Back in March, Ornot announced the launch of its Micro Grid jersey, touting it as the perfect garment to transition from winter to spring, or as it may be, summer to fall, riding.
Boasting the same fabric as a lightweight summer jersey, the Micro Grid’s fine grid structure allows for excellent airflow to keep riders well-ventilated and dry, while its Polartec Power Grid fabric is designed to trap body heat in order to promote warmth, targeting a broad spectrum of riding conditions from 55° to 75°.
More specifically, the brushed grid structure creates small voids, which combined with a wind-blocking layer, serve to shield riders from the elements while simultaneously creating “loft” to keep moisture away from the body.
Additionally, for the environmentally conscious, the jersey is made from deadstock fabric.
What’s deadstock? It’s fabric that was somehow deemed “extra,” so instead of milling new fabric for this jersey, Ornot sourced fabric that was already available.
So, how does the Micro Grid perform?
With summer rapidly coming to a close here in New England, and the mercury dipping into the 60s, the perfect backdrop was set to put the Micro Grid to the test.
As Ornot claims, the jersey provides ample warmth, while simultaneously offering plenty of ventilation, resulting in a successful balancing act, especially considering both elements tend to work against one another. You typically can’t have good breathability without ceding a fair amount of protection from the air, and vice versa.
However, the Polartec material pulls it off by regulating both factors quite well, keeping moisture away from the skin, while also creating a barrier to lock in body heat. Also, as Ornot suggests, the Micro Grid can be worn as a base layer, further extending its abilities to thwart the elements when worn in conjunction with a lightweight shell, vest or jacket.
Regarding sizing, I would say the jersey falls somewhere between a “club” and a “race” fit, making it a good choice for ectomorphs and endomorphs alike.
Hand-sewn in California, the Micro Grid jersey is available in both men’s and women’s sizes, in charcoal, olive and azure colors for $162
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Ornot
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