Ground Effect Stingray Jersey & Snipers Shorts

Many years ago, back in a time when tightly fitted fluoro billboards were the status quo, New Zealand company Ground Effect offered an alternative. Their clothing was designed with a loose casual cut, no branding and the fabric had a natural feel. I was first introduced to the brand with their Manta Ray jersey. That was in the mid-90s and the Manta Ray remained as a fixture in their line-up until last year—in fact I’ve still got my original Manta Ray (although it probably needs to be decommissioned). Fast forward to 2014 and a lot has changed; there are high-tech new materials and an all new sizing system that conveys a better idea of the fit to the buyer.

Ground Effect now includes a ‘fit for purpose’ indicator with most garments. This little symbol shows whether the item has a slim, regular or loose fit. The Stingray is an all-new jersey for summer 2013/14; it’s offered in either red or blue, sells for $89 and is classed as a ‘regular fit’ item. With the similarity in the name, I initially expected the fit to be the similar to my old Manta Ray; however the regular fit is a good deal tighter. While it doesn’t have elasticated arms and it’s not a full-on roadie cut, it doesn’t look out of sorts when worn with knicks—baggies or lycra the Stingray can swing either way.

It has three pockets in the rear; two are elasticated while the centre one has a zipper to keep your phone or keys secure. The old Manta Ray had a single rear pocket but the looser cut caused the contents to sag and bounce around. With its more fitted and contoured panels, the pockets on the Stingray are 100% functional and handy for carrying food or even a lightweight wind vest if you like to ride backpack-free. You could comfortably use the Stingray as a road jersey without it flapping in the breeze like a loose fitting MTB top.

If you are a baggies-only rider and prefer a loose and casual style, their new Haywire top is a closer match to the old Manta Ray. With no zip at the front it’s more of a ‘technical T-shirt’ and there are no pockets in the rear—just one small zippered pocket on the hip.

Hi-Tech Threads

Both the Stingray and Haywire (as well as the slim-cut Road Rage jersey and others) use a material called HyperActive. Much of the earlier generation Ground Effect clothing used ‘Intercool’ fabric—it had a polyester inner layer with a cotton outer. Intercool had a nice natural feel (not unlike a cotton T-shirt) and resisted odours really well but it also tended to become sweat-laden. The new HyperActive fabric is polyester on the outside with a layer of ‘nano-charcoal’ polyester that sits next to your skin. It’s a very light material and it lacks the cotton-T feel of their older gear—the feel is close to what you expect to find in a modern cycling jersey.

The nano-charcoal component is high-tech material is said to accelerate sweat evaporation and it’s meant to offer anti-microbial qualities to fight nasty smells. It certainly offers excellent ventilation and cooling, which was really put to the test in a recent trip up to Cairns. The extra-long front zip also helps in this regard and there’s the collar also offers a little extra height to keep the sun off your neck—another good feature for Aussie conditions.

While the nano-charcoal impregnated HyperActive fabric remains dry and comfortable next to your skin, it did develop a bit of ‘pong’ after a hot summer ride. In this regard it fared better than most synthetic jersey materials but it wasn’t as effective as their older cotton-like Intercool fabric or the current generation merino blends that Ground Effect also employs. I could wear their older material on a multi-day ride without issue but the HyperActive fabric would be on the nose by day two—perhaps I’ve just got body odour issues! At least the new stuff dries very rapidly after a wash.

With a simple un-branded look the Stingray maintains the Ground Effect philosophy of providing an alternative to the bright and gaudy. It also packs a whole bunch of features that make this a real high-performance hot weather jersey for the XC-oriented trail rider.

We also got to try out their new summer baggy shorts; the Snipers. They are basically a cut back version of the Juggernauts that we’ve looked at previously (Feb/Mar/Apr 13). Both are made from the same light yet durable semi-stretch fabric but the Snipers are slightly shorter in the legs with only a single pocket (located on the lower left side). For me the Snipers fell just above the knee as opposed to the Juggernauts which covered my knees. This combined with the ventilated panels down the legs does make them lighter and more breezy for summer riding. Beyond running a little cooler, they were just like the Juggernauts; they aren’t too baggy and don’t get caught up on the saddle whilst still offering good freedom to move—without doubt some of my favourite baggys.

The Snipers go for $99 and you can combine them with any pair of knicks that you already own (they don’t come with a liner). Ground Effect also makes a range of mesh ‘under-knicks’ that help to lower the temperature under you baggys.

Ground Effect 1800 145 333 / www.groundeffect.co.nz