Product Review: Loeka Clothing
WHO: LOEKA
PRODUCTS TESTED: Chocolate Bar Jersey, Loeka Tech Riding Shorts and Chocolate Hoody
ABOUT ME: 5’5, 135lbs, 29 year old female. I love all kinds of riding but Mountain Biking is by far my favorite!
TESTING GROUNDS: Fullerton Loop, Brea commute, and surrounding areas.
So if you check with the site often I have been testing out three items from the Loeka. This company makes clothes for WOMEN only. Sorry boys – too bad, so sad.
In a male dominated sport (but hopefully not for long!) it is difficult to find clothing that fits well. Sure t-shirts and baggy shorts are fine. But it’s nice to have some cute, form fitting wear that is going to last out on the trails. The owners Rory Harmse and Coreena Fletcher launched Loeka in 2005 after seeing the desperate need for stylish more women specific clothing.
I loved this jersey when I first saw it. It’s stylish and coordinates well with their shorts. I love the special attention to the design. The Material is soft and so far has proven to be very durable. The arm length is nice for those chillier rides. This shirt breathed just fine out on the trails also. No issues with moisture. This shirt prices at $79.99 CDN.
I also sampled the Loeka Tech Riding Shorts:
These shorts wowed me when I first received them. Incredibly soft! The inner lycra lining of these shorts feel really good against the skin. These shorts also contour really well to the female physique. They fit nice and slim over the hips and thighs and not too snug over the bottom area. Along the backside there is plenty of give so that the shorts don’t ride down at all. Crack kills (butt crack that is) and you won’t have that issue on the trails with these shorts.
Now for the nitty gritty….moisture. I did experience some moisture issues in my unmentionable areas on one particular hot afternoon. Most of my riding is in the early Morning though so it usually isn’t a problem. That’s one moisture issue out of about 10 rides though. Also keep in mind these shorts don’t have a chamois. I might not recommend these for long distance riding or you can add your own chamois undergarments. They recommend increasing a size for chamois room. The length on these shorts measured perfect for my rides. They did not restrict my riding in any way.
They also don’t ride up on your legs as you bend them.
The shorts also feature a nice Velcro side front pocket as well as two more on the back for extra carrying space. There is also a Velcro closure in the front with a black snap closure strap.
Ok bad news first. I did have an issue with the front strap black strap on these shorts. I picked these up one morning to find that one of the straps had torn off the short. I am not sure at what point this had happened but I was a little disappointed. These are high quality sewn shorts, so this was surprising. Unfortunately I cannot say for sure how this came about. It did add that extra reinforcement as the short is a Velcro closure but the Velcro is strong enough to keep the shorts on me.
The good news is Loeka has a factory guarantee on their clothing. They will replace any factory error garments! Woo hoo! So I will be sending mine back for a replacement.
Overall these are a great alternative to the male style baggy short. They are stylish and still functional. Any dirt that got on this light color came out with ease. I love the fit and comfort of these shorts.
These washed just fine in the washer and no shrinking. They fit just as well as the first time I put them on. The material used to make these shorts also keep them looking new and fresh. Especially for the cost, you want these clothes to look great after many washes and I have experienced no fading or wear of the fabric with these shorts.
These shorts price at $109.99 CDN for the Capri and $99.99 CDN for regular. You can pick these up in Charcoal Gray and Midnight Black along with the Ice Blue.
Lastly I tested out the Chocolate Hoody. I think this is a bonus addition to the complete outfit. Loeka coordinates their gear very well. If you struggle a bit with wardrobe coordination, Loeka will take care of that for you. Hey, what’s wrong with looking good out on the trails?? This is a functional and practical addition. Warm fleece on the inside. Quality sewing and zipper. No whicker benefits here of course but great for keeping me warm before and after a ride or just for a quick run to the grocery store.
Also I recommend following their measurement chart. They have a simple chart to follow that is pretty exact to the fit of the clothes. Well there you go. I am a big fan of what Loeka has to offer and look forward to new additions. Make sure to check out their site also for lots of women specific information and more great selections at WWW.LOEKA.COM.
I tried to be as thorough as possible. Please email me if I didn’t cover anything. I’ll be happy to answer any questions.