Ice Queen
- Fabric:
micro-fleece 100
- Sizes: WS, WM, WL, WXL (see chart)
-
Colours:
Supersize
Reviews
Ground Effect Revolutionary - May 12
My new Ice Queen hit the spot last weekend while climbing and descending Fowlers Pass. Conditions were clear but crisp, with a smattering of snow and a hefty overnight frost. The long zip funnelled in heaps of fresh air, preventing any overheating during the lengthy climb. Steaming downhill the windproof front made me feel secure and warm. I'm sure the Ice Queen helps me be brave and go faster! I think it's a great mid-weight winter garment that is versatile enough to handle commuting, backcountry rides and relaxing at the hut. The fit is perfect and is stylish enough for an audience at Buckingham Palace.
Ditte van der Meulen - musing on a recent weekend sojourn into the St James.
UnderGround - Jul 10
Remember the winters of our childhood? Crisp mornings with the bitter tingle of frost tickling your nostrils. Cruising to school on your one speed with a hand knitted scarf wrapped four times around your face. No rain and no helmet of course.
The best selling Frosty Boy and women's Ice Queen were born of these memories. These combination tops have a windproof fleece front and thermal back. There's a certain liberation when going light and fast in cold, dry conditions - without a jacket and layers of padding. Laminated WindFoil&trade fleece shoulders, sleeve fronts and collar take the edge off cold winds. They're best worn with a light merino base layer to manage sweat against your body. Slim fitting, they feature an extra long front zip to manage your body temperature in a wide range of conditions.
The designs has been tweaked and refined over their ten-year life. The rear pockets now have security zips, are low profile and lined with a moisture management treated mesh - no more sweaty lower back. The original blue with navy has given way to today's colour palette of titanium grey, limelight and burnt orange.
So as we pass the shortest day and move into winter proper, we can anticipate those invigorating cold, dry winter rides with Frosty Boy. Often licked, never beaten
Frase
Ground Effect Product Designer
Cycling Plus (UK) - Nov 07
This warm and soft fleece pullover will do a great job of keeping you warm on dry winter days. The chest is made of WindFoil material which performed well, even at higher speeds. The long front zip allows easy control of ventilation, and two good rear pockets with reflective zips complete a functional top.
Verdict: Warm, versatile and discreet cycling top. 8/10.
Fabric
WindFoil™ combines the insulative benefits of a polyester micro-fleece liner with a smooth, highly water resistant, softshell exterior. A totally windproof, yet highly breathable membrane is sandwiched between the inner and outer fabrics providing effective protection in cold, dry conditions.
- Composition: 100% polyester with PU membrane.
- Windproofness: 100%.
- Durable water-repellent finish on face fabric.
- Breathability: 3000gm per sq.m per 24hr.
micro-fleece 100
Lightweight, quick-drying, non-pilling fleece knitted from 100% polyester micro fibre yarns and 'brushed' on both sides. Its hyper-soft finish makes it delicious to wear against your skin. Yum.
- Composition: 100% polyester
Sizing
Check out the chart to suss out where you fit. This is a guide only - if you fall in-between sizes, the right size for you will depend on your body shape and how loose or tight you like to wear your clothes. It's no hassle to swap it, if your first choice is not the best fit.
| Women | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WS (8-10) |
WM (12) |
WL (14) |
WXL (16-18) |
|
|
Bust |
88 - 92 cm |
93 - 97 cm |
98 - 102 cm |
103 - 107 cm |
|
Waist |
63 - 69 cm |
70 - 76 cm |
77 - 83 cm |
84 - 90 cm |
|
Hips |
89 - 95 cm |
96 - 102 cm |
103 - 109 cm |
110 - 116 cm |
Unisex vs Women's Sizes
If you're struggling to find that certain something in the Outskirts™ women's range, then check out Ground Effect's standard range of unisex gear. As unisex items tend to be larger than our women's designs selected products are also available in XS (approximately women's small) to provide a more complete range.
Combat winter's freezing days with this lightweight, windproof pullover. Its silky micro-fleece back keeps you cosy while the WindFoil™ front and arms take the sting out of a chilly headwind. Yet the extra long front zip lets you control your temperature on the fly. One top that does-it-all for those who like to travel light and fast.
> WindFoil™ softshell front, sleeves and shoulders block cold winds.
> Extra long front zip with integrated windflap.
> Hazard! reflective trim on elbows, rear pockets and back of collar.
> Integrated thumb loops.
> WhaleTail™ covers all your back all the time.
> Twin rear pockets with zips to keep loose change secure.
> Secret tube repair patch.
> WXL size option.
> Made by us in New Zealand.
Why use two different types of fabric on this top?
> For short trips in stable weather conditions, a Ground Effect composite top lets you travel light and fast with just a single thermal layer. These designs combine a WindFoil™ front with a breathable micro-fleece back. A long front zip for ventilation allows you to manage your body temperature through a wide range of conditions. Apparently you can have your cake and eat it too.
How is the Ice Queen different from the unisex Frosty Boy?
> Both share similar design features and use our WindFoil fabric.
> The Ice Queen is a more fitted garment - tighter at the waist and flared at the hips.
> The women's sizing fits down to a smaller size than the unisex range.
What weight is the fleece?
> The Frosty Boy and Ice Queen use lightweight, anti-pill, micro-fleece 100 fabric behind the arms and on the back of the garments. The WindFoil softshell panels on the front are slightly less bulky than the micro-fleece.
> Ground Effect uses micro-fleece because of its excellent warmth to weight ratio. For cycling, low bulk is important - both when you're wearing the garment and when it's stashed away in your back pack or pannier. The advantages of heavier fleeces are mainly for sedentary types.
> In addition, our fleece is knitted from micro fibres which results in a wonderfully smooth feel.
Is this top windproof?
> Yes - the front and sleeves are made from WindFoil which is totally windproof and highly breathable. This makes it an incredibly warm and versatile top - ideal for short winter blasts where you want to avoid carrying additional keep-warm layers. Add the body-hugging Ristretto, Thermos or Submerino as a base layer to increase warmth and enhance moisture management.
> Even though the WindFoil is breathable, it won't actually stop you sweating and because its windproof, you lose the cooling effect of the air rushing past as you ride. So you can overheat a little when your work rate climbs but pulling down the long front zip and yanking up the sleeves provides a surprising amount of ventilation.
What's the difference between the Draft Dodger, Frosty Boy, Toasty Pie and Ice Queen?
> The Frosty Boy and Ice Queen both have WindFoil fronts and arms with a highly breathable micro-fleece back. A long front zip for ventilation allows you to manage your body temperature through a wide range of conditions.
> The Draft Dodger and Toasty Pie are made up entirely of WindFoil softshell. The full-length front zip offers the convenience of a jacket - no battling with your helmet as you try to yank it over your head - creating a commuters dream garment.
Washing Instructions?
> WindFoil and micro-fleece garments enjoy a warm machine wash. Try to avoid cold-water detergents and those with bleach. The cold-water varieties have little enzymes that are super-charged to brave the cold but can damage technical fabrics and cause skin irritation. Bleach and fabric softeners may attack the WindFoil laminate. As a rule of thumb, product that is easy on the planet is also easy on your body. Select a mild plant-based soap like Ecover, Ecostore, Earthwise or Aware.
> Be sure not to wash with socks, fluffy towels or flannelette sheets. Lint clings to the fleece and your top will suddenly look very old.
> Wash inside-out to resist pilling.
> Line dry if possible - a warm (not hot) cycle in the dryer if you must.
