A new downhill and trail jersey from the British brand.
Madison Alpine jersey review
The Madison Alpine jersey has been developed to meet the needs of the Madison Saracen race team but works equally well as a trail jersey.
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Construction
Madison has used a soft and stretchy, polyester based fabric for the main body. To add breathability the side panels and underarm are made of a wide mesh panel. This mesh also finds its way onto the rear neck panel, giving neck-brace users a little more comfort. The Alpine jersey also has simple Lycra cuffs to keep the sleeves in place.
Obviously the fit of the Alpine is fairly relaxed when you consider its use, but it’s not too loose that you feel odd not packing the body-armour underneath. The dropped rear tail is a good touch and the sleeves are certainly long enough even for my gibbon-like arms.
The sublimated graphic/colour-scheme isn’t too garish and hasn’t faded despite considerable amounts of washing. The Alpine is available in a couple of colour options of varying subtlety, as well as a short sleeve version.
The longest downhill track in the world??
As expected, the Alpine is a great jersey to ride in. The fabric is a little heavier weight than some but has a soft feel against the skin. Madison has missed a trick by not including a goggle wipe, as the slippery material is a bit rubbish for clearing muck out of your vision. The only other issue is the neck has minimal stretch, which makes taking off the jersey a little awkward.
Verdict
The Alpine is a paired down, no-frills downhill jersey that is equally suited to trail riding.