MAAP Evade Pro Base Jersey 2.0 review - I got my first Strava KOM wearing this

The Evade Pro Base 2.0 is the latest everyday jersey from Australian brand MAAP, one of the market leaders in on-bike fashion. 

Though not sold as an aero product, the jersey is slick and tight-fitting, and is made primarily from sustainable materials. 

I received a ‘gargoyle’-coloured version for testing a few months back, and it instantly became my favorite jersey in my wardrobe. Over a series of chilly mornings and warm spring evenings, I put the Evade Pro Base 2.0 to the test to see how it stacks up against the best short sleeve jerseys for summer riding. Here’s my verdict.

MAAP Evade Pro Base 2.0: Construction

MAAP, the brand of choice for flat-white drinkers and K-pop stars, has tailored this jersey with its ‘Pro-fit’. In non-cycling parlance, this means it is very snug. When I first put it on, I noticed it has a similarly cosy feel to Rapha’s Pro Team Aero Jersey, although the material on the Evade Pro Base 2.0 is a bit more forgiving around the ribs. 

The 2.0 version comes with a few key updates in the design. Firstly, there is a greater emphasis on sustainability. The primary body of the jersey is 70 per cent made up of recycled fabric, and the entire product is bluesign approved, meaning that the process of making it is deemed safe for people and the environment. 

Secondly, the rear pockets have undergone a revamp. There’s now a zipped pouch, a feature also on Rapha’s Pro Team Aero Jersey, and the material doesn’t sag, which was important for me as I prefer not to use a saddlebag. Even under the weight of my pump, inner tube, tire levers, phone and banana, I was impressed by the tautness. After all, there’s little worse than the feeling of loose pockets when you’re climbing out of the saddle. 

The only downside of the pockets is that they sit quite high up the back. This makes them a tad difficult to reach, and sometimes requires contorting the elbow, à la Cirque du Soleil.

Anyway, enough about pockets. My personal highlight on this jersey is the sleeves, which MAAP refers to as ‘honeycomb mesh’, and are wonderfully soft. 

I’m less mad about the reflective prints - a chest logo, sleeve badge and a line on the back - which are so small in size that they are almost defunct. Still, they have withstood about 20 wash cycles, so chapeau to the construction quality. 

MAAP Evade Pro Base 2.0: The Ride

I’m a big believer in the saying 'if you feel fast, you’ll go fast', and the Evade Pro Base 2.0 made me feel like a million dollars. 

It gave me so much confidence, in fact, that during one of my first rides wearing it, I felt the urge to race up one of my favorite local climbs - a 300m kicker pitched at 15 per cent. On my second attempt, I took the Strava KOM, which now sits as the only trophy I own on the exercise app. 

Of course, I cannot claim the jersey gave me divine powers. I owe some credit to my legs, and my recently cleaned bike, but the Evade Pro Base 2.0 played a part, and for that I will be forever grateful. 

As my testing period went on, I did notice a few undesirable symptoms of riding in the jersey. I found that the waistband had a tendency to ride up a little bit, and the garygole colourway gave way to sweat patches, even when wearing a moisture-wicking underlayer.      

Neither dented my enjoyment of the jersey, though, and may just be testament to how flat-out it made me want to go. 

MAAP Evade Pro Base 2.0: Value

Is this the best jersey I own? Almost certainly. Is it also the most expensive one I own? Yes, yes it is. 

At $205 / £165, the Evade Pro Base 2.0 requires a significant hit-out on the bank account. I’m a big fan of the jersey, but with decent, cheaper options on the market in the dhb Aeron Ultra and Invani’s reversible jersey, I’d probably wait to pick it up in a sale. 

The Evade Pro Base 2.0 is available in black-and-white monotones, as well as dark navy and muted sage green. Personally, I’d have liked to see more outlandish, popping colorways, so fingers crossed for that if MAAP releases a 3.0.