Zoic Uprising Jersey

Zoic was started in the Marin headlands, arguably the birthplace of mountain biking, and certainly the font from which the modern iteration sprang (it’s just over the way from San Francisco if you’re geographically challenged). Should you peruse its website you’ll find the whole ‘core values’ thing going on; you know the sort of thing – lots of emphasis on wholesome stuff, looking after the Planet (capital P), having fun, becoming better human beings; all that.

So far, so Californian. But how does this stuff translate to the UK? Given that riding over there necessitates exercising in temperatures that only bother me at home if I open the oven door for too long when I’m expectantly waiting for my pie and peas to warm up, how does it work in Yorkshire?

Pretty well, as it turns out. The Uprising jersey is a pretty baggy cut – to the point where I could get away with riding a size down from my usual with not too many issues. It’s also reasonably long, and the sleeves especially so. Essentially, sizing-wise you can run a size down if you like your clothes a little slimmer.

The top is a somewhat discreet black and grey ‘colourway’, with a fashionably asymmetric print in green. It’s got a subtle V-neck collar, and a little green Zoic label, which is obscured by backpack straps should you wear one. Speaking of labels, the ‘tagless label’ of which the website is so proud seems to mean only that the rear label is printed in silicone on the fabric itself – but it does at least eliminate itching. Although if this is the case with your other tops may I suggest that a decent pair of scissors will work wonders.

Just above this there is a little baffle on the inside which works as a vent – and this is placed so that it will work with a backpack. It’s a lovely little touch, and on hot days it really seems to increase airflow. It’s a tiny thing, but it’s there.

Eschewing the common one-zippered pocket right at the back, the Uprisings have a couple of pockets slightly lower down at the side, which Zoic refers to as ‘gunslinger’ pockets. I suppose if you have pretty teeny guns, and quite flexible arms, that might work – but they’re arguably a better idea in any case: if you wear a backpack with a waist strap, you’ve got at least a fighting chance of getting stuff out of them. Although you wouldn’t want to put anything too heavy in there; they can get somewhat flappy if you do. This is ameliorated somewhat by wearing a pack though; the waist strap keeps things from flailing about too much. Both zippered pockets also have a little slit for your headphones.

The top comes with what Zoic calls the “ZO-wick moisture management properties” (see what they did there?). Which is quite hard to find anything about, but as far as I can tell, it means that this, ladies and gentlemen, is a wicking top. And you’ll be pleased to learn (and no doubt so will Zoic) that it performed perfectly well at this. Nice and cool. It also worked pretty well as a base layer on chillier days – the slightly slimmer cut of the smaller size was ideal for this.

Overall:

Not, perhaps, the most exciting top around, the Uprising is nevertheless a well cut, well made and understated top, with a handful of very well thought-out features.

Review Info

Barney Marsh

Barney Marsh takes the word ‘career’ literally, veering wildly across the road of his life, as thoroughly in control as a goldfish on the dashboard of a motorhome. He’s been, with varying degrees of success, a scientist, teacher, shop assistant, binman and, for one memorable day, a hospital laundry worker. These days, he’s a dad, husband, guitarist, and writer, also with varying degrees of success. He sometimes takes photographs. Some of them are acceptable. Occasionally he rides bikes to cast the rest of his life into sharp relief. Or just to ride through puddles. Sometimes he writes about them. Bikes, not puddles. He is a writer of rongs, a stealer of souls and a polisher of turds. He isn’t nearly as clever or as funny as he thinks he is.

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