Troy Lee Designs Mathis Jacket is designed as a cooler weather lightweight and packable jacket, that offers some weather protection along with an insulated element.
- Price: £139.99
- From: Saddleback
- SQUIRREL_TEXT_13041048
- Tested by: Ross for 4 months
The jacket is made from a lightweight semi-stretchy material for ease of movement and this features a water resistant Teflon EcoElite coating to withstand light showers and trail spray.
Inside, the front of the Mathis is filled with Primaloft Gold which is an environmentally friendly recycled synthetic and is designed to keep you warm, even when damp, and is manufactured using renewable manufacturing technology. Down the side are stretchy waffle knitted panels that, while designed to offer some insulation, are predominantly wicking panels to help regulate temperature.
The Mathis features a hood that is helmet compatible and can be cinched in to stop flapping and there is also a waist adjuster to help tailor the fit. The rear is longer to add coverage and the jacket is designed to be packable and uses a YKK Vislon zipper. The Mathis also features two zipped hand pockets on the front and is available in Race red and Carbon (the one we have) colours and retails for £139.99.
Fit and performance
I’m around 183cm / 6ft, have a 41” chest and weigh around 85kg and went for a size large. The sizing is good, with plenty of room without being too big. With jackets, I’d always rather go slightly bigger than smaller and more restrictive and the Mathis fits well. The arms are reasonably well fitted with no excess material so they don’t flap around when descending and they cover the cuff of my gloves nicely without leaving any gaps for wind, water and mud to get in. The length is on the slightly longer side and offers good coverage, especially at the back, nd I have once or twice caught it on the saddle but this can cinchd in with the waist adjuster.
I’ve never really worn insulated jackets for riding, and always preferred a base layer and some sort of wind / water shell (although I;mnot a fan of a lot of waterproofs for riding but that;’s a different conversation). That’s changed with the Mathis though. On drier colder days the Mathis has become my go to jacket as it offers a good level of warmth, and is really breathable, which stops you from overheating.
I’ve ridden in temperatures ranging from around 8° down to -4° and while the upper end of this scale is getting a bit too warm, the rest of time it has remained comfortable. Even while climbing I’ve tended to have the jacket zipped up as it does a great job of breathing and regulating temperature, and the zip is there for when things get too hot.
On really cold days it does a good job of keeping your core warm, thoughnas the arms aren’t insulated they can feel a bit chilly but only really when stopped. So far it’s done a decent job of keeping trail spray off and the odd bit of drizzle, but it;ps not something I’d take out of the cupboard for a proper wet ride.
The hood fits under my helmet easily, although I’ve never really used it. It can be a bit flappy when descending, but cinching it ion solves this and seems to make it sit a bit nicer around your neck.
Overall
I never really thought I needed, or even wanted a jacket like the Mathis, but I was wrong. It does a great job of keeping you warm yet cool in a variety of situations. It can handle a bit of wet weather and mud and it looks good on and off the bike. If you want a versatile jacket that isn’t a hard shell, then it’s worth giving the Troy Lee Mathis a look.
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Review Info
| Brand: | Troy Lee Designs |
| Product: | Mathis Jacket |
| From: | Saddleback |
| Price: | £139.99 |
| Tested: | by Ross for 4 months |
