When it comes to women’s mountain bike clothing these days there is a wide range to choose from when it comes to big brands like Troy Lee Designs, Fox Clothing or Dakine.  I wanted to take a look at something a bit different, from one of the many “start up” clothing companies taking advantage of the increased popularity of mountain biking.

Foog is fairly new to the mountain biking scene, hailing from my home country of Poland. It all started for Foogwear around 2013 but the team stepped up their range and production in 2015. The founder of Foog (that should be his official title), Maciej Klimek, started the brand because at that time it was hard to find decent mountain biking clothing in Poland and it was expensive to order items in from overseas.

Over the summer I was testing out the “mucky” jersey and the “just ride” shorts, both of which are designed and made in Poland. I have tried the range out in the UK at trail centres and on some off piste, before heading out to the Alps for two weeks of riding in varied conditions from baking heat to mud and rain. I feel like I have spent enough time with the shorts and jersey to get the measure of them.

Mucky Jersey

Foog Mucky Jersey

The Mucky jersey is a ladies fit and has a long back, like all riding jerseys should do. The jersey has great features like a microfibre cloth for wiping glasses or goggles, and the Silver Ions system apparently ensures the jersey remains odour and germ free (though I can’t attest to this as obviously I smell like Febreeze at all times). The fabric is light and feels breathable, which I suspect means it wouldn’t do a lot to protect against serious impacts, though I haven’t tried out too many jerseys that would do much in that regard.

Fitted sleves keep the fabric in place during fast descends

I pulled on a medium sized shirt and I found the fit true to size, I would generally class myself as a UK 12 and the fit was good. The shirt hugged my hips and had fitted sleeves, thus it stayed in place when riding “fast”. Given how light the jersey is I don’t know how warm it would be in winter but I look forward to finding out.

Wild pink colour will make you visible from afar

The Mucky jersey comes in violet or pink, and whilst I personally do not think of myself of a person that can pull-off pink, I fell in love how this shirt looked. The Mucky features a jazzy, speckled design that allows you to conceal mud or brownie crumbs alike, transitioning from vivid pink or violet to black at the bottom of the shirt.

Just ride shorts

Foog Just Ride Shorts

The shorts I tried on have become some of my favourite to ride in. First of all, as with the jersey, the sizing was spot on. I am a 32” waist and the 32” shorts fit me spot on. If they don’t fit quite right you can adjust them by using velcro straps available on the sides. I tend to find that sizing with mountain bike shorts is a dark art, so it is refreshing to find a pair that fit exactly as advertised.

Velcro straps to keep your shorts in place

I am not quite sure how to classify the Just Ride shorts, they were tough and thick but very stretchy thanks the four way stretch material. I wouldn’t classify them as Downhill-specific by any means, but I did feel like they would hold together in a crash. The cut of the trouser is just below knee length, which means no enduro gaps for me anymore. The shorts are elasticated in all the right places, which means you never really feel like you reach the limit of how far they can move. The shorts come with two zipped pockets, which is essential for carrying your instagram enabled device and a snack.

Nice and deep pockets with zips

Given the thickness of the Just Ride shorts I probably wouldn’t opt for them first when it is scorching hot outside but if you are riding in the UK (or Poland for that matter!) that won’t really be a problem.

A vent available in the shorts, when the weather turns hot

The Just Ride shorts retail at €70 (approx £65) which puts them at the lower end of the price range compared with some of the main contenders like the Endura Women’s MT500, Sombrio Drift, Fox Women’s Flexair and Troy Lee Designs Ruckus shorts.

Overall the jersey and the shorts have become some of my “go to” riding kit over the last few months. The fit is great, the designs are a bit different and I can’t deny it makes me happy to wear something designed and made in Poland.  

If you are interested, the Just Ride shorts and the Mucky jersey are available from http://foogwear.com/en/, with delivery to the UK.

By commenting on this article, you are entering a competition for the FOOG cargo strap and the pink neck warmer. UK only, competition closes on Tuesday 18th of September 2018 at midnight.

Pictures by @emmsontour

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