Everyone who I knew who had tried out merino wool couldn’t stop talking about it. So since we where putting in an order at Ground Effects we got a Submerino and a Hot Toddy woman merino base layer.

True to woolly style it was itchy but not as bad as I remembered wool would be. But the itchiness quickly disappeared from wearing it and washing the tops.

The Submerino just fitted me without being to tight and the Hot Toddy fitted Peli too but the hoddie is a bit of pain. The hod just gets in the way when wearing something over the base layer.

Since I have worn the Submerino for nearly two years it was time to get a new one. Mainly because every time I find something that I love to use, the manufacture stops making it – see Ground Effect Draft Dodger among others.

The new Submerino base layer is so much better than Ground Effect old version, since it is pretty itchy free from the word go. The merino wool is just so much softer and I’m sure that it needs only to be washed once before it is gone. I don’t know if it is something to do with the lightwave merino they are using, can’t remember if it was used in the old model.

Talking about washing, this merino wool is just great for a touring cyclist you can easy skip a washing of the top or two (even more). And not worry about it smelling like the synthetic materials do after you have worn it once.

And it is great to wear while sleeping in your tent on a colder night, it will keep you nice and toasty. And will keep you warm if you need to do a call of nature in the middle of the night and it will warm you up fast when you call back into your sleeping bag.

Wearing this under my Ground Effect Draft Dodger I’m toasting down to fairly cold temperatures and true to form merino wool dries fast so again great for cycle touring.

Rating:

As I have said elsewhere, even with Ground Effect being on the other side of the world for us, the delivery is very fast. Though the first time we order from them the Pound Sterling was very strong against the New Zealand Dollar, so the order was value for money. Even with the strong $NZ our last order was well worth it.

LINK: Ground Effect

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This is where the Kiwi company called Ground Effect comes in with their Underdogs shorts liner. They are pretty much liners for their cycling shorts but can be used with other shorts.

I got a pair two or so years ago, which were very good. But compared to the new Underdogs the fabric was rough, a bit like sandpaper. The hem on the thighs left a mark even after wearing them for a short while. Though the pad was nice and comfy even on long and sweaty rides.

The new version is simply bliss, so soft to the touch compared to the old. Though still a bit rough compared to say lycra or cotton. The hems at top and bottom are firm which hold the legs to you but do not leave a mark.

And there is pad, oh boy, I was a bit worried when I saw the “wings” on each side of the pad as it was very big compared to the old pad. But they are soooo comfortable. The wings/sides just hug your inner thighs and along with my Brooks B17 I have the most comfortable ride yet. The Softail Pad – 3D anatomical shaping, multi-level foam, rapid drying, seamless synthetic ‘chamois’ pad with anti-bacterial finish – just holds me bits in place and I really doubt that I ever will get any “nappy rash” while on long hot rides.

The pad could be a little bit longer at the front, but otherwise these are the best padded shorts I have used.

Rating:

Even with Ground Effect being on the other side of the world for us, the delivery is very fast. Though the first time we ordered from them the Pound Sterling was very strong against the New Zealand Dollar, so the order was value for money. Even with the strong $NZ our last order was well worth it.

LINK: Ground Effect

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The Draft Dodger is just great. I got the XL and even with my long arms I got plenty of jacket covering them. And it is big enough to put enough layers under it e.g. merino wool base layer, cycling top, other long sleeve top and a very thick fleece. Well it was cold here last winter especially when standing around outside.

It is plenty warm on it’s own and with a base layer under you can go down to quite low temps while cycling. It is wind proof and have a nice snug fleece collar and best of all the zip don’t annoy you when zipped right up.

The jacket also have two air vents zips which also can double as front pockets. What I like about that is that they are front facing and not under your arms because they let a nice air flow up and around your arms unto you back.

At the back it have two fairly roomy back pockets for your gubbins. Both with easy grip-able bits(for a lack of a better word) for when you are wearing gloves. And the back have a “tail” which goes far enough down over your bum, even when reaching for your handle bars.

The touch and fell if the soft shell jacket is just nice, soft and stretchy. So even with a bit of belly and full back pockets you don’t feel like you are wearing a corset.

This is what it is made off …

WindFoil™ fleece combines the quick-drying and insulative benefits of polyester fleece with a totally windproof yet highly breathable barrier. The WindFoil™ membrane is sandwiched between the micro-fleece outer and wicking-mesh liner to provide effective protection in cold, dry conditions.

* Composition: 85% Polyester; 15% PU membrane
* Windproofness: 100%
* Breathability: 2000gm per sq.m per 24hr

All around the jackets there are reflecting strips, which clearly have been thought about since the stand out in the dark and is not hidden in the folds or by the arms when riding. All the zips and seams are made very well and the jacket does fell like very good quality, because it is.

It is water proof to a degree. I have used it in fairly persistent down pour for up to 3 hours. Yes the water was getting trough by then, but I was still warm underneath with just my t-shirt on. So it will easy handle a quick spring shower or you commute home.

This leads to one of my two gripes I have with this jacket.

When wet it takes a very long time to dry, it will not dry just by hanging it over night at room temp.

The second one is that the top front air vents zips has only a very little handle which is very hard to grip with gloves on. The two bottom zip pulls have a nice long strap, so why not the top ones. Might be so that you don’t pull the wrong one or both together.

I were lucky to get it while the pound against the kiwi dollar was in our favour. Though even if it isn’t any more this shouldn’t stop getting your hands on some of their gear.

I don’t know how they do it, rumours has it that they got a depo/container here in the UK. Because the shipping was cheap and very fast from NZ to UK.

Sad news while looking on the net to find a photo of it I learned that Ground Effect aren’t making it any more.

Rating:

I will be pretty much living in this one over the winter. Just as I did all last winter, simply a brilliant piece of cycling kit . Just hope that Ground Effect will reinstate it again into their catalogue.

Related posts:

1. Ground Effect, Underdogs cycling shorts I don’t wear lycra but don’t mind some padding on...
2. Ground Effect, Submerino and Hot Toddy merino wool base layer Up to two years ago I never tried merino wool...
3. dhb Wickham eVENT Waterproof Cycling Jacket 25 miles ride in solid drizzle with a heavy shower...

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