If you visited Motorcycle Live, you may have spotted one of the best stands, EDZ Outdoor Clothing from Cumbria. Doing a roaring trade to the cognoscenti, they have specialised in highly efficient motorcyclists’ “undies” for 20 years, and I bought a great £15 end-of-line fleece.
I’ve now used the freezing weather to road-test their superb £50 Merino wool 200g leggings with boxer-style waistband and fly, and £60 Merino wool men’s zip neck top with flat seams for comfort, and thumb holes. I’ve been impressed — and toasty.
Superbly designed and constructed, I found they boost body warmth hugely when worn under bike jeans or bike pants, without any restriction of movement. The beauty of Merino wool is that it is very soft, so superbly comfortable next to the skin and for “sliding” under other gear— essential when you’re building up layers on a bike in winter.
Merino offers great insulation, so you only need a thin layer. It also has impressive anti-odour properties, so doesn’t need frequent washing, which means you can pack less into your panniers. EDZ claim Merino offers “natural climate control”, making it suitable for hot or cold weather. We shall see, but I’m not taking mine off until late March.
More at edzlayering.com