MAAP Vector Pro Air and Evo team kit review

The MAAP Vector Pro and Team Bib Evo are quality cycling kit. The jersey cut features modern sleeve length – meaning it’s long, fitted, and aero without touching the elbow, and it’s cut relatively short in the torso to avoid the unfortunate sag that happens to loaded jersey pockets. I call this phenomenon “long-back” — if a jersey is a little oversized and/or long in the torso, and the pockets are loaded with the day’s gear (flat kit, snacks, phone, etc.), there is a strong likelihood it will stretch down a rider’s back, disguising the lower back. The MAAP fit I find comfortable allows me to imagine I can one day show off a butt like a sprinter.

This kit is designed for hot weather, and conveniently enough the jersey was printed with the fabric type displayed on the outside of the jersey. Ventilation is great, and in the right places on the jersey, and the bibs are light yet still compressive.

Also read: MAAP Training and Pro Evo cycling kits

MAAP is very transparent about their kit, down to the jersey weight, which is published on their site. The fabrics used in the jersey are Bluesign approved (which means they are produced using processes that minimize harmful air and water emissions), which is a fantastic quality for brands to emulate if they want to be environmentally conscious.

I take this jersey out on exposed rides when I knew I will be in the sun pretty much all day. It performs admirably: it feels barely there, and when I take the inevitable bottle shower I am dry in moments.

MAAP Vector Pro Air Jersey

My initial rides in the MAAP Vector Pro Air Jersey ($170), in 60-70 degree Fahrenheit days, have me wearing the MAAP women’s team base layer ($65) under the jersey. It makes all the difference between feeling chilled, especially after working up a sweat on the climb then descending the other side of the hill. But it is the cut and Bluesign fabric that makes it my favorite base layer. It uses side panels for cooling, so it is more gossamer than a tank top, and it hugs my body like a stocking. This is the base layer that made me aware that race-cut also applies to base layers: if they’re too long, they create an ugly and uncomfortable ridge of fabric under the bib that is visible beyond the end of the jersey. A proper base layer should be just long enough to tuck comfortably into the bibs, and the team base layer fits that bill.

The only feature of the jersey that I don’t love is the printed design, which is a matter of personal taste – some may love it, whereas for me it was a non-issue; I had no passion for it either way. But, to MAAP’s credit, they manage to keep a uniform style despite having multiple designers working on their range. Further, there are solid colors available for riders looking for basics around which to build a collection.

MAAP Women’s Team Bib Evo

The MAAP Women’s Team Bib Evo ($270) is one of the best, despite not being easy-off for the women’s version. Yes, it’s nice that the bibs feature same-color branding on the legs, but what makes them stand out is the chamois and the 4-way stretch Bluesign-approved fabric. The chamois is denser at the sit-bones, ensuring all-day comfort without feeling like a diaper. The leg grippers aren’t overly grippy, yet stay in place during rides where intense humidity makes sweat bead on my skin even when I’m sitting still. These bibs are available in navy and olive drab in addition to the standard black, and in most models, the straps match the bib panels, which means no awkward white line of bib uppers peeking out at the back of the jersey when in the drops with unloaded jersey pockets. The bibs are also cut high enough to keep your navel hidden except when lifting your bike over your head.

MAAP Vector Pro Air verdict

A well-made kit that does exactly what it says on the label is the hardest to review because it’s just quietly good. The MAAP brand is like the good student who sits one row back but has a perfect GPA – very smart, but not annoyingly in your face about it. The Vector Pro Air and Team Evo bib pairing are environmentally conscious, extremely comfortable, cut in a modern pattern, not too plain but not too loud, and it’s a solid kit I recommend.