Winter’s chill has been pretty rough this past month, yet Funkier’s micro fleece bib tight pants and long sleeve jersey held their own, keeping me plenty warm on rides dipping below freezing.
Nick reviewed similar pieces a couple years ago, but the styles and features have been updated, warranting a fresh look. I also tested their wind- and waterproof under helmet shell, which trapped any body heat trying to escape between my helmet’s vents, leading to a toasty, protected barrier complemented by my own winter gloves and shoes.
Both main pieces are deceptively normal in their thickness, but surprisingly capable at temps where I’d normally reach for a de-chamoised pair of shorts as an outer layer and a thicker base layer up top. With these, I could confidently head out with the mercury pointing at freezing with just a simple wool long-sleeve crew underneath…
The pieces are both XL (I’m 6’2″) and fit great. The top has enough room for thicker (or multiple) base layers when necessary, and the tights fit well on both the legs and through the shoulder straps.
The jersey has a slightly raised neck that zips snug enough (on me) to prevent drafts. The zipper has a nice dangly strap with rubberized grip that’s easy enough to grab with thick gloves, and will pull down pretty well (but not great) without having to hold the collar…but a few little tugs usually got it moving, and once it dropped a couple inches, it’d slide up and down easily.
Reflective strips on the well-structured shoulders…
…and side panels jus above the pockets provide all-around visibility. The cut and panels make for easy movement on and off the bike, road or mountain. I wore them for a few cyclocross rides, too, and there’s ample range of movement for shouldering, pushing or (to myself) tossing your bike in disgust. Pockets are easy to reach as well.
It has three standard pockets…
…and a fourth zippered pocket with water resistant lining. It’ll fit a smartphone easily and keeps sweat or rain from ruining your life.
The fleecy interior is fuzzy and soft, and it must be tightly woven because wind doesn’t seem to penetrate despite a lack of marketing claims to that effect. It’s not wind proof by any stretch, but my hunch is it combines with the chest-high coverage of the micro fleece bibs’ stomach panel to effectively block any cold air from reaching the skin. The lack of wind blocking claims is surprising for a winter-specific piece, but they do tout its breathability and quick drying nature, which I’d say works. I don’t remember finishing any of my rides and feeling clammy or soaked…and keeping dry is a big part of keeping warm, so kudos are offered here.
The leg openings have a zipped cuff to ease ingress and egress, and they’re connected with a flap so if you do forget to zip them down, you won’t have them whipping about in the breeze or accidentally snagging in your chain. A reflective strip lines the outside, too. My only complaint with these is that they’re a bit short, sitting a couple inches above my high top winter shoes. For those who favor standard shoes with thick covers, you might want thicker socks to protect the gap. A double Lycra gripper keeps them in place.
The pad is a standard ergonomically shaped foam pad. Nothing special, but plenty comfortable.
Lastly, the beanie. Using a mix of Lycra, micro fleece and a TPU liner, it blocks anything that might freeze my noggin. The design mimic earmuffs with a dropped section over the ears (Sweetie called it a water polo cap). I would have liked a bit more forehead coverage as there were times when the cold air rushing across my face left pins and needles above my eyebrows, but overall it does a good job and fits under most helmets just fine.
All three pieces have UPF50 sun protection, and all three are highly recommended. They’re warmer than appearances suggest, which takes a bit of faith when rolling out on the coldest days until you warm up and are glad you kept things on the lighter side. I have a terrible tendency to make myself comfortable for the start of the ride, only to overheat 30 minutes in, and these minimize the chance of that happening without freezing my bits and pieces in the roll out.
As good as the performance is the price. While Funkier’s USA website is still showing prior versions (at ridiculous sale prices, BTdubs), these can be found on Funkier’s main website without pricing info…but trust that they’ll be far more competitive at full retail than most other stuff out there. And as Nick said and I concur, they seem to hold up to repeated wear and washings, too, making them a smart buy. Funkier USA (distributed by Torcano Ind.) said these newer pieces should be in their warehouse in April.
