Check Out: Specialized's Spring '22 Trail & Gravity Apparel
Specialized has released its Spring 2022 Gravity and Trail collections with some new fabrics, colors, and styles to check out. Below, you'll find introductions to select pieces from both lines, which are now available to consumers.
Those who are paying attention might remember this article from a few weeks ago. Due to some confusion around release dates, we've moved it back until now, and, in the meantime, added a few additional clothing pieces.
Photos by Josh Woodward & Mike Kazimer
Trail Long Sleeve Jersey
This jersey almost feels like a pajama top - in a good way.
The women's L had a comfortable, loose fit on me.
The branding is extra subtle, which I appreciate.
Features
• Crew neck
• XXS-XXL, women's and men's cuts
• $70 USD
• XXS-XXL, women's and men's cuts
• $70 USD
• Three color options for both men and women
• Relaxed fit
• Relaxed fit
 | The Specialized Trail Jersey is, without doubt, in the top five softest pieces of mountain bike apparel I've ever worn - to the point where I'm hesitant to take it out on the trail because I don't ever want it to get dirty, smelly, or otherwise marred. Protectiveness aside, the comfortable Trail Jersey is available in both men's and women's cuts, a wide range of sizes, and multiple colors, so they won't all be as pretty as this "Dove Grey Spray" one that I'm afraid to wear. The fit is true to size: I'm testing a women's L, and as you can see in the photos, it fits but is on the baggy side. |
Trail Supima Cotton Mineral Washed Jersey
This one is also on the shortlist of softest mountain bike clothing ever.
The cut helps with on-the-bike coverage.
Features
• Cotton / modal blend
• XS-XXL, women's and men's cuts
• $65 USD
• XS-XXL, women's and men's cuts
• $65 USD
• Black for women, blue for men
• Relaxed fit
• Relaxed fit
| The Trail Supima Cotton Mineral Washed Jersey looks and feels a lot like a well-worn t-shirt, but the cotton is blended with 46% eco-friendly modal from beech trees. The result is a stretchy, strong, and comfortable jersey that seems like it'll stay a favorite over time. |
Trail Pant
At 5'10", the size 30 fit me well.
The quick fit closure made waist adjustments easy.
The zip pockets are great, but I wouldn't mind them being a little bigger.
The two hip pockets are plenty usable for small to medium items.
The ankle elastic is oddly tight, and can make it harder than necessary to get the pant on and off.
Features
• Three zippered pockets
• Sizes 24-44
• $135-$145 USD
• Sizes 24-44
• $135-$145 USD
• Tapered legs with elastic ankles
• Unisex fit
• Available in black and "rum"
• Unisex fit
• Available in black and "rum"
| The Trail Pant is lightweight, breathable, and stretchy enough to pedal for a long time. Each of the three zippered pockets is large enough to fit a modern (giant) smartphone, but without much room to spare. The fabric is plenty soft, with no crinkly noises (thankfully), so I see myself reaching for these pants quite a bit in the future for trail rides and bike park days alike. One thing to note is that the tapered ankles are much tighter than most pants, which is a minor annoyance. |
Trail Short
I initially tried the women's L, which had a pretty boxy fit on me, so Specialized graciously sent over a size M, which fit just right.
I'm a big fan of the minimalist but effective waist cinch.
"Damn, those pockets are crazy deep!" ~ My roommate
Features
• Simple waist cinch on both sides
• Sizes 28-44 for men and XS-XXL for women
• $80 USD
• Sizes 28-44 for men and XS-XXL for women
• $80 USD
• Button closure
• Available in five colors
• One zippered pocket and one open pocket, both quite deep
• Available in five colors
• One zippered pocket and one open pocket, both quite deep
| Simplicity is the name of the game with the Trail Short. There are no zippers or other doodads to be found, just a straightforward button closure and a small waist cinch on either side. There's one zippered pocket and another open one, both deep enough to fit my hand up to my wrist - probably the largest pockets I've found on any mountain bike shorts or pants. The material is very light and soft, and even though they're a little on the short side for wearing knee pads, they feel ideal for explorative, long days. |
Trail Thermal Jersey
The Trail Thermal Jersey is a midweight option for spring and fall.
There's a zippered pocket inside the main kangaroo pocket.
You can subtly make hand signals through the fabric.
Features
• Polartec Power Grid fabric
• XXS-XXL for women, XS-XXL for men
• $150 USD
• XXS-XXL for women, XS-XXL for men
• $150 USD
• Four-way stretch material
• Hidden zip pocket inside the front kangaroo pocket
• Available in three colors each for men and women
• Hidden zip pocket inside the front kangaroo pocket
• Available in three colors each for men and women
| The Trail Thermal Jersey feels like the middle ground between a standard jersey and a true fleece midlayer. It seems cozy enough to wear alone on the crisp days and breathable enough to make it worth choosing over a more robust layer. The hidden zip pocket is kind of cool, in case you want to bring a credit card or similar along for the ride. |
Trail Wind Jacket
The half zip and large front pocket mean that it can easily be pulled over a helmet without sacrificing room for snacks.
A zippered pocket keeps things safe, plus the jacket can stuff into itself.
There's perforation on the back for ventilation and the hood fits over a helmet.
Features
• Helmet-compatible hood
• XS-XXL, men's and women's versions
• $125 USD
• XS-XXL, men's and women's versions
• $125 USD
• Ventilation perforation on back
• Wind and water resistant
• 100% recycled polyester
• Wind and water resistant
• 100% recycled polyester
| The Trail Wind Jacket is a lightweight solution for those looking to carry the minimum while staying protected from the elements. I really like the half-length zipper - it means you don't have to remove your helmet to take the jacket on and off, but it leaves room for a spacious pocket and cuts down on the sheer amount of zipper bulk. The ventilation holes in the back also help avoid the feeling of wearing a trash bag that comes along with a lot of water-resistant gear. I'm usually either a women's M or L, and this women's L fit nicely with plenty of room for layers underneath. |
Gravity Jersey
Against a black background, the color certainly pops.
The upper back is perforated for ventilation.
The collection comes with some of Specialized's new branding - phrases like "wild being free" and "followers of no one."
Features
• Moisture-wicking fabric
• XXS-XXL, unisex fit
• $75 USD
• XXS-XXL, unisex fit
• $75 USD
• Ventilation perforation on upper back
• Lightweight, stretchy material
• Available in black, gray, and red
• Lightweight, stretchy material
• Available in black, gray, and red
| The Gravity Jersey is a lightweight, breezy-feeling jersey that balances a casual feel with racey styling. While my unisex size M was on the baggy side, I can easily imagine this piece being a slim-fit race jersey, and for those who want even more, Specialized makes the Gravity Race Jersey with more robust fabric and more ventilation. |
Gravity Pant
The Gravity Pant is a race-ready option.
Big, bold branding.
There's lots of reinforcement on the knees and lower legs.
The backs of the legs have ample ventilation.
The elastic ankles are the standard tapered width - much looser than those of the Trail Pant.
Features
• Knee and lower leg reinforcement
• Sizes 24-44, unisex fit
• $160 USD
• Sizes 24-44, unisex fit
• $160 USD
• No pockets
• Perforation around waist and backs of thighs
• Tailored fit
• Perforation around waist and backs of thighs
• Tailored fit
| The Gravity Pant is more streamlined than the Trail Pant, without any pockets - it's clearly a race day piece. The knees and lower legs have patches for reinforcement and the fabric itself is more robust than that of anything in the Trail collection. Despite the ample ventilation, the fabric feels like a bit much for most trail riding, so they're a pair of pants I'll mainly reach for when I head to the bike park. My size 30 fit true to size, definitely snugger than the Trail Pant but still plenty comfortable. |
Gravity Short
Features
• Black and "dove grey" color options
• Sizes 24-44, unisex fit
• $120 USD
• Sizes 24-44, unisex fit
• $120 USD
• No pockets
• Ample perforation around waist, but not backs of thighs like the pant version
• Ample perforation around waist, but not backs of thighs like the pant version
| What happens if you take the Gravity Pant and lop off the bottom of the legs? Well, the Gravity Short, of course. The Gravity Short uses the same Cordura fabric, waist closure, and perforation as the Gravity Pant. The fit is slim at the top and opens up a bit toward the knee, and it's plenty long to cover the tops of any and all knee pads. |
Women's Trail Gloves
Features
• Silicone grip dots on AX Suede palm
• XS-XL for women, S-XXL for men
• $30 USD
• XS-XL for women, S-XXL for men
• $30 USD
• Velcro closure
• Thumb patch wipe
• Smartphone-compatible
• Thumb patch wipe
• Smartphone-compatible
| These tennis ball colored gloves combine useful features with a lightweight, breathable upper and grippy faux suede palm. The Velcro closure is small enough that it isn't in the way, and they work just fine with smartphone screens. They're available for $30 in both men's and women's sizing. |
Gambit Helmet
Features
• 18 vents and breakaway visor
• Sizes S, M, L
• $300 USD
• Sizes S, M, L
• $300 USD
• ASTM F1952-15 DH certified
• MIPS SL
• 640g
• MIPS SL
• 640g
| The Gambit is Specialized's answer to the emerging enduro full face helmet category, and it brings MIPS, fit adjustability, and futuristic styling into a 640g, well-ventilated design. Find Matt Beer's full review here. |
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Also tried the Wrangler that people stroke here in the comments, not nearly the same quality/fit on bike as any other trail riding pant I've tried from Spec/Rapha/Pearl/Yeti/Fox. I wear them around the garage and they will be fine camping pants but for trail riding I'm sticking to bike brands that fit better and frankly feel better built. Yeah I have a lot of pants.
These look great, and not silly over the top.
Cheers to you good sir!
Just reporting the news, I own all the pants I referenced above.
I've never had any pants without a proper inseam measurement that were not floods.
It also looks much less weird in the flesh/carbon.
I'll never wear black in the spring and summer down here in Phoenix. Wearing white makes a massive difference. Goes for hydration sources/packs as well.
UGH.
For Canucks wanting a minimalist glove, look no further than these from Princess Auto. Basic black, functional, durable, cheap- get 3 for the price of one "bike specific" glove. Great for trail work, home renos, gardening or whatever, too!
www.princessauto.com/en/wingman-construction-gloves/product/PA1000000316?skuId=8542409
Thanks for your brilliant contribution and scintillating insight, raising the bar for intellectuals everywhere
As for their colorways they have become dull, drab boring. I'm sick of everything looking like I pulled it out of my old Duffle Bag/Footlocker. I know it's the latest fad but does everything have to look like it fell off the Grunge Wagon?
Don't get me started on the new helmets, I refuse to wear something that ugly. There's a great sale on the old ones BTW.
On the other hand:
Trail Gloves and Trail Shield Gloves have poor stitching and the velcro is the worst I`ve ever seen. Had to exchange the velcro on all of them.
Also white shorts for MTB?
Hopefully they'll wake up and reverse course.
The vast majority of mtb gear testers who exist - at Pinkbike and elsewhere - are dudes, so 99% of gear commentary will be specifically tailored to you! Lucky you!
Dont you have a rally to attend? Take the stick outta your ass. I'll go or stay wherever I want, deal with it! Its called free speech.