Last updated: 17-Aug-18
By Dan Stinton
Having already given the Ripl Inspire tops and shorts a good going over HERE, now it’s time to test out another item from their range – the long-sleeved half-zip top.
As with the other items from Ripl, purchasing the top kicks off “The Ripl Effect”. This allows you to nominate someone who can then choose an item for free from the Ripl Effect range (consisting of headbands, buff and phone case) to hopefully encourage them to run, purchase something from the range themselves and then nominate someone else. And so it goes on – all being recorded on the “Ripl Effect Live” tracker found on their website.
The shirt, vest and shorts all fared well, so how does the half-zip top measure-up?
Features
- Soft and stretchy material
- Vented back panel and underarms
- Reflective logos
- Small side pocket
- Price £39.50. See Ripl.
Pros: What’s good about Ripl?
When first unwrapping the top, I thought it had a “cycling” look about it. Having just started dipping my muddy running toes in the world of cycling, this was no bad thing and the white vented panelling works really well against the charcoal grey of the main top itself.
The picture on the Ripl website looks very figure hugging, but I used the size guide on the website and opted for a large, which gives me a good, slightly looser fit. In action the stretchy polyester/elastane material is comfortable to run in with venting in all the right places, useful thumb-loops, and a small zipped pocket to the right-hand side that sits somewhere above your hip. Not big enough for most modern phones, this would be useful for small items; cash, card and keys etc.
Cons: What’s not so good about Ripl?
I find the Ripl gear really comfortable to run in, but there are a couple of points to note with this top. I generally get quite hot running and my temperature regulation method is simple – when it’s hot roll up sleeves and when it’s cold roll down sleeves. I found the sleeves to be quite tight for this, so either I have forearms that would make ladies swoon, or the sleeves are on the tight side. I would guess the latter.
When part unzipped I also found the collar flapped around the neck area which was slightly distracting, but I’m not sure how the cut could be altered to improve this, and it wasn’t a major issue.
Conclusion
The half-zip top sits well within the Ripl Inpire range and uses the same unique concept of “The Ripl Effect”. It may be a little pricey for some for a newer/more-unknown brand, but it looks good and performs well out on a run and you’ll also get a friend a free piece of gear too!
| Score | |
| Design | 8/10 |
| Features | 8/10 |
| Performance | 7/10 |
| Value | 7/10 |
| Total | 7.5/10 |
Others you may want to consider:
There’s so many brands out there it’s difficult to choose from the vast number of comparable tops, but how about giving some of smaller/newer brand names a try?
All images Dan Stinton except when stated.
About the writer: Dan is a Peak District based runner who said he’d never take up cycling and has bought three bikes in the last 4 months. He likes nothing more than running into the Dark Peak and then writing about how difficult it was at All Hail the Trail.
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