Weight: 290 gm
Draft Dodger | Hoodwink | Frosty Boy | |
Windproof | Full | Full | Front & sleeves |
Fabric | WindFoil™ front & back & Thermostat™ sides | WindFoil™ | WindFoil™ front & Thermostat™ back |
Front Zip | Full length + 2 forearm vents | Full length | Full length |
Pockets | 2 hand plus large rear | Single at chest | 3 rear plus single at chest |
Baked Alaska | Astro | |
Windproof | Front only | Front only |
Fabric | WindFoil™ front & Lightwave™ Merino back | WindFoil™ front & Lightwave™ Merino back |
Front Zip | 3/4 length | None |
Pockets | 3 rear | Single at chest |
A couple of years ago I discovered the magic of merino, and promptly consigned my reeking polypro to the trash. On my bike, in the mountains, even clubbing... my trusty merino keeps me at the right temperature, shreds sweat and its odour doesn't contravene the Geneva Convention. Yet, there's a ***** in merino's performance - it offers as much wind protection as a butterfly net. So I was consumed with wanton **** when I spied the Baked Alaska. A long sleeved merino, supercharged with a windproof front just made sense. Instantly it has become a central part of my winter wardrobe. On chilly night rides I generally sandwich it between a Ristretto merino singlet and my trusty Flash Gordon shell. But it is also great 'solo' on a mild Wellington winter day (we get lots of them - really) - and when stopping for post-ride sushi it doesn't scream 'serious cyclist'.
I subjected the Baked Alaska to three months in the Indian Himalayas and it stood up very well indeed. In use, Ground Effect's WindFoil fabric across the chest buffets wind to the side, while the merino wool wicks sweat away. I wore it pretty much every day and to be brutally honest probably didn't wash it more than a few times - and it didn't reek like a polypro top would have. The low pack size and understated colour are well suited to touring too. The cut is close fitting but not too clingy, and great for off the bike too. Back home, use it as a post ride warming top or even a mid-layer in the bleakest heart of winter. And despite winging it's way all the way from New Zealand, it's excellent value for money too. A superbly versatile, technical merino top that won't break the bank.
Ground Effect's Baked Alaska is designed to bridge 'the gap between summer and winter', which sounds like a pretty close description of the UK at any time of year. As befits a multipurpose garment, the Baked Alaska is made from two different materials. Most of it - the back, the sides and the sleeves - is made of Heatwave Merino, a blend of the famous New Zealand wonder wool and polyester. The idea is that the Merino sits against your skin feeling all soft and doing its magic wicking thing, while the polyester provides a durable outer layer.The front of the panel is WindFoil fleece - polyester microfleece on the outside, wicking mesh on the inside and a windproof PU membrane between the two. It's all held together by the now de rigueur flatlock seams. There's a long zip at the front and two zipped pockets (plus some reflective piping) round the back.There are of course a couple of Ground Effect trademarks. The elastic thumb loops keep the sleeves in place (although we didn't have a problem with them riding up without) and there's a puncture repair patch hidden in one of the pockets.The cut is deliberately close - there's not much point going to great lengths to make a super-efficient wicking garment and then having it sitting two inches from your skin. In use it's just lovely. It's soft to the touch and really does manage to be warm and cool at the same time. The two fabrics work well together, and the polyester mix on the sleeves seems to be reasonably resistant to snagging.It's described, as being for 'cool, not cold' conditions - if the Baked Alaska isn't warm enough for you, there are two options. Either take a look at Ground Effect's Frosty Boy - a very similar top, but with WindFoil on the sleeves and sides too, and thicker microfleece everywhere else. Or just stick a thin base layer under it - we've been plenty warm enough in biting icy winds with a base layer, Baked Alaska and a jacket. There's also a women's version called the Popsicle - same fabrics, different cut.Ups: Soft to the touch, well-made, snug fit, well-pitched level of warmth, good price.Downs: Bit of a nuisance to send back to New Zealand if you get the wrong size.Performance 5/5Value 5/5
All my cycling clothing is from Ground Effect and I bought most of it in 2002 – 2003 (3 pairs of knicks, wind/spray shell top, long pants with the fleecy front, long sleeve jersey, long finger wind shell gloves, and thin fleece under-helmet cap – forgotten the quirky names though) and ALL of it is still respectably usable even after almost 100,000 km of riding. The Alaska is an addition to counter the somewhat-cooler-than-usual mornings we’ve been experiencing in Sydney lately (I know I know – it doesn’t really get cold here) and the Alaska works well as expected.