Royal Racing Turbulence Shorts and Jersey – Review
We’ve been putting the Royal Racing Turbulence gear through the mill to see how it stands up to a few seasons of abuse.
Royal Racing have been producing awesome riding gear for years and years from DH race gear to a more sedate paced set, hardwearing gear for all dayers and plenty of well styled leisure kit. This year we’ve been riding in the Turbulence Shorts and Jersey. Designed with long rides in mind and big days in the hills, these sounded right up our street.
The Turbulence Jersey is available in both long and short sleeved flavours, and two colourways – Green and Red/Black. Simple styling and some low key graphics mean this kit looks sharp and not like a nice pair of PJs.
The Green sections on the jersey are all vented mesh which means the airflow through the jersey is superb, especially around your core. On hot days this is really refreshing, as well as helping to keep your temperature and sweat levels down a bit while on cooler days it’s nice not to feel stifled. All the fabrics used are soft to the touch and have remained so despite countless laps though the washing machine and the odd accidental tumble dry. Likewise the stitching has held up to abuse from both riding and washing.Fit is great, I’m usually a large, and a large fitted nicely. The arms are tailored to be quite slim without being tight which is a nice touch, often this doesn’t seem to have been a consideration when jerseys are put together. Royal’s size guide on their website matches up nicely with the real world as well.
Paired with the jersey are the Turbulence Shorts – again available in Green or a Black/Red colourway to match the jerseys. To describe these shorts as feature packed would be an understatement! As well as the two normal pockets with a sport of velcro to close them, you also get two zipped hip pockets, a zipped and weather proofed media pocket with a port for your headphones and the unique “MWS” Mobile Work Shop rear yoke pocket. Closure at the front is two poppers and a metal clip, and adjustment at the sides is taken care of by some cam buckles that offer an impressive range of adjustment. When the weather turns foul, the seat of the short-liner is water resistant fabric, and for nicer days the mesh liner is well vented. Phew, that’s a lot going on for a pair of shorts!
Stick them on and you feel comfortable from the word go. The adjustments at the side are fit and forget (unless you get fatter, then you might need to move them) and the poppers at the front are bomber. Fit is good, just the right side of baggy, and long enough to ensure there won’t be any awkward “thigh on show” moments. The “normal” pockets have little velcro closures that aren’t that great to be honest, but having normal pockets for wallet, keys etc when on the way to and from the trails is a real bonus. The zipped hip pockets keep things well out the way when you are pedalling, and the media pocket will (just!) hold an iPhone5. Phones have become too big anyway! The MWS pocket on the back is handy for sticking a few bits and bobs well out of the way, a tenner for a beer and pasty for example, it’s also well concealed should you need to keep things to yourself…
If you are after some really technical shorts and a jersey to compliment them, these are for you, and there are some great offers on them at the moment so don’t be put off by the larger RRP.
Turbulence Shorts – £110
Turbulence LS Jersey – £45
Turbulence SS Jersey – £40
Royal Racing – Decade Distribution Ltd
