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review
Vulpine tshirt£55.00
VERDICT:
Full-merino wool cycling Tee that's subtle enough for use off the bike too
Weight:
180g
Contact:
www.vulpine.cc
At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.
What the road.cc scores meanGood scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.
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The Vulpine Merino T-shirt is a subtle cycling Tee that's particularly handy for days when you're likely to spend time both on and off the bike.
This is 100% merino wool rather than a blend of natural and synthetic fibres. One of the best things about merino wool is that it doesn't start stinking as soon as you get to the end of the road. We've all had man made fibres that, let's be honest, reek once they get the slightest bit sweaty. Merino doesn't. This Vulpine shirt is amazingly odour-resistant. If you've never used merino before, you'll be stunned. That means that this T-shirt is ideal if you want to ride across town to work or the caff, for example, without the need to change as soon as you get there.
When you do put the shirt through the washing machine (you can't leave it forever) it comes out smelling all clean and new. It doesn't gradually accumulate odours like some synthetics and you never have to sling it through the wash a second time after performing a quick sniff test. So that's the smelly side of things dealt with.
The other big plus is that this Vulpine shirt feels really good. Its fine-grade fibres are soft and they wick moisture away effectively. With a little air blowing over the shirt as you ride, you stay dry and comfortable even in warm temperatures. You could also wear it as a base layer for more sporty rides.
The Vulpine shirt is cut close but not skin-tight so it neither flaps about ridiculously when you're riding nor looks out of place when you're wandering around town. The rear is a little longer than the front so you don't get a draughty back when you're stretched out towards the bars and, again, it's not so extreme that it looks weird when you're off the bike.
All the seams are flat-lock stitched and there are no labels inside to irritate you – the washing instructions are printed on the wool. You get a little buttoned pocket on the back that's big enough to take your mobile and/or wallet. You wouldn't want to put too much in there because the wool is pretty stretchy and will get pulled out of shape, but that's not a problem for me – my wallet really isn't that heavy.
There's a reflective strip across the pocket to aid visibility when you're riding at night and all the logos are embroidered so they're going to last. Some might find the price tag a little salty, but it is made from good quality merino and the price is certainly not out of the ball park for garments of similar quality.
Verdict
Full-merino wool cycling Tee that's subtle enough for use off the bike too
road.cc test report
Make and model: Vulpine Merino T-shirt
Size tested: Medium
Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
Vulpine say: "The ultimate cycling T. Odour-free, sweat-wicking, soft, cut long and slim for cycling. Use for casual riding or as a base-layer. This T is made from the 100% highest grade mid-weight Merino, with a small button pocket and subtle reflective detail to rear.
100% Merino Wool
Extraordinarily odour-resistant
Very breathable
Cycling fit
Fast dry-wicking
Flatlock stitching for comfort
Rear button pocket
Subtle reflective detail on pocket
Embroidered Vulpine branding"
I've no arguments with any of that. I'm not a massive fan of merino as a base layer for high-intensity rides because it can get heavy with sweat, but some people will have nothing else. This T-shirt's real value is for days when you're likely to be both on and off the bike and don't want to change clothes.
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Merino wool is naturally antibacterial and naturally high-wicking... which is why sheep have been using it for, ooh, ages.
Rate the product for quality of construction:
8/10
The flat-lock stitching and embroidered logos are good. Making a T-shirt isn't the most complicated process in the world but it's all done very well.
Rate the product for performance:
8/10
It's good-quality merino wool with all the usual merino qualities.
Rate the product for durability:
8/10
It's well made and after quite a few washes it's still the right shape. I can't really see anything going wrong for the foreseeable future.
Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
9/10
Rate the product for value:
6/10
Rapha's short sleeve merino (Sportwool) base layer is £55. DHB do one at 30 quid although that's exceptional value.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
It performs well
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
The cut is spot on for the type of riding it's designed for and I think this is the best use of merino wool.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Nada.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Possibly. I think the subtle bikey-ness is pretty cool
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yup
About the tester
Age: 41 Height: 190cm Weight: 75kg
I usually ride: My best bike is:
I've been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding,
Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.
Latest Comments
- ooblyboo 1 sec ago
Ah, the classic 'I'm a cyclist myself' absolution.
- marmotte27 5 min 44 sec ago
On average it's between 1 and 5 close passes on 15 daily kms.
- Mr Hoopdriver 7 min 23 sec ago
https://www.sciencealert.com/study-links-preference-for-loud-cars-to-some-unsurprising-personality-traits...
- john_smith 8 min 17 sec ago
That's debatable.
- Veloism 14 min 58 sec ago
"every other urban hipster is wearing one of these just for the style points"...
- quiff 16 min 5 sec ago
Pretty sure the Carradice Odyssey didn't exist when I got my Wizard Works Shazam - they had the traditional cotton duck bags or the Super-C. Wizard...
- Olbol156 18 min 38 sec ago
Charged with careless driving.
- brooksby 21 min 55 sec ago
Much as i suspect that she's a NIMBY who enjoys living in an open air museum, she may have a point if it's true that there are other parts where...
- wycombewheeler 1 hour 8 min ago
what about super round wheels? can they be kept exclusive?
- wycombewheeler 1 hour 10 min ago
Here's an argument for firearms. If he hadn't had a shotgun he would probably have tried with the car unneccesarily mahoosive truck a second time,...
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19 comments
Are Vulpine the new Rapha then? discuss
I'm assuming that's stirring Dave?
I hope we are similar in concentrating on quality, longevity and design. That'd be a great compliment.
Regards synthetic vs merino, I had the fun task of building the range from scratch, so what worked, was used. There was a huge amount of R&D. Merino is very hydrophilic, meaning it pulls the sweat off your skin, unlike polyester, so it'll wick away faster. But that wicking always relies on the ambient conditions, and if its humid or so hot that you sweat more than the fabric can take, it'll be wet. But you may touch a polyester top and it'll feel dryer because its not pulling water off your skin, rather it stays there. And sweat doesn't wick very well without air flow. Water off your skin equals more comfort and better temperature control.
One of my favourite tests was to do 90 minutes spinning. The temp and stagnant air in those rooms is full-on, and I'd come out soaked. But then 10 minutes later I'd have a dry top, and I can go about my day with the top the same and not smelling like a bin. Bit weird walking around knowing I hadn't showered after dripping with sweat (my hair was still wet an age after the top had dried), but it worked.
err no idea about the quality but just saw Planet X doing merino tops for £14.99!
Can't speak for Planet X's top, but the difference between my Descente merino jersey (£30, as I recall) and my Shutt Jersey (£65?) and the Vulpine shirt is pretty significant, and favours the latter two significantly. (The Descente jersey is scratchy, and the seams are coming apart after not too many outings).
For all that, the Descente jersey is what convinced me Merino would work for me though, before I shelled out more. In terms of how it handles temperature (much less need to keep donning/removing gilet in changing conditions, I find) and doesn't whiff, it's almost magical stuff.
If you've never tried a wool jersey, £15 from PX isn't a bad way to see if you like it or not - just bear in mind a pricier one (Shutt, Vulpine, Rapha) will probably be nicer still, if you do like 'em
Have tried merino products a few times in the past ( Ralpha and dhb) but I'm a heavy sweater and find they can't cope, they just don't seem to have the wicking abilities. During a hard ride the material seems to get overpowered. Manmade fibres work best for me with Assos, Gore and Craft my current favs in that order. Oh and it loses shape once it's wicking abilities have been overpowered (soggy and baggy). To be honest I'm a bit bemused by how many people online rave about merino.
I've not worn the Vulpine top in proper hot weather yet (for reasons that are probably obvious, given I live in the UK). The Descente top & Shutt Jersey are definitely a bit too warm once the mercury rises significantly - I reckon they're best (for me) below 18/20°C, with the Descente (because of its thicker fabric) being at the lower end of that scale. I've not noticed them getting damp, as such, they just feel too warm, and I'd pick a synthetic in those sorts of temperatures, unless I'm pottering that day. IME, they definitely don't like rain though (I did the last hour of the Stoke Tour Ride in my Shutt jersey, in a downpour, and it was grim).
The Vulpine feels lighter than the Shutt fabric (to me) so might have a temperature range that's a few degrees higher. Caveat - I don't race, so my idea of a hard ride could well be different to some.
Personally, I don't wear merino if I'm going out on a high-intensity ride in the sun (although I know a lot of people who do). But, for days when I'm on and off the bike – riding around town for a bit, sitting in a caff for a bit – it's spot on.
I also use merino in the winter when I want lots of insulation and know I won't sweat too much.
Im surprised you can afford vlaamse karbonades what with yer impecunity John.
Eh, don't skimp when you're on tour, fella. Especially not on the food. And the booze. And the chocs. And the cakes.
The price is a bit rich for me too, but that's because of my impecunity, not the t-shirt being poor value.
I do have one of these, in grey (looking at the pic, I slightly wish I'd got the black) because I did a guest blog for Nick before the Vulpine launch, and he was kind enough to consider a t-shirt fair exchange for the collection of weak puns and sub par surrealism I sent him.
I can honestly say the t is really, really good. The fabric is lovely. I've worn merino that was coarse and scratchy (HELLO, DESCENTE) the Vulpine fabric is a world away, beautifully smooth & comfortable. My impression is that it's a slightly lighter weight than my other good merino jersey (the Shutt Velo Rapide "Velocast" jersey). The quality of manufacture seems top notch too (nicely finished seams &c) to my untrained eye. The cut is excellent, and the t genuinely does look good on and off the bike. I'm with the reviewer on the back pocket not being heavy duty, but I'm usually wearing pocketed trousers or shorts (Zymes or Hummvees) with the t shirt anyway, so no big deal.
I reckon a couple of these would cut down touring luggage nicely, as they'll do double duty for riding to town, and then evening mooching about. Being Merino, they'd also easily go a couple or more days of wear, so long as you're careful eating your Vlaamse Karbonades
So far both Merino garments I have owned have suffered from moths. One ended up looking like a string vest and was in unwearable.
Brilliant, a bundle sounds good - will keep an eye out. And this is what is good about companies like Vulpine - genuine dialogue with potential customers and the ability to decide to offer something and then do it.
Now if you could just make the arms on the jackets long enough for my monkey arms, I'd be all sorted...
Hi guys, I designed the T, along with all the range.
Really interesting feedback. That merino is The Best out there. There fabric alone costs far more than ten times that of cotton for a T. Its 100% Tasmanian Merino. We get people having a feel and they love it. And the flatlock stitching is second to none. Not even any scratchy labels on the inside.
I think £55 IS a lot of a T-Shirt. But it'll last an age, is highly technical and has all the best put into it.
Oh, and the bundle idea is a very good one. I couldn't possibly afford £100 for 3 (!!), but definitely something I'm going to work on now, so thank you.
Any questions, just shout.
Nick.
"For me, that price is just a bit too high."
Ditto - will check back at sales time. I know that one can always go to the website, but how about a picture of the reverse, showing pocket and reflective strip?
If you read my blog you'll know I'm no BS, so hopefully you'll trust me that I can't see there being a sale on this T in the future. We're currently looking to get more stock with extra sizes and colours in, as going like the proverbials. We're also not doing 'seasons', just classics, so I don't THINK we'll be doing seasonal sales.
Watch out for the bundles though!
For me, that price is just a bit too high. I don't mind paying a premium for something which is both good looking and technical. I have lots of merino gear (of varying levels of quality and price) and I know how good it is when it is done right. But I still can't bring myself to stump up for such a simple garment.
I like the look of them though. If they did a bundle-offer (3 for £100ish, say?) I'd probably go for it...
Well I'd buy one for starters..but got to wait until one of my many howies merino tees falls apart first.
55squid may sound like a lot but merino is fantastic stuff, and worth every penny if you ask me.
Lovely, but £55 for a t-shirt? Who are the people who actually BUY the stuff reviewed here?
I have one of these ! Not cheap, no, but top quality...
