They say the early bird gets the worm…and the same goes for nice morning temps for mountain biking. Unfortunately, I’ve never been an early bird, so I end up starting my mountain bike rides in the early evenings, when the sun still feels hot and the temps are in the high 70s and low 80s. This summer’s been hotter and drier than usual here in Jackson, WY, so I’ve been biking a lot in my Pearl Izumi Women’s Journey Tank.
On the outside, the Pearl Izumi Women’s Journey Tank looks like a svelte, sporty tank. It’s got a medium scoop neck, criss-cross straps in the back, and a slim, athletic fit. Riding my “go to” trails in the Cache Creek drainage and on Teton Pass this summer, though, it became clear that this tank was specifically created for biking in the heat. The polyester/elastane “Transfer Dry” fabric is highly effective at wicking. Ample mesh on the side panels, all across the back, and even in the middle of the shelf bra add to breathability.
The wide straps lay flat and don’t chafe under a hydration pack. There’s a little pocket on the back right side for energy gels or other goodies, and there’s even a small interior swatch of fabric for wiping sunglasses (a nice touch, although I didn’t really use it much).
In the sweaty days of summer, I found I liked having my shoulders and armpits free in my Pearl Izumi Women’s Journey Tank. I also really liked the big mesh panel across the back, which helped dissipate lower back and under-hydration-pack sweat and heat. Although the tank was unfortunately just a little too snug for my liking, I did appreciate that it was form-fitting, secure, and stayed put during my rides. When bending over my handle bars, it was long enough in the torso to cover my hips, a few inches over the waistband of my bike shorts. My only gripe, aside from the sizing, was that the internal seams in the shelf bra felt a little itchy to me.
The Pearl Izumi Women’s Journey Tank is available for women in XS-XXL in Black, Deep Indigo, and Iris Orchid. I almost always wear a size small in tops, and found the size small in the Journey Tank to be a tad too small, especially across the chest and under the arms. I wished I had sized up.
The Pearl Izumi women’s mountain bike line includes several great options for color-coordinated bottoms, including the Canyon Shorts, for putting together a stylin’ “kit.” I liked the clean, single-color aesthetics of my Journey Tank when paired with the bright colors of my Canyon Shorts.
BOTTOM LINE: A svelte tank for mountain biking with supreme moisture-wicking capabilities.
$60 at Amazon