Search and State S1-A Jersey

Josh Ross

Review of the Search and State S1-A Jersey

I’m not one to have a huge collection of cycling clothing, but over time, you collect a few. I’ve got some nice gear from Castelli and team gear from Deathrow Velo that I wear most of the time. The products that Search and State are producing still called to me, though.

The founders are cyclists, but they come from a background of design and marketing rather than sports. You can tell when you look at the gear. It’s sleek, not flashy, understated and really gorgeous to look at.
 

 
That’s not to say that it doesn’t perform as well as it looks, but if you want performance alone, you’ve got lots of choices. If you want performance and design, too, the field becomes a lot more narrow.
 
It’s also nice that this jersey is made in America. Not because I’m fiercely nationalistic, I’m actually the opposite. But it’s made in house in a way that affords the creators the utmost flexibility and control. So its more about being made locally in relation to the company. That’s a big advantage that not many companies can claim in today’s global economy.
 

 
Good looks and local manufacturing aside, though, this is an expensive jersey, and it’s got to perform. I’ll start by saying that this is the jersey that I grab every time I don’t want to go out in my team kit. It looks fantastic, and it fits like a second skin, but I never feel overly squeezed.
 
What really makes this jersey are the details. To start with, it’s just a simple black jersey. There are two small logo tags and that’s it. You basically never see jerseys like that. There are no angles, cuts, or different colors to add “speed” to the design. It’s just a simple black jersey, and I love that about it.
 

 
I also love that there is a full silicone strip on the bottom. It’s not a little spot here and there, it’s a big substantial strip that really does a good job of keeping it from riding up.
 

 
Then, on the sleeve cuffs, there isn’t any elastic at all. That might sound like something that’s bad, but I’ve never felt like I needed it. Instead of tight elastic strips, or even wide stretch bands, it’s just tailored in a way that means it doesn’t need any of that. It’s a very comfortable design.
 

 
From there, the details keep piling up. The zipper is a nice wide plastic that is easy to maneuver and never gets stuck. At the top of the zipper is a fold over so that it doesn’t bother your neck. Underneath the zipper is a flap of fabric, like you’d find on the zipper of a fine suit pant, that keeps it from snagging any fabric underneath or from slowly shredding the front of your bib shorts.
 

 
On top of it all, the fabric is fantastic against your skin, and the neckline is just perfect. All these details mean that I keep coming back to this jersey time and again over all the others I’ve got around.

 
I don’t love everything about this jersey, though. Really my biggest critique would have to be the pockets. They are exceptionally deep compared to other jerseys and that brings with it some good and some bad. I never need worry in the least that my phone isn’t secure in the pocket. Once you drop it in there, it will not fall out by accident.
 
At the same time, you’ve got to be a bit of a contortionist to actually get into the pocket to get the phone. Every time I reach for something back there, I wish the whole jersey was a bit longer. I think it’s a bit short anyway, but when you couple that with the tall pockets, it becomes a hassle to get your hand into the tall lip of the pockets.
 

 
This is definitely a case, though, where I’d rather they adjusted this jersey instead of looking for another jersey. Even with the back pockets a little hard to use, I continue to grab this jersey above my others. It’s also the only jersey I’ve ever been asked about.

 
My overall recommendation on this would be if you are someone who often gets into your pockets while moving, and you aren’t super flexible, then you might consider looking elsewhere. For most people, though, the many details that make this jersey a real pleasure to wear will far outweigh any difficulty getting into the bottom of the pockets. For many of us, it is worth a look.
 
Search and State S1-A Jersey $140-00
 
Search and State S1-A Jersey
 
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