If I’m not wearing a jacket, I want an off-road gilet to be less-is-more and this Madison Roam Men’s Windproof Packable Primaloft gilet is ideal. Recommended.
- Brand: Madison
- Product: Roam Men’s Windproof Packable Primaloft Gilet
- Price: £69.99
- From: Freewheel
- Tested by: Benji for almost a year
Pros
- Totally nails the off-road remit
- Keeps the chills at bay
- Dries out and packs down impressively well
Cons
- Elastic retaining loop is extraneous (though easy to chop off!)
- Er, more colours please
I’m a big believer in less-is-more when it comes to mountain bike apparel. Whereas I don’t mind a bit of bulk on my bicycle, I don’t like wearing heft on my person.
A good gilet is a great example of something that suits this mindset; it’s basically the bare minimum you can get away with when you don’t need a jacket but you’re still wary of windchill. After all, wind is the ride killer.
A lot of gilets are arguably too pared down. Putting it bluntly, they’re roadie wear. Cut far too tight, and too high up the naval and generally not-quite-warm-enough. The Roam gilet from Madison is not like that. Although it’s technically still dropbar-friendly (Roam range = gravel) it translates over to minimalist MTBing exceptionally well.
The lack of access to rear pockets may rankle drop-barristas, but I’m fine with it. Again, less is more. I have pockets in my riding trousers. The silicone gripper on the rear hem works well; not too tight that it creeps up your back but sufficient to keep it down low to protect your sacrum from trail spray.
Also unlike a lot of roadie clobber, it comes in colours than aren’t hi-viz yellow or Darth Vader black. The one here is Lake Blue and there’s also Magnesium (pale grey) and Moss Green.
The very slight amount of Primaloft on the chest doesn’t do an awful loft of thermal-ising but it also doesn’t add unduly to bulk or hampering breathability and drying-out-ability. All in all, I’m happy it’s there.
In terms of bulk, despite the garment’s double zip (which is nice for fanny-packers) and Primaloft panel, it packs down small enough to go in a fanny-pack or frame storage compartment or rear jersey pockets if you have any. There’s a small loop of elastic in the collar to keep it wrapped-up if you feel the time (I’ve never actually used it).
Overall
I don’t really have any issue with the Madison Roam Men’s Windproof Packable Primaloft gilet. Some folk may bemoan the lack of a chest pocket, or the easy access to rear jersey pockets, but I think these aspects are actually benefits not disadvantages (there are hundreds of other gilets out there that offer those things). If I’m not wearing a jacket, I want an off-road gilet to be less-is-more. This gilet is ideal. Recommended.
Review Info
| Brand: | Madison |
| Product: | Roam Men's Windproof Packable Primaloft Gilet |
| From: | Freewheel |
| Price: | £69.99 |
| Tested: | by Benji for Almost a year |
Replies (6)
Comments Closed
My appreciation for the review is is being swamped by a sudden dawning realisation that Ben Haworth and Benji are in fact the same person.
?♂️
@ossify Wait till you hear the news about William Chippendale!
I’ve just bought the Endura MT500 Freezing Point gilet , it too has Primaloft , got it for £51 👍
I’m hoping that being the MT500 it will be a better fit than the roadie versions I’ve tried and banish my hatred of them !
A name like that ought to be preceded by “The Honourable Lord" or something. Also a top hat and a monocle would be required… but I just can’t manage to picture that 😂
I’ve got one of those – it’s superb and definitely not a roadie cut. Not that packable but for shoulder season it’s something I tend to wear throughout a ride rather than take it on and off again. I’ve got a lighter shell-only Gore gilet for warmer conditions that’s more akin to this Madison one.
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Really bugs me when clothing reviews don’t include the size of the garment and weight and height of the reviewer