Published by Andrew on 26 November 2018
Richard Peace reviews the Bamboo Luxe Zip-Neck Base Layer to see if it's a worthy addition to your cycling attire.
Bamboo Luxe Zip-Neck Base Layer
£50
Online
With winter creeping up on us I was looking for something to complement my existing Damart base layers and chose to take a look at BAM’s Bamboo Luxe Zip-neck Baselayer. The BAM Baselayer looked intriguing as it’s made of 65% bamboo viscose (i.e. originating from the bamboo plant) and claims superior properties to many other materials. Namely it claims to be incredibly soft with great insulation properties, is moisture wicking to stop you sweating too much after intense physical activity and finally it claims to resist odour and bacteria.
Unlike the Damart layers, the material is a little thicker and the fit a looser, though it still stays pretty close to your body (it would be harder to get anything more close fitting than the Damart baselayers).
In use it kept me warm, even in very strong Peak District summit winds, with the temperature hovering around 12 degrees C (around 54 farenheit), with me putting on and taking off my Showerspass IMBA mountainbike jacket as and when required.
In slightly warmer and/or less windy weather I think it would be fine to wear on its own as both an effective base layer and a regular top.
It also kept me pretty sweat-free riding an e-bike in its lowest setting up some pretty steep off-road tracks and getting fairly well out of breath. The zip neck and thumb-hook-over sleeves are also very handy in keeping out the cold.
In short, it looks an extremely useful and attractive bit of kit for cycling in winter, as well as on cooler days in autumn and spring.
At £50 RRP it’s quite hard to say currently if it is good value as I can’t comment on its longevity; if it lasts a few season's worth of cycling it certainly will be good value for the price tag.
Bamboo Luxe Zip-Neck Base Layer
£50
Online
About our contributor
Richard Peace is the author of the official English-language guidebook to the Veloscenie Paris-Mont-Saint Michel bike route and the Sustrans guide to the London-Paris Avenue Verte. He also contributes to A to B magazine, Bike Europe and Eurobike Show Daily.
