Royal Racing showed us their new trail riding wear at Interbike and we've now got the MW365 shorts in for testing, along with the latest Turbulence 'big mountain' gear and Matrix all-mountain kit.
Turbulence
Despite Royal's recent move into technical trail kit, it's brightly-coloured downhill and freeride kit that's still their trademark, and the new Turbulence gear doesn't disappoint. It's part of the company's new 'big mountain' range, which also includes the Drift jersey and shorts.
Royal describe the line as "hard wearing, loose cut and functional but not race inspired" and say it's aimed at "riders who take to the mountains hitting the big booters, drops and steep fast alpine lines". We reckon it'll be ideal for UK-style razzing round the woods as well.
The £44.99 Turbulence jersey is made from four-way stretch fabric, with plenty of mesh panels for ventilation. It's available in the Black/Molten Lava Red colourway seen here or Danube Blue/Ash.
The matching Turbulence shorts have a DWR water-resistant coating and a hidden waterproof panel at the back to keep rear tyre spray at bay. Other features include Velcro waist adjusters and a whopping seven zipped pockets. Also available in Black/Ash, they cost £99.99.
Matrix
Sticking with the red theme, the hooded Matrix jacket is a lighter weight option than the Alpine Soft Shell we checked out at Interbike, made from a breathable and waterproof polyester fabric, with a moisture wicking mesh lining and waterproof zips. It's available in black only, for £99.99.
The Matrix shorts, which combine downhill styling with lightweight construction and a pedalling-friendly cut, carry over from last year's range. However, they're now available in this new Danube Blue colour as well as Black/Grey, and they also sport better quality waist poppers and zips for 2012. RRP is £69.99.
MW365
Royal have teamed up with American enduro specialist Mark Weir to produce a new signature range, which we checked out at Interbike – you can find out more in the video below.
Unable to load media
The MW365 shorts are lightweight and slim fitting. The legs are quite short, for unhindered pedalling – a little too short for our liking, though they'd be fine over knee pads. RRP is £49.99.
Gloves
Finally, we've also been sent three of Royal's latest glove designs. The Signature glove comes in four colourways – three, including the Molten Lava Red seen here, that match Royal's 2012 Race downhill jerseys, plus a plainer Black/Ash option. It's a lightweight offering with a mesh back and a Clarino palm that's just 0.5mm thick. RRP is £26.99.
The Neo-Glove is described as an "all round, all-mountain, all season" option. Available in Black/White, Ash/Danube Blue or Blaze Yellow/Ash, it uses stretch panels to achieve a tailored fit, has Neoprene padding at the knuckles and cuff, and a snot wipe on the thumb. RRP is £29.99.
Last up is the entry-level Crown glove. Despite its low cost – £19.99 – it has a stretchy Spandura back, a thin palm (0.8mm) for good bar feel/trail feedback, a snot wipe and grippy silicone print on the fingertips. Alternative colours are Danube Blue/Black or Black/Ash.
