BAM 73 ZERO RUNNING JACKET
£95
SPECIFICATION Colours: orange, green, blue • Sizes: S-XXL • Packed size: 17x14cm • Weight: 232g • Contact: bambooclothing.co.uk
The 73 Zero is designed for runners not riders, but don’t let that put you off - it has some good features that should recommend it to both camps, like the fact it’s made from 100% recycled polyester and is designed to be recyclable too. This is one jacket that’ll never end up in landfill.
Green credentials aside, the 73 Zero is packable and stuffs into its own back pocket, meaning you could easily stash it in a pack or, at a push, in your Swat-style down tube storage. At 17x14cm it’ll be a tight squeeze though. This is a pretty feature-light jacket, it’s windproof rather than waterproof but that’s the point, keeping the weight down to a scant 232g. Comfort is easily the 73 Zero’s best quality, everything from the soft external feel to the crimped cuffs and tubey neckline and zipper are sumptuous – it’s like you’re riding in a silk scarf.
With one exception, the cut is great for mountain biking too, with a relaxed but not baggy fit and dropped hem for extra coverage. The half-length zip means you’re going to have to pull it on and off over a helmet, but the opening is large enough and I like the added wind protection the design brings.
The exception, then? The sleeves are an inch too short for my arms, probably because it’s designed for running rather than the stretchedout riding position.
There’s one more feature I need to mention, and that’s the quirky single pocket on the front, accessed from either side by two zippered hand pockets. It’s probably only there because the lack of full-length zip allows for it, but it means your phone gets thrown around like crazy inside.
I rode the 73 Zero is both warm and cold conditions, and its breathability is first rate. It does a decent job of keeping the wind out too, so it’s a great option to chuck on over a jersey on a chilly day. What it’s not good at is keeping out the wet. And I mean, at all. Water passes through like rain through a grate. That’s OK – it’s not billed as a waterproof jacket, after all – but it does cut down on its usefulness
– and our rating – because few riders will want to spend nearly £100 on so niche a jacket.