The weather. Like it or not, if you enjoy spending your free time in the outdoors, it’s something that will most definitely have a bearing on how you prepare to spend that oh so special time and if your wet or cold, well, no one wants that do they? So with the shifting of the seasons, or the likelihood that you live somewhere that is perpetually wet and miserable, you need to equip yourself in a way that will allow you to overcome your geographical misfortune and raise the middle finger to winter! Where do you start? Well, a good base layer in all honesty and from that work outwards, but generally a bloody good jacket is top of the list…

Between its 10000 DPI/10000 MVP breathable and water-proof polyester fabric and the pinstripe graphics, the Matrix looks every bit the discerning riders companion on a cold, wet days ride.

Words: Olly Forster | Photos: Nathan Carvell

Bike specific jackets are pretty specific in their own right and not just to the task of keeping you warm and dry riding in the woods. Jackets are feature packed pieces of kit and like the bikes we ride, are also “mission specific” – what do I mean by that? Well, where you ride, how you ride, for how long and how much of wimp you are? Being a Northerner, my skin’s a little thicker to the elements than some of my softer Southern kin, but like the old saying goes, “no sense, no feeling…” Maybe there’s something in that, but with age comes wisdom and the days of just a base layer and tee shirt are long gone. So, winter jackets and missions? What’s my mission? Mostly skids and wheelies, but lets take a look at this beauty; the Matrix jacket from Royal Racing.

The first thing that will cross your mind when slipping the Matrix on will be “damn, this is a nice jacket… Too damn nice to get muddy!” This is indeed a nice jacket and it will most likely be a jacket that you’ll wear more any other jacket in your collection. Why? Read on…

All the zips are fully waterproof like the jacket and provide a good seal without any resistance – essential when layering or de-layering in a hurry with gloves on!

Available in two colour combos: Black Pinstripe and Blue Pinstripe – the black was always going to win with all the mud, and it even passed my girl friend’s strict rules on cycling kit being seen away from bicycles. Passing this strict criteria and coupled with the fact that I rather like this jacket too (plus its bloody comfy), has seen it worn almost every day since October; although mostly not on the bike…

More toggles, this time on the massive hood and not so massive waist – attention to detail is awesome on the Matrix – little Royal logos everywhere!

Pockets, lots of pockets… well three. One on the chest big enough for your mobile phone (cell phone to you lot across the pond) or wallet, and…

… two massive ones, right where they should be.

‘TPR’ moulded Hook and loop cuff adjusters help to get a good robust seal against the elements while being easy to grab in cumbersome thick winter gloves.

Routing for your music player is almost standard now on MTB apparel and something that I’ve never used, ever. The thought is there and thankfully, so is the option to disappear into a world of noise should the sounds of the forest bore you…

The hood is a monster! Big enough for most helmets, although with the zip done up, you’ll struggle to get much movement side to side – the best thing about this hood, is that you can do the zip all the way up, pull on the toggles and disappear into your own personal snug in the woods.

Skids and Wheelies…

While this jacket is rather nice to wear and with it seeing more than its fair share of the pub and the inside of my van, it has luckily (or unluckily) been another awful winter – it’s even snowing as I type this! So with all the rain, snow and general rubbish weather, there’s been more than a few opportunities to test the Matrix. First up, the material and build of the Matrix is pretty thick and with all the effort of riding a bike off-road and the inevitable perspiration, it has to be especially cold outside to warrant a jacket that is too warm. While on most average UK winter days, I found the Matrix a little on the hot side and wouldn’t wear it with anything more than a base layer – long or short sleeve depending on temperature.

You gotta love modern trail bikes. The weight, poise and gearing to get you about and the technology and numbers to let you forget your not on a downhill bike – awesome! The Matrix thrived in this environment – mixing riding with socialising and generally enjoying being in the woods with your mates playing on the jumps. Heavy trail loops searching for enduro glory? The Matrix might be just too much…

On really cold days, the Matrix was great, but if the pace was good I soon felt a bit confined, especially without any side vents. Be that as it may, a lot of the riding we do is based around having fun and hooning around our local tracks and trails and playing on stuff we find. Stopping and starting might not be very “XC” but the kind of riding we do is anything but XC! Testing the Matrix is some horrendous weather threw up the fact that this is a capable rain jacket and while the fabric held up to 3 hours of constant rainfall and puddle smashing reasonably well, I would certainly have been up shit creek had I been out any longer without the chance to get into some warm and dry clothes. Although the Matrix did a good job of keeping the worst of the rain off, it did start to creep through, and all the perspiration on the inside? I think a few hours is as much as this jacket can take before letting you down, but it did keep me warm none the less.

With only one vent across the shoulders, the Matrix lacks the necessities it needs to remove heat build up and while the fabrics breathable qualities helped, side vents would have been a useful addition. Its also worth pointing out that while the tailoring of the Matrix is somewhere between a casual jacket and a bike specific jacket, I didn’t notice any issues with the cut in either scenario.

Conclusion.

The outcome of this jacket in the extremes of weather should not be overlooked when you consider the price. At £100, you are getting one hell of a jacket and if you want to be totally dry, from both the rain outside and your sweat on the inside, you can easily double and triple that number at your local outdoor store… For me, the Matrix has become one of my most favoured jackets and I’ve rarely left the house without it. In driving snow, its kept me warm and dry with little more than a tee shirt and hoody underneath. On the bike, its a great jacket to wear when things get cold and if your riding is very stop and start, look no further.

Transition jacket? I’d never heard of this term until recently, but a jacket that can be used both off and on the bike is certainly one not to be sniffed at and certainly something that we should all have with us during the darker times of year. Best looking ‘bike’ jacket on the market? Best one that you’d actually wear down the pub!

So, for the price of £100, which is pretty awesome in itself, you get a jacket that will keep you warm and dry on an average ride, can be a little too hot for anything but winter riding, but will serve you well as a ‘transition’ jacket in the fairer months where precipitation is still a problem. Royal have delivered an excellent jacket for the money that looks as good as it feels and while its limits in the extremes of weather are evident, knowledge of these is there in a black and white, so don’t go trekking to the North Pole in it. From blasting your local loop at zero degrees to playing on the jumps with your riding buddies in the rain and all the way to keeping you warm and looking good, the Matrix has you covered.

Royal Racing is exclusively distributed in the UK by Decade Europe and for more on the Matrix jacket and the rest of the 2013 Royal range, tap the logo below and check their new website out. Happy trails, Olly.

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