The Temple Tech T Geo by Mons Royale is a comfortable, well cut and good looking merino tee that you can happily wear both on and off the bike, although at £65 you’re paying for the quality.
A real bonus is it’s good and long in the body – I’m 6ft 6in and the size large is a generous length even on me. It’s described as slim fit but I’d say it’s more of a relaxed fit.
It’s designed to be lightweight and breathable for “high output activity” – the 140gsm merino wool fabric (83%) with 13% polyamide and 4% elastane takes care of that, as merino is known for its wicking and fast-drying properties. To enhance breathability the back panel and underarm gussets are a full merino mesh fabric. This all sounds great on paper but it translates into the real world too – I stayed comfortable and fairly dry even on day-long rides. Of course, being wool, it also insulates well so will keep you warm when the mercury drops.
A couple of features mean it works really well on the bike – it has a slight drop tail so no chance of leaving a gap above your shorts’ waistband, plus it has raglan sleeves which are cut so there’s no seam at the shoulder that might potentially irritate under pack straps. The mesh underarm panel also has no seam at the armpit, which is a nice detail.
The Temple Tech is versatile – you can wear it as a casual or athletic tee and a winter base layer, although if you’re wearing it as an outer layer beware brambles because the super-fine material snags quite easily. However, it feels super-soft against the skin and has flatlocked seams – plus the wool’s anti-pong properties mean you can wear it a few times between washes before your mates start noticing any sweaty smells.
This colour is Blue Steel and it’s also available in a black/grey combo, both cost €70. There’s a long-sleeve version too, the Temple Tech LS Geo, for about a tenner more. Check out Mons Royale's website for more info.
