air flow. On the inside bottom corner piece, which can be used to clean your sunglasses or goggles.
On The Trails
Well, there’s only so much talking about a pice of gear you can do. Next step was to hit the trails, so we decided to hit the road for a few days over the Christmas break and headed down to the MTB mecca of Mount Buller in Victoria.
Our test rider was salivating to get her hands on these and this is what she had to say:
“The jersey had a light and airy feel to it and the low neckline helped keep me cool on the long ascents. Overall it felt very comfortable with enough stretch when bent over in attack position and the sensation of the air flow mesh panels kicking in on the descents.
The shorts felt spot on with the length. Not too short as to get caught on my knee guards and had good leg room around the thighs when I was in attack position. Plus the longer length makes you look like a bad ass all mountain rider!
The mesh panel on the shorts definitly helped reduce that nasty sweaty lower back syndrome, which was nice.
Having the extra pockets on the shorts allowed me to keep some items on myself rather than having to stop and pull off my pack to get at things like SPF lip balm, gels and some cash for the shuttle. Little features like these can sometimes be the icing on the cake.”
It’s these small things that compound to turn into a really annoying issue, and who the hell wants to be annoyed when riding? Not us.
Jersey Key Features:
- Polyester anti-microbial knit main body with mesh paneling.
- Flat-locked stitching for seamless comfort.
- Unique neckline for added style and comfort.
- Breathable mesh side panels promote airflow and add comfort.
- Fully sublimated fade resistant graphics.
- Internal goggle wipe keeps your eye protection clean.
Conclusions
Overall we really liked the design, looks and functionality of the Skylar jersey and shorts. The bold design with the spotty graphics certainly make a statement and adds some fun to the trails. But that may not be to everybody’s liking, so you can easily switch out pieces and combine with your other kit. However, if it is your thing, then you’ll love this kit!
100% haven’t simply gone for looks here, they’ve thought it out long and hard and come up with a piece of kit that has a lot of key features and functionality was obviously high on their agenda.
If you’re in the market for some new glad rags, then you can’t go far wrong with these.
Available at most good online stores.
Price: Jersey from $55-65AUD, Shorts from $140 – $180
http://www.ride100percent.com/
