When I received a Trailknit Pro Armor Tee from Dainese earlier this summer, I couldn’t wait to take it to the bike park. However, this piece is actually aimed at enduro riders so I took it out on my local trails as well. The Tee left me feeling well protected in the park (and a bit warmer on the windy lifts), but I was impressed to find it was quite comfortable on the trails, and managed body heat much better than I expected.
I tested a size medium shirt, which fit me well at 5’9” and 145lbs. The body and sleeve lengths were both ideal, and the shoulder and back pads were positioned correctly on my frame. The Trailknit Pro Armor Tee is a snug-fitting garment that features compression areas and breathable micromesh panels. As a base layer, I’d anticipate riders will throw a jersey over top of this shirt. My looser-fitting jerseys easily slipped over (and partly concealed) the back protector pad.
The Tee’s body is made from an anti-pilling, abrasion and tear resistant Dryarn fabric. The fabric is not only durable, but is also bacteriostatic, hypoallergenic and resists odor buildup. Dainese kept most of the shirt completely seamless; There are just two seams where the sleeves connect and two more that attach the back pad’s pocket, but they never caused me any discomfort while riding.
As for the Tee’s protection, I was pleased to see Dainese’s clever Pro Armor construction in the shoulder pads. The pads are just a few mm’s thick, and are lightweight and well ventilated thanks to their heavily cut-out design.
The back protector is about an inch thick, but has Flexagon hexagonal cut-outs to help it bend around your back while you ride. I found the shoulder and back pads easy enough to remove and replace, and the tight fitting shirt kept them in position while I rode.
My first test ride was in the Whistler Bike Park on an overcast, breezy day of about 57°. The Tee kept me a bit warmer than usual as I rode the lifts, which was nice, but it also warms you up a few extra degrees while riding. The skintight fit keeps air from flowing around your core, so by the end of each run I’d be sweating a bit. That said, the shirt should remain comfortable for park laps until it gets really hot outside.
