TESTED: Crofto MTB Clothing
Crofto are a new Australian apparel and protection brand. Hayden Wright and Ash Watling put their kit to the test.
Words: Hayden Wright and Ash Watling
Photos: Gerard Lagana
Crofto will most likely be a new brand to most reading this article. They are a newly formed, Australian owned and operated mountain bike clothing company with a very specific goal. In their own words “Mountain Biking is expensive right? After spending thousands on your new bike you then need to fork out a small fortune for all the clothing and accessories! We believe this needn’t be the case and want to offer a great alternative to overpriced gear.”
Crofto’s mission is to provide functional and affordable mountain clothing and protection as an alternative to the more expensive brands which dominate the market here in Australia. We were recently sent a box stacked with their full line of products which had us covered from head to toe. The kit is fantastic value for money and provides a good fit and feel for most body types. When you consider the fact that some of these items come in at around 30% to 50% less than the cost of their big brand alternatives it is easy to hypothesise that we will be seeing more Crofto out on the trails in the future. Add in the fact that all their kit comes with recyclable tags and in reusable packaging and you have a new low cost, eco-friendly brand to consider for your next purchase.
“The Wheel” Short Sleeve Riding Jersey – $45.95
We really enjoyed the fit and feel of this jersey. The standout feature is the high neckline with the ‘U’ shape cut. It looked great and provided good sun protection for our necks and upper chest. Asides from that, this jersey has a good cut with a nice sleeve length and a drop tail to ensure your riding buddies don’t have to stare at your bike shorts while they’re chasing you down a trail. A 100% polyester construction keeps things cool when temperatures get up, and offers good stain resistance compared to cotton-blend alternatives. It is worth mentioning that these jerseys are not gender specific and due to this you should be careful with sizing if ordering your own. We would recommend women size down one from what they normally wear.
“The Chain” ¾ Sleeve Riding Jersey – $49.95
“The Chain” jersey comes with an identical fit and feel to The Wheel jersey, excluding the change from short to ¾ sleeves. Available in two colourways, we enjoyed this jersey for all the same reasons as “The Wheel”. The print design is an attention grabber, and screams “mountain biker” to anyone who sees it. If you are looking for a low-key kit to wear inconspicuously to a café pre or post ride, you might want to look elsewhere. On the other hand, if you want a well-priced, no nonsense jersey with an eye-catching design these offerings from Crofto will fit the bill.
4 Way Stretch Riding Shorts – $79.95
These affordable and feature laden shorts were a hit with our female test rider Ash and were by far and away her stand out from the line of products we tested. She loved all the pocket options – allowing you to stash your phone, snacks and house key with plenty of room to spare. Another stand out design aspect was the elasticised waist band, giving a wide range of adjustability and high level of comfort. The lack of any Velcro adjusters or closures in the design is also something we praise highly. In our experience Velcro tends to degrade much faster than the rest of the product limiting the overall life of the shorts. It also means you do not need to use a laundry bag when washing these shorts with regular clothing, which is something of note. As with the jerseys, these shorts are unisex and as such the cut of the shorts has been chosen to try and suit a wide array of body shapes and sizes. Due to this the inseam length of these shorts is on the short side for anyone with long legs, so taller riders should check the sizing charts before purchasing.
Lightweight Elbow Pads and Knee Pads – Elbow $44.95, Knee $49.95 or a bundle for $79.95
Hayden’s personal pick from the line, these pads come in at a hugely affordable price point and offer lightweight, comfortable protection for market leading value. You can easily spend over $100 on a pair of D30 Gel equipped pads, so the fact you can get both knee and elbow pads as a package for $80 is a huge accomplishment by the team at Crofto. We really prefer these style of lightweight pads as made popular by brands such as G-Form and Troy Lee Designs. They provide all day comfort in a slimline package with just enough protection from cuts, abrasions and smaller impacts to keep you protected when out on the bike. The combination of the tightly fitting spandex sleeve with silicone grippers means the pads stay put while you are riding (or crashing) and are comfortable enough for all day use. These pads are by no means ideal for aggressive gravity riding, but for your average trail rider are perfect. As mentioned with the shorts, the seam lengths are on the short side for taller riders so be sure to check sizing charts before purchasing to avoid having that nasty ‘enduro gap’ when out riding.
Padded MTB Glove – $29.95
Coming in at a very competitive price, the Crofto MTB glove had mixed reviews from our team. While we really liked the stealthy design of these gloves in both black and maroon, we feel that the fit through the palms and fingers left a little to be desired. From what we felt the finger sheaths were a little too baggy for their relative length across the three sizes we tried, leading to a fit which was not as snug as what we would like to see. The market trend over previous years is moving towards gloves having a ‘second skin’ fit where they are as tight and light as possible, aiding in increased handlebar feel. We would like to see Crofto take this on with the future development of this glove. Outside of this, we really liked the product. The construction was durable, and the padding in the palm helped to ensure our hands stayed pain free during longer rides particularly when riding with firm grips.
Bamboo MTB Crew Socks – $15.95 or a bundle of 3 pairs for $39.95
These socks were great. Available in three colours, they tick all the boxes that any fashion-conscious rider would want. They have a good crew fit which goes nice and high up the leg and feature the Crofto mountain logo on the inside and outside of the ankle. The material is a bamboo/nylon blend that is very comfortable and does a great job of wicking away sweat, keeping your feet nice and fresh after hours of riding. Treat yourself to the three-pack bundle in preparation for a long hot summer ahead.
Hits:
- A thorough, good value range
- Versatile items for a range of riders
- Australian based company
Misses:
- Gloves don’t fit like a glove
- No women’s specific cuts
From: https://crofto.com.au/
