The Showers Pass Scout Shirt is a sharp-looking option for hitting the trails, lanes or cafés. Part-merino, with two pockets and reinforced bits, it’s likely to be a warm-weather favourite – just check the sizing lest ye Hulk-out the look.
- Pros: Casual design doesn’t scream ‘cyclist’, while tech bits work on the bike, very fast to dry
- Cons: Size is a bit out – comes up small, defo order larger
Warm weather means cruising to a country pub or café, looking sharp and not arriving a sweaty mess. Maybe via a favourite trail, or a few choice lanes. If that’s your bag, then the Scout shirt might be what you need. Made from a merino-synthetic blend (30% baa-baa), the fabric is super-light and ever-so-slightly translucent in the reviewed ‘Glacier Grey’ colour.
The standout tech features are the shoulder gussets with inlaid mesh panels, and the stretchy knit underarm panels. My only gripe with the design is the darker underarm colour here, which does seem to me to draw the eye to what could be a sweaty patch if you’ve been warm for a bit. (It looks to be slightly less obvious in the darker ‘Dark Shadow’ option.)
The shoulder gussets allow for comfort on a dropped-bar bike while not having to look baggy when upright. Often, fitted cycling clothes aren’t that comfy upright whereas the Scout needs to work in all situations, hence needing the articulation which also doubles as cooling vents across your back. They’re pretty much invisible off the bike.
The snap buttons are set into a reinforced strip of material, and are easily opened or closed one-handed: handy when on the bike. The same material reinforces the V-cut at the hip for leg articulation. The hem’s ever-so-slightly lower at the back, and there’s a wallet-and-mobile-size hidden zipped pocket on the right.
The chest pocket is perfectly positioned for sunglasses when reaching the bar. A small reflective tag rounds out the features at the lower left hem.
Fit-wise it was a bit on the snug side – my 38in chest should be more than accommodated for by the reviewed Medium, which is listed as 40-42in – but standing straight, the buttons over the sternum were ever-so-slightly stressed, meaning the front overlap didn’t sit flat. Also the feel around the shoulders and back was snugger than you’d expect for a casual shirt like this. Definitely go a size larger. This fit seems an anomaly, as other Showers Pass kit has been bang on chest size for me. (It’s not me in the photos.)
On a bike – mountain bike, Dutch or road – the Scout ticks the boxes you’d expect: feels great, breathes well, doesn’t flap, easily opened or closed as needed. Off the bike it’s a good look and ideal for kicking back getting rays in a pub garden (okay, next year maybe).
The value of being able to make that transition from decent bike ride to town and back in both comfort and style is entirely in the eye of the beholder. A 100% cotton shirt would likely take a while to dry out, due to work effort or if you get caught in a bit of rain en route. The Scout will be dry in minutes, assuming you got sweaty in the first place. Having someplace secure to stash wallet, phone and keys is a bonus, as is a pocket for sunnies.
> Buyer’s Guide: The best casual cycling kit for commuting
Is it worth £65? You can certainly spend less on ‘a shirt’, but I doubt it would meet the spec here (Rapha’s Air Cotton Shirt is £85). Showers Pass excels at making functional, good-looking premium kit, and the Scout ticks those boxes. Just watch the fit.
Verdict
A great-looking casual shirt with a bunch of bike-tech features to aid comfort
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road.cc test report
Make and model: Showers Pass Mens Scout Shirt Short Sleeve
Size tested: Medium
Tell us what the product is for
Showers Pass says: “This trail-worthy feather light snap shirt provides the natural benefits of merino wool combined with the durability of nylon. Knit underarm panels provide stretch and ventilation”
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
From Showers Pass:
Merino-wool blend fabric is lightweight, moisture wicking and breathable
Back shoulder gussets for better articulation on the bike
Back pocket with hidden zipper
Reflective label on back
It’s really well put together.
Not flappy, lots of cooling across the back.
It’s reinforced and should last well.
in the right size it would sit just right for a sharp look.
A whole size out – go bigger.
Superlight.
Multi-panel build means a great feel, in the right size.
£65 is a hefty bit of cash, the value of arriving cool, dry and happy is over to you.
How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?
In a wool wash, no problems.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Really good – hit the road or trails in 20+ degrees and this feels great.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
The cut – it’s snappy.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
The fit, and the underarm colour.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
Assuming you get the size right, this is a great shirt; £65 isn’t cheap by any means, but what price style, breezy comfort and security for your stuff?
About the tester
Age: 45 Height: 183cm Weight: 72kg
I usually ride: Merida Ride 5000 Disc My best bike is: Velocite Selene
I’ve been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: A few times a week I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: cyclo-cross, club rides, general fitness riding, mountain biking, Dutch bike pootling
11 thoughts on “Showers Pass Men’s Scout Shirt Short Sleeve”
Not enough drop to the back
Not enough drop to the back of the shirt. Even going to the pub, back would be exposed.
Did the reviewer even wear it?
Freddy56 wrote:
But it is supposed to be a summer shirt not something that protects you from rain in the middle of winter.
I would imagine that there
I would imagine that there is limted appetite amongst the roadcc readership for this ill-conceived product…How about setting up a ‘casualriderscc’website and see how many readers/viewers it attracts?
Chris Hayes wrote:
Not all of us get dressed in full Team Sky kit and bib shorts when we’re cycling everywhere!
Someone riding a bike, in a casual shirt….whatever next!
[/quote]
Nothing wrong with Team Sky, they pour millions into our sport and have given us 3 Grand Tour champions. But still, you don’t see many Sky jerseys where i live.
But this isn’t a casual shirt: it’s a bike-specific shirt and rather pointless at that. If you like it so much, buy one and post a picture for us… and I’ll buy a Sky jersey and wear it until it wears out because I know which I’d rather have 🙂
I have a pair of Swrv jeans
I have a pair of Swrv jeans shorts and they are shockingly comfy, only worn them on the bike a couple of times, for which they did work very well, but they are my go to summer shorts for everything else. I think there is a big market for cross over wear. Stuff that can be good on the bike can be very good off it. A couple of Vulpine rideable t shirts too.
ktache wrote:
I agree. When I’m touring I want to carry minimalist kit and some of it has to do dual function from time to time. If I’m carrying shorts or a shirt, it has to work on the bike as well. The classic case is accommodation to ferry/airport at the start or end of a ride.
It’s not a casual shirt,
It’s not a casual shirt, though, is it? It’s a a cross between a cycling jersey and a casual shirt and it’s worse than either.
Looks like something your CDT
Looks like something your CDT teacher designed for himself in CDT.
That armpit “patch” – I’m out
That armpit “patch” – I’m out. Shame, as otherwise I liked it.
FFS take the photo of the
FFS take the photo of the McDonalds fours-star general down. When I look at it I can’t decide whether I feel sick or cold: it was 4 degrees on my morning ride today!
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