Tested: Ruckus 2024, Troy Lee’s New Workhorse Kit 2

When Brandon Semenuk asks you to develop a riding kit, you know it needs to be as hard-working and as stylish as the man himself. Troy Lee went outside the box for this one, coming up with a three-piece combo that is intended to keep you comfortable in a wide range of conditions, from digging trail to the post-shred hang, while looking sharp at the same time. The verdict from us? About as fresh as it gets!

Ruckus Ride Vest Highlights

• PrimaLoft Gold® fill
• Water resistant coating
• Moisture wicking internal lining
• Ride access - rear pocket
• 1 zip closure interior pocket
• 2 interior large cargo pockets
• 2 Hand pockets
• Lightweight & packable
• YKK Vislon zippers
• Reflective zip pulls
• MSRP: $119.99 USD

Ruckus LS Ride Tee Highlights

• Moisture wicking
• Wicking mesh fabric under arms and down sides
• Stash pocket at left sleeve
• Drop tail
• Reflective heat transfer at rear hem
• UPF 50+
• MSRP: $59.99 USD

Ruckus Long Travel Pant Highlights

• Custom shank button closure w/ interior/exterior drawcord detail
• 1 YKK® zippers on side rear for optimal phone storage
• 1 YKK® zipper at side stash pocket
• 2 hand pockets, 2 rear patch pockets, 1 coin pocket
• Silicon printed interior waistband for zero waist slippage
• Minimalist woven label Ruckus branding on right back pocket
• Reflective heat transfer at left calf
• MSRP: $129.99 USD

Initial Impressions

The Ruckus line has traditionally been the “freeride workhorse” of the TLD range, and the classic items like the ¾ sleeve jersey and the shorts are still present in the lineup for 2024. What we’re looking at here though is something altogether new and different. Starting from the top, the most notable item is of course the vest. Made with Primaloft insulation, it is meant to help keep your core warm on those chillier, shoulder-season days (or just any day with variable weather in the high alpine). It is quite easy to pack down, should you need to remove a layer during the warmer hours of the day for example.

Looking over the construction and the features, the vest is loaded. There’s a waterproof coating to help repel mud and light rain. There are plenty of pockets, some of which are absolutely massive. You could easily fit a packable waterproof jacket for example, or a pair of kneepads for the climb up (the zippered pocket out back is particularly voluminous, as are the two open pockets inside the vest). There is a moisture-wicking liner inside the top half of the jacket, and YKK reflective zippers.

For the next layer down, TLD has come up with a long-sleeve tee made from a very soft, synthetic fabric. The main panels are a bit thicker, while two ventilated panels run all the way from the arm pits down the side of the jersey for extra airflow in this area. There’s a small pocket placed high up on your left arm, a convenient place to store your lift pass for easy presentation to an automated card reader.

The final piece of this new Ruckus puzzle is the pant. TLD went with a 'outdoor' pant style design here, again with plenty of pockets – six of them, plus a coin pocket, to be precise. The pant is made from the same lightweight yet robust fabric found on the Ruckus short, with an overall cut that is more relaxed. This is particularly noticeable around the lower leg, where this pant is quite a bit baggier than we have become used to over the past few years. There’s also a drawstring around the waist, which is a fun touch.

On The Trail

Our first observation is that this is one good-looking outfit. Style is subjective of course, but we think a lot of people will find this kit both rad and quite elegant. The colors work well together, and the vest adds a unique touch that stands out among more traditional apparel.

The jersey is super comfy on the skin, and the relaxed cut works well for all kinds of riding. The slightly thicker fabric lends itself well to temperatures ranging from 15 to 25 degrees Celsius or so (59-77 F), any more than that and it starts to become a little too hot. It deals with sweat without becoming clingy, and it dries out very quickly too.

If the temperature starts to drop below 60, and maybe if the wind kicks up, the vest really helps keep you warm without leaving you feeling too bulky. We were able to test it for a day of riding at around 50 F, with some wind and occasional light drizzle, and we found it quite perfect for those conditions. You may heat up a bit during the climbs but because your arms are still only covered by the jersey, you still stay fresh enough to deal with the physical effort. The vest is easy to fold up and stash away even in a small riding pack should it come to that.

The pant is equally comfortable in action. The lightweight and stretchy fabric helps it make itself forgotten in the heat of the battle. The cut works well on the bike, and there is of course plenty of room to run kneepads, as you would expect. The lower part of the hem flaps around a little bit than on some other riding pants, but we have not experienced any issues with it getting caught in the chainring or anything like that.

The overall length and cut worked well for this 6’0”, 190-lbs tester in size 34 (size L for the jersey and vest). Shoutout to TLD for providing lots of different storage options here, with various sizes and types of pockets available all around the pant. You get two main front pockets, a couple of zippered pockets (one of which is made specifically for a lift pass, as with the jersey), and even a pair of classic, jeans-style back pockets for lounging about on the town.

What’s The Bottom Line?

Brandon Semenuk knows a thing or two about spending time out working on trails and riding his bike, and we all know he’s got a pretty good sense of style too. It comes as no surprise to learn that he had a hand in designing this new line in the Ruckus range, and we’ve definitely been won over by the result. All three items are very comfortable in action, and the modular approach means you’ll be well equipped to deal with pretty much anything that Mother Nature can throw at you during a big day out. And if you get any funny looks at the post-ride watering hole, this time it might just be because you DON’T look like a goofy mountain biker.

More information at: www.troyleedesigns.com.

About The Reviewer

Johan Hjord - Age: 51 // Years Riding MTB: 19 // Weight: 190-pounds (87-kg) // Height: 6'0" (1.84m)

Johan loves bikes, which strangely doesn’t make him any better at riding them. After many years spent practicing falling off cliffs with his snowboard, he took up mountain biking in 2005. Ever since, he’s mostly been riding bikes with too much suspension travel to cover up his many flaws as a rider. His 200-pound body weight coupled with unique skill for poor line choice and clumsy landings make him an expert on durability - if parts survive Johan, they’re pretty much okay for anybody. Johan rides flat pedals with a riding style that he describes as "none" (when in actuality he rips!). Having found most trail features to be not to his liking, Johan uses much of his spare time building his own. Johan’s other accomplishments include surviving this far and helping keep the Vital Media Machine’s stoke dial firmly on 11.

Photos by Johan Hjord and Nils Hjord