Zoic Crux Hoody
MSRP: $119.99
Features:
- Water repellent exterior
- Fleece interior
- Full length, locking zipper
- Draw string hood
- 2 front side zippered pockets
- Left front chest pocket with headphone cable grommet
- 9″ wide rear pocket with E-Z-grip silicone pull and stay-put tabs
Size/Color: Medium/Black
Reviewer Info: 5’ 9”, 150 lbs
Duration of Test: 10 days
Test Locations: Around Northwest Montana
At first glance, the Crux looks like a standard full zip hoody. And while there’s nothing wrong with run-of-the-mill hoodies, the Crux bears a bit more resemblance to a jacket.
The Crux isn’t constructed out of a single layer of fabric. Instead, it sports a “bonded fleece interior” that’s soft and comfy. But the exterior fabric is a burlier, relatively heavy fabric with a very tight knit. While I have yet to bury my shoulder into the ground while wearing the Crux, it feels like it can at least take a moderate amount of abuse without tearing.
The tough exterior is also aided by the addition of a DWR (durable water repellant) coating. I wouldn’t say the Crux is a replacement for a rain shell, but for light drizzles or muddy rides, the Crux performed well and kept me comfortable.
It’s worth noting that the inner fleece layer, combined with the heavy exterior fabric makes the Crux fairly warm. This is, of course, a good thing if you’re looking for warmth, but it means the Crux was too warm for pedal-intensive rides when temperatures rose above 40° F. I didn’t have a chance to use the Crux for any lift served riding, but it seems like it’d be a great option for any nippy day in the bike park. Thinking back on Blister’s Whistler trip this summer, the Crux would’ve been a perfect layer for sitting on the chair through chilly fog banks. I wish that I’d had it for that trip.
Like the Zoic’s Tradesman shirt, the Crux sports a few bike-minded features. First, the Crux has the same internal cuffs as on the Tradesman – essentially short, secondary sleeves that keep cold air from blowing up your arm.
Second, and again like the Tradesman, the Crux has a wide horizontal zippered pocket across the lower back. Particularly for lift served riding or shuttles, that pocket works well for stashing food, tools, or other small odds and ends that don’t quite warrant a backpack.
The Crux has the normal hand warmer pockets that you’d find on most hoodies, but in a nice touch, they’re zippered so they’re a bit more useful for carrying stuff while on the bike.
The Crux also has a zippered pocket on the left breast with a headphone port, which brings me to my only gripe about it. The zipper on that pocket is so short that I don’t think you could fit much of anything in it other than maybe an iPod Nano. I’m a fan of stashing sunglasses in chest pockets, so I’d be psyched to see Zoic tweak this pocket to make it a bit larger and more functional.
Bottom Line
The Crux is a comfy riding hoody that has a bit more going on than one might expect at first glance. While it’s not a replacement for more technical riding shell, it’s warm enough to work well for relatively cold rides, water resistant enough to withstand a bit of moisture, and has a nice, casual look for wearing around town.