Proudly hailing from Lake Wanaka, New Zealand is Mons Royale. Since 2009, its focus has been on making technical, high-performing merino wool clothing that looks good, feels great and performs brilliantly.
Mons Royale's aim is to make wool gear you want to wear everyday, not just for going out for a ride or activity.
Mons Royale doesn't shy away from the 'looks good' part of its mantra either. Just so you're aware, some sections of its site are borderline NSFW.
- Mons Royale Riders Raglan T jersey review
- Aclima WoolNet Crew Neck review
- Craft Active Extreme CN baselayer review
Mons Royale Temple Tech LS features
- Raglan sleeve for freedom of movement
- Contoured side body for a closer, athletic fit
- Full merino mesh back for breathability on the move
- Flat stitch seams provide exceptional comfort
- Drop tail adds length and comfort
- Slim fit for technical baselayer
- Thumb loops hold sleeves in place
Mons Royale Temple Tech LS fit
The 170 grams per square meter (GSM) wool is definitely on the thinner side of most wool garments. It's combined with a 5 percent elastane for a bit of stretch and to give the shirt a bit of structure. Without another material, wool is very loose and doesn't retain any sort of shape whatsoever.
The Temple Tech LS fits closely, like a good baselayer should. The body of the shirt hugged my torso, the sleeves clung to my arms and the sleeves were plenty long, which can be a bit of an issue with my lanky build. The fit suited me very well, it wasn't constricting in any way, nor was it baggy.
The gentle form fit lent a bit of warmth and made layering simple. The flat lock seams were completely unobtrusive and while it's difficult to quantify, the lack of polyester's plastic-y feel on my skin is always welcome.
Mons Royale Temple Tech LS in use
For me, riding in pretty much any season outside of summer can be a tricky situation. I say tricky because the weather can, and often does, change quickly and mornings are typically much cooler until the sun gains a bit of altitude to warm the day.
Fat biking in the winter is even more challenging as any sweat from going hard or wetness from crashing in the snow can bring a chill to even the most well thought out layers.
Having a proper baselayer makes it much more doable however and that's where the Temple Tech LS showed its worth. With the wool baselayer I was able to bundle up a little less, using a windproof outer shell to keep the cold from encroaching and the wool's natural warmth and the impeccable form fit to keep me feeling fine.
I particularly liked the mesh back panel. It has an ideal placement to deliver some breathability and a bit of cooling. It's also helped stymie the obnoxious wet back syndrome that happens when riding with a pack. The extended rear stayed tucked in when hunkered over the bike as well.
I'm not going to go into the well-trodden benefits of wool, but will say the Temple Tech LS lives up to all of them, including the lack of trapping stink, which I think everyone can appreciate.
Mons Royale Temple Tech LS nit picks
The first issue is a matter of personal taste. I don't care for the full-length logo down the left arm. It's a baselayer so most of the time it will be under another shirt, but I'm not a fan of logos or branding on anything.
The second issue is it's expensive. At €90 / $110 / AU$120 there's no getting around that, but in the same vein no one should ever mistake the Temple Tech LS as being anything less than premium quality.