I recently received the Tour Jersey from Dakine for testing and have put it through its paces out on the trail.
Tour Jersey
The Dakine Tour Jersey is clearly geared toward the freeride crowd with its 3/4 length sleeves, loose fit, and heavier material. Overall the fit of this jersey is comfortable and the loose cut is great for on-bike movement without being so loose that it flaps annoyingly in the breeze at speed. Dakine claims the anti-microbial finish helps reduce the stink after long, hot rides, and I have to agree that it seems to work. The heavy-ish fabric weave feels like it would offer decent abrasion protection in a crash, but I haven’t tested that out (yet). The sleeves are cut to allow room for elbow pads, and a pair I tried at Outerbike fit well without inhibiting movement.
Unless you go to a lift-serviced bike park, pretty much all riding here in Colorado involves plenty of climbing. The Tour Jersey breathes pretty well, but it is still noticeably warmer than other jerseys I own. However on the flipside, it’s nice to have the added coverage and warmth for long, fast downhill segments at sunset when the temp starts to drop. As such this has become my go-to jersey for cooler fall and spring riding where the 3/4 sleeves work well when layered with a vest.
A sewn-in goggle / sunglass wipe and tasteful graphics round out the features on this very comfy jersey. The MSRP for the black version I have is $49.95 but it’s only $25 on Amazon.com, which is a pretty sweet deal for a garment of this quality.
Thanks to Dakine for providing the Tour Jersey for testing and review.
