Zimtstern Targa Shorts and Birkz Jersey - Review
With roots in snowboarding, Swiss clothing brand Zimtstern was founded twenty years ago but in recent times has been turning its attention to mountain biking, making quite a statement with its stylish, bold and functional clothing. The company has just released its new spring/summer 2015 range and, with the sun now making a more regular appearance in the UK and the temperature increasing, I’ve been testing two key pieces of trail/enduro clothing from their new lineup, the Targa shorts and Birkz jersey.
The Targa shorts are clearly intended to be tough and durable, with a burly fabric and a relaxed fit that’ll work comfortably with knee pads. There are cargo pockets, two hand pockets, and a zippered valuables pocket, plus four mesh-lined ventilation ports with zippers to regulate air flow. The rear of the shorts features a stretchy panel to improve fit and let the fabric move with you, the crotch area is reinforced, and the waistband is secured in place with two Velcro-backed popper buttons and fit is tailored with two Velcro adjusters. There’s a novel “multi purpose triangle” on the front, which could be useful for hanging your keys off, or a bottle opener perhaps, or even your lucky charm. The leg openings are lined with a “Skidease Tape” hem so the shorts move smoothly over your legs or body armour. Colours: black, atoll, neon orange. Sizes: S - XL. MSRP is €109.95 and about $119.68 USD.
Tough and durable shorts with reinforced crotch area.
The jersey has a relaxed fit with space for body armour underneath.
More pockets than you know what to do with, and four zipped vents.
The polyester fabric dries quickly and doesn't smell during or after use.
The Birkz Jersey is one of the picks of the new Zimtstern range of tops, which extends from loud and brash downhill/freeride long sleeve jerseys to your more traditional, fitted short sleeve cross-country tops. It’s a short sleeve jersey with a simple colourblock design that's available in three fetching colours. The jersey is made from 100% recycled polyester that has been treated with a special antibacterial A+scent finish to stop it smelling bad after, or during a ride, and a wickEx finish stops moisture clinging to the surface of the fabric so it dries quickly. It’s all constructed with flat-lock seams throughout and raglan sleeves, and there’s a hidden zipped pocket and dropped tail. Colours: white, atoll, neon orange. Sizes: M - XXL. MSRP is €59.95 and about $65.26 USD. www.zimtstern.com/home - @zimtsternsnow
Pinkbike's Take:
 | I've been using the baggy shorts and short sleeve jersey together for some time now and I have been very impressed. The quality and attention to detail shines through, with a lot of thought clearly going into the shorts in particular, which have become my new favourite. The shorts are feature-packed and really tough, but they look quite heavy and are not lightweight racey trail shorts. Regardless, they're comfortable to pedal in, with little restriction when it comes to knee/leg articulation. The lined hem also contributes to comfort if you're not wearing knee pads. There's no shortage of pockets, but I'm not normally a fan of so many pockets on shorts as the last thing you want is a heavy object knocking around your legs when pedalling. I liked the hand pocket, though, as well as the smaller zipped pocket that's very useful - it's a good place to stash the car or house keys. The size small I tested fit exceptionally well, with the Velcro waist adjustment allowing me to tailor them precisely, and the stretchy rear panel does help when talking about fit and freedom of movement when bouncing down the trail. The shorts stay put on your waist too, with no sign of them slipping down, which can be an annoying tendency with some baggy shorts. The length is good, sitting well over the knee, and long and baggy enough to be worn with knee pads. Combine the shorts with the matching Birkz jersey and you're going to look pretty sharp and stylish... well, I think so anyway. I love the slanted logo application, it's quite a looker. It sports quite a relaxed fit, and the medium size shown here came up a little on the large side, but pull on some body arm and the fit improves - it's been designed with body armour in mind. Go down a size if you're not planning to wear it over armour and want it a little more fitted. The sizing guide on the website is pretty much on the money, and the fit is comparable to other mountain bike clothing brands, so there's no huge surprises if you're trying it for the first time. I found it to be a comfortable jersey, with the fabric feeling soft next to the skin and those treatments they've added to the fabric do indeed help it dry out quickly, a boon when you're toiling away up a sweaty climb. And there was no hint of a bad odour accumulating during longer rides, or even when sitting in the cafe afterwards. The sleeves are also a good length if you're looking for a bit of extra coverage, extending over the elbow. |
Author Info:
Must Read This Week
How to Watch the 2024 Mountain Bike World Cup [Update: Staylive Offering Access in New Zealand, South Africa & More]
60424 views
60424 views
[UPDATED] Final Elite XC Results & Overall Standings from the Mairiporã XC World Cup 2024
41330 views
41330 views
Sign Up for the Pinkbike Newsletter - All the Biggest, Most Interesting Stories in your Inbox
PB Newsletter Signup
18 Comments
- 18 0
mmjohnson
(May 28, 2015 at 2:00)
So my 2 boys my wife and myself are all into biking just imagine if I wanted to get us all a new set of shorts it would only cost me $480 what a steal! Just think of all the young kids out there whose parents aren't into biking trying to explain to mom and dad that $120 is the norm for biking shorts. This industry isn't doing itself any favours trying to make the sport affordable to new young riders.
- 5 4
russthedog
FL (May 28, 2015 at 6:43)
You could go to Kmart and get some $10 shirts if money is tight. Personally I think the price is fine
- 2 1
ithomas
(May 28, 2015 at 7:18)
I found a really nice pair of fox shorts, they were a bit old, but in great shape, for $10 at an arc thrift store.
- 2 1
brapaholics
(May 28, 2015 at 11:27)
i bought my lavan shorts for $20 dollars on clear out..
- 1 0
petpol9
(May 29, 2015 at 6:26)
And I thought that golf was for the rich.
- 11 2
aoneal
(May 27, 2015 at 21:14)
Dave nailed it, tons of pockets work well on casual cargos, but are practically useless on biking baggies.
- 1 0
groghunter
(May 28, 2015 at 10:32)
Too true, but I do appreciate a low profile cargo pocket on one leg, for the wallet when going to eat after riding. Not a fan of rear pockets(especially on riding shorts) or stuffing keys, phone, & wallet into hand pockets.
- 5 1
oregonryder
(May 28, 2015 at 10:45)
My $20 Dickies shorts and an old T-shirt (or flanel on cold days) have been perfect for shredding. I don't understand people spending so much money on clothing. Especially when you end up look like a high-tech low-skill enduro dork.
- 6 1
J-McBride
(May 28, 2015 at 2:44)
How come all these product reviews feature a skinny guy who looks frozen.
I'm not going to be offended if the photos are taken Inside.
- 1 0
jrocksdh
(May 28, 2015 at 11:53)
And where are the plus sized models?
- 1 0
MindPatterns
FL (May 28, 2015 at 7:50)
I have an inseam of 84 cm and I thought the Targa Short is not long enough when wearing with knee pads, i.e. the shorts are sliding upwards, exposing the part above the knee pads. I checked size L, I'm 177cm. I got me another pair in XL, and it turns out the length would be perfect, but the adjustable waist (velcro) was just useless. I couldn't get it to fit since the velcro was cut too short. Too bad, since the short is really nice.
- 1 1
taldfind
(May 27, 2015 at 21:38)
It appears that Zimtstern is only available in Europe, at least their website does not list any dealers or distributors outside of Europe. That is too bad, because I like the way some of their stuff looks more than the current stuff from most MTB clothing companies.
- 4 0
jdotr
(May 28, 2015 at 9:57)
Reinforced Crotch? I could use that in everyday life.
- 3 0
codypup
(May 27, 2015 at 21:35)
120 for shorts that make my ass look even bigger.
- 2 1
jrocksdh
(May 28, 2015 at 7:40)
Just picked up some da hui 4 way stretch hybrid boardshorts at Costco for $20. Pefect for warmer areas like socal and hotubs.
- 4 2
ledude
(May 27, 2015 at 21:16)
Big black moon on the ass looks weird
- 3 0
ibishreddin
(May 27, 2015 at 21:30)
tld has the same thing
- 1 1
silverfish1974
(May 28, 2015 at 0:29)
Gotto say I like the look of the shorts but the jersey looks good on the back but not the front, maybe its just the pic. Yeah I reckon its all ok tbh..
Login or Sign Up