Born and bred in Squamish, British Columbia, it’s no surprise 7mesh knows their way around rain gear. But like any great clothing company, the brand is always refining their pieces – looking for the next best thing. That’s led 7mesh to focus on their 7 hour or 7 day concept. The pieces in the 7 hour collection are mostly riding focused. Things you would wear for a grueling 7 hour ride through tough conditions. The 7 day collection on the other hand focuses more on pieces you might need over a long tour. Things that work well on the bike, but are equally comfortable to wear off the bike as well.
The Guardian jacket fits into that 7 day concept with a bigger, looser cut that will also fit over body armor or heavy layers depending on the weather. Made with Gore-Tex Active which 7mesh says is the fastest breathing three ply fabric, the jacket includes fully taped seams for a waterproof shell.
The hood is cut to go over the helmet and offers a single handed draw string to pull it tight. The pockets have also been relocated for easier use with a hydration pack. Available in grey and blue, the jacket will sell for $400.
The North Woods jacket on the other hand is water resistant but lacks the taped seams and 3 layer construction of the Guardian. Instead, it has an extremely light fabric with a DWR coating that weighs just 110g and packs into its own pocket. Again with a more generous fit, the jacket sells for $175 in blue and ash grey.
The Mission Jersey is constructed from Polartec Power Grid Fabric for a warm, yet wicking mid layer. The grid structure creates tiny air pockets between skin contact for insulation and the contact points provide the wicking. The rear zippered pockets are reinforced with a stretch woven fabric for support of heavier items, and the same material is also found at the wrists. Priced at $200, the jersey will be offered in black or orange.
Finally, one of the more interesting pieces was their women’s bib. It seems like every company has come up with some crazy bib construction so women can go to the bathroom mid-ride without having to completely disrobe. 7mesh’s bib is as simple as it is brilliant. Thanks to an X-shaped strap system that allows for a tremendous amount of stretch, 7mesh says you can simply pull down the shorts without having to remove the straps. When you’ve done your business, the straps will return to their normal form.
Combined with the wide, yoga-style waist band, 7mesh says the shorts are very comfy thanks to their co-developed Cytech Elastic Interface chamois that has no stitching at the edges, and features a floating pad. Printed silicone grippers finish it off for $150.
