This year, UK brand Altura is turning 25 years old and one way that they are celebrating this milestone is by releasing a freshly designed range of mountain biking (MTB) clothing. Although Altura have been absent from the MTB side of the cycling for a while, they’re no stranger to making excellent quality MTB kit.
Altura have scored favourably with Coach’s colleagues at mountain bike publication MBR in the past with the Attack 360 jacket and Attack One80 shorts scoring highly thanks to their excellent features, fit and value.
Here, the team at MBR take a closer look at three jerseys, three pairs of shorts and a pair of gloves that are suited to all riders looking to get their MTB fix in style.
Jerseys
Starting at the top, the first item we checked out was the Kielder long-sleeved jersey. It’s great to see Altura making moves to more environmentally-sustainable kit. Both the long-sleeved jersey and the short-sleeved version incorporate 100% recycled polyester fabric.
It has excellent sweat-wicking properties and it’s fast drying, too. Altura have cleverly placed fabric with extra breathability in key areas such as the armpits and the back for maximum comfort.
The bonded neckline and cuffs are low profile to prevent chafing, and as we’ve seen before with Altura, the relaxed cut and fit is spot on. We especially liked the longer, contoured cut at the back to give good coverage when on the bike, helping to avoid unintended fleshy exposure. The short-sleeved Kielder jersey has all the same features except for, yeah you guessed it, long sleeves.
The short-sleeved version is great for spring and summer rides with the long-sleeved version adding a little extra warmth and protection. The jerseys cost £35 for the short-sleeve and £45 for the long-sleeve, both options look to be superb value. When it comes to deciding whether your new top matches or clashes with the rest of your kit, you have three options: a couple of nice shades of green, plus blue in the long sleeve and yellow in the short sleeve.
The Kielder jersey also comes in a women’s cut, with all the same features, blue and yellow colour options, and three-quarter length sleeves. The women’s jersey costs a competitively-priced £40.
Legwear
Altura’s new Esker shorts do not come with a liner, so you can match them up with your favourite bib short or liner.
The Esker shorts are a good length and work well whether you are wearing knee pads or not, and the back is contoured for good coverage when on the bike. The shorts are well specced with nice detailing such as stretch panels, belt loops and a zipped pocket.
A welcome extra is the fabric’s water-repellent coating so you won’t have to ride with soggy shorts if you get caught in a shower or blast through some water.
The men’s shorts come in green or black, and the women’s in black or purple. Both styles cost £55.
If you’re braving heavy rain, know the trails will still be wet from a previous downfall or just don’t trust the forecast and can’t stand the idea of a soggy chammy, the Ridge Tier shorts are the ones to go for in Altura’s range.
With 10k waterproof, yet breathable fabric, and taped seams, these shorts have been designed to keep you comfortable through the worst conditions. Like the Esker they come without a liner so you can pair them up with your favourite padded undershort.
The side release buckle is easy to use and adjust even in the wet, and there is extra coverage with the contoured waistline and extra protection with longer, articulated fabric at the knees. In addition the water-resistant zipped pockets help to protect your valuables.
As with the rest of the new range the fit is relaxed, yet well cut so you won’t be troubled by excess fabric flapping around. To top it off, these shorts sit nicely with knee pads.
The Ridge Tier shorts cost £80 and come in navy with orange detailing, or black with green detailing.
Gloves
To finish off the range Altura have created a new glove, the Kielder. This is a highly breathable, lightweight glove, which has become popular with riders, us included. The minimal padding on the palm results in superb feel and control, the latter accentuated by the silicone brake-lever grippers on the index and middle fingers.
The perforated Amara suede palms help to keep sweaty palms at bay and of course help to protect your hands both from the rigours of riding, and when it all goes wrong, crashing!
Around the wrist Altura use a neoprene cuff which keeps the gloves in place without the bulk of a velcro closure.
The Kielder gloves come in three colourways – grey, dark green and carbon (black to you and me) – and cost £25. There are six unisex sizes from XS to XXL so every rider should be able to find the right fit.
The new range is feature packed, stylish and helps riders choose more environmentally-sustainable kit – it’s great to have Altura back on the scene.
For further details head to altura.co.uk
