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review
Base layers
RH+ Kinox base layerRH Plus Kinox base layer

RH+ Kinox base layer

8
by Mat Brett
UPDATED Thu, Oct 15, 2015 04:24

First Published May 14, 2013

0
£40.00

VERDICT:

8
10
Very comfortable base layer that transports moisture well
Weight: 
104g
Contact: 
www.veroli.co.uk
How we test

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The RH+ Kinox base layer has become one of my favourite go-to products since summer has (intermittently) arrived, as it feels comfortable and shifts moisture really well.

It's mostly polypropylene (78%, if you're taking notes) with the remainder polyamide (nylon) and elastane. Sometimes polypropylene can feel scratchy but not here – this is comfy stuff.

The fabric itself is very stretchy thanks to the elastane, and the mesh construction gives even more stretch so you get a close, form fit without tightness or ridges.

The body is completely seamless while the seams of the raglan shoulders are about as flat as it's possible to be. You'd have to be hypersensitive to feel them, and you certainly won't be troubled by them.

The best thing about the Kinox base layer is the way that it deals with sweat. The weave next to your body does an excellent job of sucking up moisture from your skin and transporting it away, while all those holes allow plenty of air to circulate. Plus, polypropylene doesn't retain water, it dries really fast, so you don't tend to get cold on the descents.

You get strips of solid fabric down the front and back, and similar panels on each of the sides. I don't think this makes any difference to the breathability, although it might help a bit with the fit.

After several weeks of use the only signs of wear are a couple of small fluffy areas inside, I think where the fabric has rubbed against my heart rate monitor strap. Whatever, you can barely see them and they make no difference to the performance.

The Kinox doesn't resist odours like merino, for example, but any smells wash out easily in the machine.

Verdict

Very comfortable base layer that transports moisture well.

road.cc test report

Make and model: RH+ Kinox base layer

Size tested: M/L, white

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

RH+ say, "Pre-formed anatomic construction

Seamless construction"

Short and sweet, there's not a lot to argue with there.

I'd say this is for performance-orientated riders - anyone who's likely to work up a sweat.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

RH+ call the fabric Firedry and this is what they say about it:

"Characteristics: These fabrics ensure a high degree of breathability, lightness, quick drying and softness to the touch.

"Function: They keep the body cool and dry while providing comfort even in the most intense heat."

I'd agree with all of that.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10
Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

It has quickly become one of my favourite summer base layers.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The fact that it shifts sweat well and dries fast.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

It's only available in white.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.

Would you consider buying the product? Yes, certainly.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 41  Height: 190cm  Weight: 75kg

I usually ride:   My best bike is:

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding,

 

RH+ Kinox base layer
rh+
Base layer
Mat Brett

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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