[Review] The Divide Top by Pearl Izumi

Spring has sprung which means we are spending some time in Moab before our summer work season kicks off. This has been a great opportunity to put some miles in the Pearl Izumi Divide Top. I’ve worn this jersey on sunny hot days as well as some cooler windy days. It’s a basic piece of equipment but an important one nonetheless. Pearl Izumi has packed a few key features into it, which make it a wonderful jersey that will keep you comfortable all day long. 

This jersey bleeds style right off the hanger with it’s chest pocket, awesome color waves, and sweet patterns. I like how it looks almost more like a shirt than a fine tuned piece of riding equipment. Sometimes you may find the trail ends in town and if you’ve already hit the wall then you may not want to change before hitting the local tavern. With this jersey you’re not going to be a total goober walking around town looking like the cool guy who just rode the gnarliest of gnar (although you can still talk about how cool you are). 

The cut of the jersey lends itself to all day comfort. I’m 6’0” tall and 200 lbs and the large fits me perfectly. It is not a slim athletic fit so I have plenty of room to move around and feel free. The back of the jersey is slightly longer to prevent it from riding up and letting the sun get the best of your lower back. I found this important while wearing a pack because sometimes the pack will work my jersey up my back. With the extra length I didn’t have that problem. 

The fabric has some give to it, which makes it so you have a lot of mobility without restriction. Upon an up close inspection you can see the material is made up of hundreds of very tiny holes to allow to movement and circulation of air. This is going to help you with your transfer of heat from your body to the outside air. What it’s not going to help with is keeping you warm. But then again this is not meant to be a warm piece. The downside to synthetic material is you will find that it tends to hold onto the smell of sweat and will need regular washings if you’re not riding by yourself and you want to keep your friends. Not a big deal but you may want to bring a couple of different jerseys if you’re going on an extended trip. 

I’ve been really happy with the Pearl Izumi Divide Top and I’m psyched to have it in my arsenal of jersey options. If you’re going out for a quick loop on the single track or you’re spending all day at your local bike park it should serve it’s purpose well. And you’re going to look good doing it, which is always important!