Riding the storm out
Oct 03, 2007 · 04:37 PM · permalink
Just in time for a Fall storm in Seattle, Ibex sent us their Merino Wool
Knickers. During the course of an 1.5 hour ride, I rode in gray dampness, a squalling storm cell with 40 MPH winds, blindingly-bright sun, and some bonus hail — I was soaked through in about 3 minutes. Merino Wool and Ibex’s Climawool (stretchy, breathable, wool/synthetic blend) is perfect for a wide range of temperatures.
The Ibex knickers feature Climawool over the knees and mid-weight Merino in the back. They also have a “sansabelt” style elastic in the waist, like their shorts.
The knickers were comfortable, fit well, and most importantly kept my temperate moderate. Where my arms were freezing with lycra arm warmers during the squall part of the ride, I was good on the knees and thighs. The weight of the knickers is good for Fall and Spring, but not heavy enough for the Winter. The pad was OK, worked well for my brief ride, commuting, and errands, but I wouldn’t want to ride a century with it.
We’re big fans of Ibex for casual, travel, and cycling wear. For my trip next week to Taipei, I’m wearing mostly Ibex, Smartwool Socks, and Kuhl pants. More on that trip later.
Also check the Ibex Buzz blog for posts about their clothes and the company.
Glad to hear the Ibex knickers worked well. I would recommend finding a way to try on stuff before purchase. Their jerseys are cut huuuuuuuge. XL fit like a XXXL. And whereas the wool is the softest that this wool devotee has ever worn, it’s soft to a fault - sags and, after an hour, is drooping down past my rear end.
I’ve not had that problem with Ibex — the knees on the kickers did bunch, but not bad. The sizing is definitely roomy and possibly Ibex responding to a fattening america. What’s definitely not roomy, is our snug-fit jerseys! I wear a large in Ibex.
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