Words by Dave Malwitz / Photos by Jussi Oksanen & Dave Malwitz
As we finally come to the end of an unusually long and wet winter, I find myself reflecting on the apparel pieces that I’ve come to appreciate the most over the past season. Here in North County San Diego, “rainy season” temps typically range from the mid-40s (°F) in the AM to somewhere in the mid-60s during the day. One long sleeve jersey stood above the rest in these conditions, and that was a piece from the “Special Projects” bin at Ornot.
In case you’re not familiar with Ornot, they are a San Francisco-based company that prides itself on minimal design, ethical production, and quality construction. Bay Area weather is characterized by mild temperatures, frequent fog, and unpredictable shifts between sun and chilly winds. Ornot clearly strives to address these conditions with collections that are packable, breathable, and multimodal. In looking for a new long sleeve that would perform well on everything from morning commutes to all-day gravel adventures, I was especially drawn to check out Ornot’s Merino Grid Thermal Jersey.
On April 1, 2023 we hosted our annual invitational gravel event, the Great Western Reroute and what would prove to be the perfect test for the jersey. Apparel selection for the GWR is debated almost as much as tire selection, with the course starting in Alpine, CA and eventually climbing to an elevation around 5000’ in the Cuyamaca Mountains. Our rider guide described it as “a ride of 100 microclimates”, giving participants fair warning to choose the right gear for an unpredictable day through everything from desert landscapes to high-mountain snowscapes.
