The Berino long sleeve jersey from new British clothing firm Repack uses a Merino and Bamboo fabric mix to make it a very soft, comfortable riding top. It’s ideal sandwiched between base layer and winter jacket, and is stylish enough to be worn off the bike too. 

The story behind the birth of mountain biking is a pretty cool one, and is well documented too. So I won’t go into too much detail, Google is your friend here. To sum it up though, guys like Joe Breeze, Charlie Kelly and Gary Fisher raced each other down a steep fire-road in Northern California during the 1970s on completely inadequate cruiser bikes with back-pedal coaster brakes. Well, these brakes boiled the grease so they had to repack the hubs with grease all the time. And so the trail they raced became the Repack.

Step forward 30 years and Repack, a new British clothing company that launched last year, are paying homage to this esoteric era of the sport. Their first product, the Berino long sleeve jersey here, may have an understated style, but it’s thoroughly modern in its combination of merino and bamboo.

I’m a big fan of Merino, it’s properties are well known, and Repack have combined it with Bamboo Charcoal fibres. It’s a 75% and 25% mix. The toasted Bamboo gives exceptional wicking, antibacterial and absorbent properties that combine with the warmth and softness of merino to make it a thoroughly comfortable top.

The design is sleek and understated, with smart logos and contrast elbow patches giving it a stylish look. It’s well designed in cut as well, with a very good fit around the torso, shoulders and arms. It’s a bit on the slim side, a medium is a proper honest medium. Length is good, both in the waist and the arms.

I’ve been wearing it a base layer and jacket over the top in the recent cold conditions and it’s provided an impressive level of insulation. I’ve been very surprised at just how well it does when the mercury is plunging below zero.

Details wise, it’s clearly been designed by people who ride bikes and that shows. There are three well placed zipped pockets out back. Two are vertical and spacious, and there’s one smaller horizontal pocket for keys or something small. The collar is on the high side for keeping the neck warm.

What’s more, it’s fantastic off the bike too. It doesn’t really stand out like some cycling tops and is discreet enough to be worn down the pub or lounging around on the sofa.

Which just leaves the price. £70 is a lot of money for a riding top, but the Repack does tick all the boxes for style, functionality and performance. Only you can decide if it’s too much to pay.

It’s a new brand and this is the only product they’ve so far brought to market. We know from speaking to them that they’ve got loads more in the pipeline, and based on this first release, we’re excited to see what else they have in store.

Verdict

A very nice riding jersey that’s as comfortable on the bike as off it.

Pros 

Looks great
Surprisingly insulating

Cons

The price – can you justify parting with that much cash?

More information: www.repackclothing.com
Price: £69.99

What Repack say about the Berino Long Sleeve Jersey

Designed and tested by mountain bikers to be the first choice, all purpose jersey for everything from epic winter rides to summer night adventures.

The Berino is a long sleeve ride jersey with full length front zip, three secure rear zipped pockets and confort high collar.

Style meets performance, a cycle-fit jersey that you can wear anywhere. It’s completely natural – 75% New Zealand merino wool mixed with 25% bamboo charcoal.

The mix of merino wool with bamboo charcoal makes for the perfect ride fabric. Naturally soft but tough, it wicks moisture away from your skin keeping you warm on cooler rides, yet highly breathable to prevent over heating. It’s anti-static and has great deodorising qualities. Its a fabric that can be washed and worn over and over again.

An essential piece of kit to help get you through the wilderness and safely back home again.