Sombrio, the Vancouver based outerwear company, turns 10 this year. To celebrate they’ve really raised the bar to produce what I deem to be one of the best lines of bike wear available this year. Along with it they’ve designed a great new collection of websites which not only promote the products but allow you to buy online, watch videos, read team news…
Sombrio was started in 1998 by three pro riders – David Watson, Andrew Shandro and Gabe Fox (the trio inspired the company’s three pronged wave logo), who wanted to steer mountain biking apparel away from that sinful body hugging Lycra look and combine loose-fitting technical clothing with stylish design. They were obviously on to something because a decade later they now have 83 products (by my count) in the guys line alone, which offers everything from shorts to denim to fleece to socks. Thats not to mention the girls range which I’m glad to see moves away from the typical white & pink floral crap that the competition offer. You just have to spend 5 minutes in the Whistler Bike Park to see that girls are riding just as strong as the guys these days so why should they be subject to bad fashion or wearing gear cut for a guy? Rant over!
In a era where everything we design and produce should be considered for its impact on the environment, it’s good to see that Sombrio have adopted a Environmental Sustainability program. Much of the range is made from Earth-friendly materials such as ChitoSante (crab/shrimp shell fibre craziness), recycled polyester, organic cotton and soya cotton.
Design-wise the colour palette is generally pretty muted, earthy colours (wise choice considering the clothing’s intended use). Prints have a grungy, collaged style with rough drawn embellishments. The cut differs depending on the articles intended use, from baggy for free-riding to more fitted for those long-distance, cross-country rides.
Check out the full range at www.sombriocartel.com
