Review: Propheus' Shred Jacket & Race Pants
Propheus is a clothing company based out of Berlin. The company not only produces their own branded line of apparel but can also outfit your team or club in custom kit, which involves creating a new design or continuing a theme that you may well already have from a current supplier.
The brand makes everything from waterproof jackets and pants, which we have on test, as well as jerseys, shorts, socks, gloves and, well just about everything really. It would be fair to say however that Propheus are a gravity mountain biking orientated company and don’t seem to cater so to the XC-end of the mountain biking spectrum.
The brand is clearly very value-focused. Not that it's outrageously cheap, but it does represent far better value than a lot of other brands. I’ve been riding the trousers and pants over the last few months and I think they’ve held up relatively well.
The fit is described as Propheus as slim-fitting, but I would say it's relatively boxy.
Rain Jacket Shred Climax
The rain jacket is a blacked-out affair that offers adjustment around the waist, hood and wrists. It also features zipped-vents underneath the arm and a card pocket on the upper left arm, which is handy for lift passes. There are also openings around the back of the jacket to let hot air exit.
I noticed that the jacket didn’t feel quite as breathable as some before I looked at the tech sheet. Its 3k breathability rating is good, but there is a noticeable difference between this and a 10k jacket. It’s not a massive factor, but you will feel the difference.
I noticed that the jacket didn’t feel quite as breathable as some before I looked at the tech sheet. Its 3k breathability rating is good, but there is a noticeable difference between this and a 10k jacket. It’s not a massive factor, but you will feel the difference.
Shred Climax Details
• 2.5 layers and welded seams
• Water column 5,000mm
• Breathability 3,000mm
• Extended back
• Adjustable cuffs and hood
• Openings for increased airflow
• XS - XL sizing
• €149.90
• www.propheus.de
• 2.5 layers and welded seams
• Water column 5,000mm
• Breathability 3,000mm
• Extended back
• Adjustable cuffs and hood
• Openings for increased airflow
• XS - XL sizing
• €149.90
• www.propheus.de
I have been testing another jacket in rotation and it perhaps made it slightly more obvious. In my experience, a lot of breathable material isn’t that great anyway, irrespective of brand or cost. That said, it is worth noting. On colder days, it was definitely better - in the midst of winter the jacket worked well. However, over autumn it was a little too heavy for my liking.
The sizing of the Large jacket on test is pretty generous. I’m 183cm tall and weigh 83kg and think I could have probably sized down for a slightly slimmer fit.
I like the adjustment of the collar, which is done via a mixture of elastic and velcro. However, on particularly wet rides I did find myself wondering why there was an exposed piece of soft fabric that was vulnerable to getting wet. The jacket features two main pockets on the chest. They’re relatively large and can easily fit a large smartphone. However, if I was to keep this jacket I would probably remove the togs on the zipps. Yes, they make access slightly easier but in my opinion, I don’t really like the look of them.
The hood easily fits over an open face helmet and you can fine tune the fit with a velcro fitting. For €150 I think it's reasonably priced, and it doesn't reach the dizzying costs of some high-end jackets, but ultimately it doesn't feel quite as refined either. That said, whether you want to spend twice as much on an item of clothing you're probably going to crash in at some point depends on your own priorities.
The hood easily fits over an open face helmet and you can fine tune the fit with a velcro fitting. For €150 I think it's reasonably priced, and it doesn't reach the dizzying costs of some high-end jackets, but ultimately it doesn't feel quite as refined either. That said, whether you want to spend twice as much on an item of clothing you're probably going to crash in at some point depends on your own priorities.
Location: Squamish, BC, Canada
Age: 29
Height: 183 cm / 6'
Inseam: 82 cm / 32.5"
Weight: 79 kg / 174 lbs
Industry affiliations / sponsors: None
Instagram: @henryquinney
The hood has a useful adjustment to keep your vision clear.
There are zipped vents under the arms.
Pros
+ Lots of adjustment
+ Useful features like lift-pass pocket
+ Big pockets
+ Reasonably priced compared to some
Cons
- Not that breathable for pedaling
- Baggy fit
Race Pants
Mountain biking trousers have come a long way in recent years. There seem to be some different approaches but my preferred is a slim cut with relatively stretchy fabric. I wouldn’t want them to be skin tight, but I think if they’re baggy around the ankle then something has gone wrong.
The Race Pants are very thin, which I quite liked. For a downhill pant that you can pedal in and remain comfortable they seem like just the thing. I think pants are great to primarily keep the splash off you, which can really help on colder winter rides, but I don't ever find myself reaching for any thicker ones when it's chilly.
The Race Pants are very thin, which I quite liked. For a downhill pant that you can pedal in and remain comfortable they seem like just the thing. I think pants are great to primarily keep the splash off you, which can really help on colder winter rides, but I don't ever find myself reaching for any thicker ones when it's chilly.
Race Pants Details
• Unisex fit
• Two zip pockets
• Flexible and lightweight
• Adjustable waistband
• 300g for a size 30
• Size 26" - 36"
• €129.90
• www.propheus.de
• Unisex fit
• Two zip pockets
• Flexible and lightweight
• Adjustable waistband
• 300g for a size 30
• Size 26" - 36"
• €129.90
• www.propheus.de
For those in colder climates these might well not be thick enough, but for me I'd rather have a pant that is thin enough to be worn in any month of the year that happens to be wet, as opposed to thicker pants that might be great in the middle of winter but will be too hot for any other time.
The light stretchy fabric is comfortable and accomodating.
There are mesh panels behind the knee and backside.
The material has enough give in it to accommodate knee pads, even quite large ones, without too much hassle. Propheus recommend sizing up for large or bulkier pads but I never found this to be a problem. For my 82cm inseam the 32” waist worked well.
There is a ratchet fastener on the waist as well as zippered pockets. There is also mesh on the backside of the pant, as well as around the knee and calf.
The ratchet offers a tailored fit.
Pros
+ Thin and flexible
+ Stretch panels where it's needed
Cons
- Might be too thin for some
- Won't give much warmth in winter
Pinkbike's Take
 | Propheus aim to make clothing that is well-priced and functional, in some ways the German brand is positioning itself in a similar way as bike brands from the country - cost effective and spec-driven. While the jacket was adequate, it was a little too thick for my liking. However, if you're looking for comfort as you smash lift-assisted runs in wet conditions then it could be a good choice. The Race Pants, however, shone a little brighter and managed to offer genuinely good performance for an all-round mountain biking pant. Thin and lightweight, it might not give the warmth some desire, but for me it's a great compromise between flexibility, coverage, and breathability. |
Author Info:
Must Read This Week
Make the jacket first.
As long as that water doesn't constitute more than a light drizzle apparently. Also, we're used to picking two items from 'waterproof, breathable and affordable'. This jacket manages to check none of these items at all. Quite the achievement.
Yeah, 130 bucks for some pants that offer no more value than 50 Euro Rockrider pants from decathlon
For pants, you definitely need higher levels. The first motorcycle pants I had that didn't start to leak after half an hour were GoreTex Pro ones, with a roughly 30K rating and fat better materials. All other ones, including 10-20K ones started to leak after a while.
- Breathability isn't measured in mm (unlike waterproofness, where the water column it can withstand is measured) but in g/m²/24 hours
- 3,000 g/m²/24 Hr isn't a good rating. Average membranes reach 10,000 and good membranes over 20,000. A waterproof rating of 5,000 is very entry-level and a bit below what most consider waterproof (this usually starts at 10,000mm). However, it is a fairly common rating for entry-level products (that also disappoint in the waterproof departement). A breathability of 3,000 on the other hand is very bad and basically means it's unusable in even slightly warm temperatures.