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Headwear
GripGrab Summer Cycling Cap2024 GripGrab Summer Cycling Cap 1.jpg

GripGrab Summer Cycling Cap

8
by Shaun Audane
Wed, Jul 03, 2024 15:45
0
£21.00

VERDICT:

8
10
Well-executed cap that performs well but does come up a little small
Great peak
Wicks well
Broad choice of colours
Very comfortable
Comes up a little small
Weight: 
24g
Contact: 
www.gripgrab.com
How we test

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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The GripGrab Lightweight Summer Cycling Cap offers superior airflow to most I've tested, fits beautifully beneath helmets, and the peak hits the sweet spot in terms of coverage and protection without hampering vision. Ours came up a little smaller than expected, so check the size chart before buying.

There's nothing unusual about the cap's polyester/cotton construction; it's an eight-panel design with flat seams and the fabric feels thin but sturdy, allowing the cap to sit nicely beneath a helmet and pack down small should you need to stuff it in a pocket. It also boasts UPF40+ protection, which is very welcome.

> Buy now: GripGrab Lightweight Summer Cycling Cap for £21 from GripGrab

I was immediately struck by how efficiently air flowed through the cap and my scalp, keeping things cool but not chilly. It will quickly turn wet in a moderate shower, but dries quickly with a break in the clouds.

The peak is generous but quite malleable, so assumes helmet profiles nicely. It's stiff at the right points, so won't flop down if you've flipped it up and won't billow or buffet in blustery conditions.

The cap is also cut fairly high at the back, so shouldn't interfere with ponytails.

A lot of cycling caps are just one size, but here you get two options, S/M (54-59cm) and L/XL (57-63cm). I have a relatively small head (54cm circumference), and though the S/M was a good fit, I have a generous shock of hair and found it a little on the snug side. This didn't ease with wear and washing either, so something to bear in mind.

Grip Grab recommends rinsing the cap after each wearing and leaving it to air, though I had no problems machine washing it. On a Tour De Samsung at 30 degrees, mud and rainy spatter vanished, and it emerged looking packet fresh.

At £21 it's not the cheapest – Lusso's Pain Cave Summer Cap is £14.99 (presently discounted to £5.99) – but Buff's Pack Cycle Cap is nearly a tenner more at £29.95. In my experience the GripGrab rivals both on wicking and airflow.

Although primarily a summer model, its peak offers excellent defence against rain, sleet, and on occasions, strong winter sun. It also seems to be washing and wearing very well.

> Buy now: GripGrab Lightweight Summer Cycling Cap for £21 from GripGrab

Verdict

Well-executed cap that performs well but does come up a little small

road.cc test report

Make and model: GripGrab Summer Cycling Cap

Size tested: S/M

Tell us what the product is for

GripGrab says "The GripGrab Lightweight Summer Cycling Cap is a super lightweight cycling cap, with a wide peak to provide shade and protection. The mesh material allows your head to breathe, and moves moisture away from your brow."

My feelings are it's well designed and performs extremely well, on its own, or beneath a helmet. Despite the summer tag, it'svery comfortable in cooler weather. However, the small/medium came up a little smaller than I was expecting, so check the chart and measure carefully if you can't try one for size.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

From GripGrab:

18 colours

24g

UV-protective (UPF 40+)

* Lightweight

* Breathable

* Fits under helmet

80% Polyester, 20% Cotton

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10

Seems very well made and has washed well.

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

Performs very well across the board, and the peak is particularly effective.

Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10

Difficult to comment on long-term durability, but it's wearing and washing very well. No shrinkage, fraying or similar deterioration so far.

Rate the product for fit:
 
7/10

Snug and comfortable.

Rate the product for sizing:
 
6/10

It came up a little smaller than I was expecting but this hasn't been an issue over the past few weeks.

Rate the product for weight:
 
8/10
Rate the product for comfort:
 
8/10

Fabric regulates temperature very effectively and has wicked moisture away quickly, including from heavy showers and more persistent, steady rain. It's also proved surprisingly comfortable in cooler conditions, but note I do have thick hair.

Rate the product for value:
 
5/10

Not the cheapest, but beats higher priced rivals on wicking and airflow.

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

Washes well, either by hand or tossed in the machine wash at 30 degrees.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

I was immediately struck by how efficiently air flowed through the cap and my scalp, keeping things cool but not chilly – a surprise on some blustery descents. The peak is also really effective, offering excellent protection from strong sun, wind and indeed rain. It packs very small, easily parked in a jersey pocket, or compact handlebar bag if not required. Wicking and odour management are similarly impressive, and it's always washed really nicely by hand or machine.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Great peak, nice panelling, and light but sturdy materials.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

It came up slightly smaller than expected.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

Buff's Pack Cycle Cap is nearly a tenner more at £29.95. It's also designed to be compatible with helmets and offers UV50 protection. The Lusso Pain Cave Summer Cap is £14.99, and Primal's Neon Crush impressed Benjamin and is another lightweight packable choice made from polyester and £15.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

It's very good: competitively priced with nice materials, plenty of colour options, and great performance. Just be mindful of the sizing.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 50  Height: 1m 81cm  Weight: 70kg

I usually ride: Rough Stuff Tourer Based around 4130 Univega mtb Frameset  My best bike is: 1955 Holdsworth Road Path and several others including cross & traditional road

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: cyclo cross, commuting, touring, fixed/singlespeed, mtb,

GripGrab Summer Cycling Cap 2024
GripGrab Summer Cycling Cap
GripGrab 2024
gripgrab
Shaun Audane

Shaun Audane is a freelance writer/product tester with over twenty-eight years riding experience, the last twelve (120,000 miles) spent putting bikes and kit through their paces for a variety of publications. Previous generations of his family worked at manufacturing's sharp end, thus Shaun can weld, has a sound understanding of frame building practice and a preference for steel or titanium framesets.
Citing Richard Ballantine and an Au pair as his earliest cycling influences, he is presently writing a cycling book with particular focus upon women, families and disabled audiences (Having been a registered care manager and coached children at Herne Hill Velodrome in earlier careers)

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