I was particularly excited to test the All Year Moab Set from VAUDE. After all, I also like wearing VAUDE clothing in my private life, as I think the brand offers very good value for money and most of the garments are made from recycled and sustainable materials. There is something for every age in the VAUDE range. My aim was to try out some of VAUDE’s All Year Moab collection, consisting of a high-quality long-sleeved sweatshirt, long softshell trousers and the AM Moab Mid STX II MTB shoes, on my mountain bike. I am an all-weather mountain biker and was therefore delighted to be able to test this set extensively in the autumn weather. This also included rides in wind and rain. I mainly cycled in the forest, on uphills and trails.
I chose the sweatshirt in the colour khaki and the softshell trousers in black. The shoes are currently only available in black with a light brown sole. All in all, a good colour combination for the autumn season. With a height of 179 cm and a normal build (78 kg), I opted for a size M sweatshirt and a size L pair of trousers. I always choose size L trousers and shorts for mountain biking, as I particularly appreciate the freedom of movement and often wear knee protectors underneath. First of all, I was surprised by the lightweight MID shoes when I unpacked them. High-quality leather with a grippy sole. My first half-height MTB shoes, which will also protect my ankles and keep my feet warm, was my first thought. The softshell trousers and sweatshirt jersey also immediately felt high-quality. An impression that was confirmed when I put on the VAUDE All Year Moab set for the first time: I immediately felt comfortable. The fit also proved to be very comfy. As the set is advertised as wind and water repellent, I was of course keen to put these properties to the test, but more on that later.
Contents
The MTB long sleeve jersey: features, cut and fit
Thanks to the use of Eco Finish, the sweatshirt is optimally rainproof and dirt-repellent. The polyester yarn is made from recycled PET bottles and the sweatshirt is up to 80% windproof. It also offers a high level of comfort and freedom of movement thanks to its high elastane content. Perfluorocarbons have not been used in the impregnation of the materials. This means that no environmentally harmful and unhealthy chemical compounds will be released during wearing and washing.
The sweatshirt has an excellent fit even when used with a rucksack or hip bag. The sleeves are long enough, the cuffs are stretchy and the back is extended. It suits me perfectly thanks to its loose cut. I was particularly impressed by the fact that it kept me warm even in cold weather. During the photo shoot at around 9 degrees Celsius and with persistent rain, I only wore a short-sleeved base layer but didn’t freeze. The neck and throat area is effectively protected from the wind by the close-fitting collar – a feature not found with many other manufacturers.
On my tours in the forest, both uphill and on the trails, I noticed the very high freedom of movement, which is provided by the very elastic material in the back area. Unfortunately, this is the part that gets wet when it rains. The front, sleeves and part of the shoulder area, on the other hand, are completely waterproof. Raindrops and swirling dirt simply rolled off. Fortunately, my rucksack ensured that my back didn’t get completely wet. Up to around 30 km/h, I didn’t feel any wind on my upper body. Only at higher speeds did I feel a cool breeze and then had to put on my jacket, the VAUDE Escape Bike Light. Nevertheless, the sweatshirt is very breathable, also thanks to the loose cut and the black ventilation zones under the upper arms.
Conclusion
The sweatshirt offers great ease of movement, is also up to 80% windproof and keeps the rider warm, but is still very breathable. The buyer should be aware that the back section does not withstand all rain and the sweatshirt is very crease-prone and, according to the manufacturer, should not be ironed. I think the recommended retail price is reasonable for what’s on offer.
No pinching or pulling: the MTB softshell trousers
As with the sweatshirt, the ALL Year Moab MTB softshell trousers have an eco finish that offers optimum rain protection and is dirt-repellent. The materials are also free from perfluorocarbons. The Windproof Pro technology offers an ideal combination of breathable and windproof material. The softshell trousers are also very elastic and have a 2-in-1 waistband solution: this means that there is no need for a conventional zip. I think this is a very important feature that more manufacturers should consider offering. A black metal hook is simply inserted into the desired position in the existing grooves at a distance of approx. 1 cm. This means that you don’t feel the belt or cord pulling on your pelvis or hips. In combination with the higher waistband at the pelvis, nothing tugs or pinches and no wind gets in either. The trousers fit me very well and are extremely comfortable.
The knee areas are pre-shaped and knee protectors can easily be worn under the trousers. With the exception of the seat area, which has been reinforced with 3 layers of material, the trousers are equipped with softshell material. VAUDE has not economised on the pockets. Two zip pockets are positioned further back so that your smartphone or wallet don’t get in the way while you’re pedalling. This is a big plus as many manufacturers only offer one pocket solutions.
At no point on my rides and on the trails did I notice any of the typical trouser rustling while pedalling and I was amazed at the generous freedom of movement. No pulling or pinching on the knees despite the knee protectors, the contents of my pockets didn’t interfere with my riding and the lower part of the softshell trousers didn’t come into contact with the chain. Despite a few rain showers, I never got wet and didn’t feel any cold wind on my legs. In my opinion, the softshell trousers are absolutely suitable for autumn and winter.
Conclusion
All in all, I couldn’t find any real disadvantages with the All Year Moab MTB softshell trousers. I’m delighted with the 2-in-1 waistband solution, the number of zip pockets, the very comfortable fit with knee protectors and the fact that these trousers have withstood all kinds of rain and wind. VAUDE simply knows how to make really good trousers. I think the price-performance ratio is very good.
Simply amazing: “The best MTB shoes I’ve ever had!”
From the very beginning, the VAUDE Moab Mid STX II AM MTB shoes for flat pedals proved to be the highlight of the test. Admittedly, VAUDE hasn’t been offering MTB shoes for very long and the range is somewhat limited. I already own five pairs of MTB shoes from Shimano, ION, Etnies and Leatt and therefore have good points of comparison for the VAUDE shoes.
As far as the main outer material is concerned, the upper is made of high-quality certified and oiled nubuck cowhide from Terracare®. This should guarantee a long product life. The shoe has three soles: a removable, anatomically moulded insole, a cushioning EVA midsole and an outsole with V-Flow stability index 3 for demanding and technical single trails in blocked terrain. The rubber compound of the light brown sole was developed by SUPTraction especially for VAUDE with the aim of providing very good grip on the pedals and excellent lateral support, even when jumping. Extensive thought has also been given to protecting the toes and heel cap. As with the sweatshirt and softshell trousers, the Moab Mid STX II AM are treated with Eco Finish, which means they are PFC-free as well as water and dirt repellent. I always wear size 45 MTB shoes, whether flat or clipless, even though I go for size 44 when it comes to street shoes. I was immediately pleased with my choice when I first tried them on, because the shoes fit perfectly. Not too small and not too big. I felt a pleasant cushioning on the heels when walking. An MTB shoe that is also surprisingly comfortable to walk in? Only VAUDE can do that! Especially on steep climbs, where I had to push the mountain bike from time to time, I was surprised by the grip and cushioning on leaves and stones.
No more cold feet on the trail!
But more importantly, how do the shoes perform when riding uphill on the trail and when you take a kicker here and there? Here I can say that I always had enough grip and never slipped off the pedals, and even if that should happen at some point, my ankles will be just as protected as my heels or toes thanks to the mid-height cut of the Mid Form. My feet never got wet in the rain. They always stayed nice and warm without me sweating in this area. I can recommend these shoes to anyone as they are by far the best I’ve ever had for cycling. The only downside is that there isn’t yet an SPD version from VAUDE that I could use with my Magped Enduro pedals. I’m curious to see how well they will perform in winter, even though they are not specifically labelled as winter shoes. The recommended retail price of 230 euros is pretty high. However, only high-quality materials have been used, which suggests a high durability. A clear recommendation to buy from my side.