Endura MT500 Marble LS jersey review

Built on a reputation of providing affordable yet durable riding kit, Endura’s been critiqued over the years for its unimaginative styling and function over form looks.

However, since partnering with the Athertons and other top-tier athletes like Danny MacAskill, its designs and fits have moved with the times.

Endura MT500 Marble LS jersey details

The MT500 is a downhill-come-enduro jersey made from 100 per cent polyester that, Endura claims, is designed to move sweat away from your body to keep you cool and dry.

The collar and cuffs are slightly stretchy, and while the collar doesn’t fit tightly, the cuffs do.

The marble camouflage/tie-dye print is sublimated onto the fabric (the process where heat is used to fuse ink and fabric together), which means there are no bumps or depressions and the print doesn’t interrupt the fabric’s mesh.

It’s available in sizes from small to extra-extra-large.

Endura MT500 Marble LS jersey performance

The MT500 feels soft and light to wear and the collar doesn’t feel too tight or restrictive.

The fit is true to Endura’s promise: it’s not too baggy and doesn’t flap around in the wind yet isn’t skin-huggingly tight like XC or road tops can be. Its cut strikes an important balance, making me feel comfortable wearing it on trail, enduro and downhill rides.

Although the fabric’s dark colour and soft feel gives the impression it’s quite thick, when worn it’s plenty breathable and lets a lot of air pass through it.

However, like all synthetic materials, once it became saturated in sweat it took quite a while to dry out and increased in weight. It didn’t become uncomfortable at any point, but when saturated it’s much easier to notice it’s made from polyester rather than a natural fabric like wool or a blend of both.

I liked the sleeves’ length and the cuffs were tight enough to keep them in position on my wrists. Long sleeves can also be rolled up to improve cooling and the cuffs were tight enough to keep them in place. Once rolled back down, the cuffs didn’t bag out which impressed me.

Because this is a downhill jersey, you might want to wear body armour underneath, and while it's possible to slip a back plate on under the medium-size, a full bodysuit didn’t fit. Size up if you regularly wear protection.

Endura MT500 Marble LS jersey bottom line

For the price, the MT500 impressed. It proved to be as cool as most other jerseys on hot days, has a good slim-but-not-tight fit and doesn’t cost the earth.