Review: Chromag fall and cold weather gear

Whistler’s Chromag Bikes is known primarily for its high-quality parts and its burly metal hardtails (and, now, metal full-suspension bikes), but the rider-favourite Canadian brand also has a full line of riding apparel that is equally as impressive.

We took out a range of Chromag’s fall and cool-weather apparel for review. Created to make sure you can get as much time on that perfect shoulder season hero dirt as comfortably as possible, this isn’t full-on Canadian winter gear. But it’ll keep you cool when the sun drops behind the mountains or when the ground is frozen, but not covered in deep snow.

Chromag Feint Pant

Starting off with a classic that Chromag has brought back to its line, the Feint pants are actually more of an all-season kit. They’re tough enough for summer bike park laps but they are also comfortable enough to pedal in on cooler days. The Feint’s features suit that dual purpose, with reinforced knee patches for protection (and room for pads underneath) and lazer cut venting and a slim cut for unrestricted pedalling. A solid ratchet buckle keeps the pants in place along with a gripper inside the waist.

Part of the pedalling comfort comes from the tight-cut ankle and cuff on the Feints. They stay in place without moving around or tugging at the knee pads, whether climbing seated or moving around on the bike on descents. That means there is minimal adjusting required when transitioning from standing to seated, or the reverse. The Feints are already right where you want them. The only drawback is that, even with extra stretchy material at the ankle cuff, it can be a bit of careful work getting them off over your foot.

The Feint pants are stretchy enough and made of a light enough fabric, outside of the knee patches, that they are one of the most comfortable pants I’ve pedalled in. They’ve already seen many miles during our west coast version of winter, including some muddy days and are looking no worse for wear. They are not particularly water resistant, and Chromag makes no such claims, but they are enough to survive the occasional light showers.

Finally, the three pockets are well-designed and well-placed. The left pocket has a smaller inner sleeve for a park pass or to keep a smaller item securely in place. The right pocket and right thigh pocket were both perfect for storing a phone, depending on your preferences.

Chromag offers men’s Feint pants in three colours and six sizes, from 28-38. The women’s version…