Bike Perfect Verdict
Altura’s Kielder long sleeve performs really well on the trail yet it's considerably better priced than most of the competition
Pros
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Great close-fitting shape
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Very well priced
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Subtle branding
Cons
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The Star Trek logo references
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Limited color options
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Size up for a looser fit
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Altura makes all sorts of clothing for off-road, on-road, and commuter riding. It might not be as ‘trendy’ as other popular vogue brands but their gear is well-priced and the Kielder long-sleeve jersey is a great example of this. Altura has undercut the price of many of the best mountain bike jerseys but is the low outlay Kielder long-sleeve jersey still able to lay it out on the trails?
Design and specifications
The Kielder jersey slots into Altura’s adventure range, named after the remote Kielder Forest on the border of Scotland and England. This technical jersey is made from 100 percent recycled polyester and is aimed as a versatile layer for all sorts of riding from MTB, gravel, and bikepacking.
The material is designed to be high-wicking and odor resistant and the hems, cuffs, and neckline are neatly bonded for a flat finish. There is a slightly dropped tail at the back as well so it sits right when on the bike.
The Kielder jersey is available in the long sleeve version we have for review, a short sleeve Kielder and a 3/4 length women's jersey too. The men's long sleeve comes in either Teal or Olive (pictured).
Performance
Straight off I was very impressed with the fit which has a well-considered body, shoulders, and arm length. The fit is certainly on the slim, fitted side so if you like a baggier jersey it might be worth sizing up. On the bike, I didn’t experience any binding around the arms or chest and there was no irritation from seams.
The material has a nice lightweight soft material which has a little bit of stretch to it too. The fabric is showing a few snags from brushing through foliage but otherwise is holding up well. It has a decent amount of wick to it if you start getting a bit warm and I found it comfortable across the lower range of double-figure celsius temperatures.
I'm a big fan of the plain styling too as it is nicely understated and can be easily paired with other clothing. Most people probably won’t even clock its an Altura jersey either as the only branding on the jersey is a same color single logo on the front and small Altura text on the bottom rear.
Verdict
The Kielder long sleeve is a fantastic jersey, the very comfortable fit and out on the trail performance far surpasses what you would expect from such a keenly priced jersey. Other than a few fabric snags it still looks great too despite being in regular rotation throughout milder summer days and autumn riding.
Tech specs: Altura Kielder long sleeve jersey
- Price: £37.50 / €54.95
- Sizes: S-XXL
- Colors: Teal, Olive
