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Zimtstern is a Swiss brand set up by a pair of snowboarders in 1995, and is well know for their technical ski and snowboard clothing; they are also becoming an upcoming name for bike clothing. Their styles are fresh and young, with are no pastel shades or floral prints, but they still manage to keep things girly enough!
‘Loud’ and ‘bright’ are the key words when it comes to describing the Zimstern Starfade jersey. Personally I love the bright contrasting black and yellow of the jersey, and have absolutely loved wearing it.
Primarily designed for DH and free riding this relaxed fit jersey also works well riding enduro and at the BMX track. I have tested it at both and it performs well. On the first xc ride I was not a fan, the polyester fabric seemed to stick to me, making it uncomfortable to ride in and seemed to be full of static- I have put this down to the simple fact that it needed washing before wearing. The jersey features a sanitised coating that helps prevent unpleasant odours from developing and I think the initial layer of coating was stopping the jersey from being breathable. I washed and dried it as instructed that night and used it again the next day and it was perfect!
The seam around the back of the neck has a soft cover material sewn over it to prevent rubbing and all the other seams are flat-lock stitched, giving me no chafing problems. The Zimtstern Starfade jersey is one from their ‘relaxed fit’ range, which means it has a nice roomy cut to offer freedom to move whilst riding the trails, without it looking too boyish.
With a dipped hem at the back, this prevented me from getting a cold back whilst riding and the jersey didn’t ride up or get pulled up my back with my rucksack. I have a very long body for my overall size, but the Zimtstern Starfade jersey was a perfect fit.
The website says to get a size up if you are wearing armour underneath, I tried it with my back protector and arm pads and it was still the right size choice, but if you have a bulky armour jacket then yes, I would suggest going up one size. The arms are tapered and are a perfect length. Although the cuffs have no stretch, when I did get too hot at the BMX track I pulled them up and they sat nicely below my elbows without falling down or cutting into me.
The Zimtstern Starfade jersey has washed well, with no bobbling or colour fading and the sanitized coating also seems to be doing the job, keeping me smelling as fresh as a daisy. I find a lot that the velcro on my Evoc rucksack pulls my jerseys around the waist, but this one seems to have escaped, snag free!
Pros
Relaxed fit without being baggy or boyish
Extra protection on the elbows
Dip hem
Stretchy breathable mesh fabric
Loud design
Sanitized coating
Cons
Needs a wash before wearing
No pockets or goggle wipe which seems to be a key feature of many jerseys now
I think I need to buy a pair of Zimstern Loft shorts in yellow to complete the look!
Price: £55 available from Zimtstern.
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