Varlo Explorer Cycle Crew Shirt Review: A Gravel Jersey Alternative For Stocky Riders

Summary

I bought the Varlo Explorer Cycle Crew Shirt in men’s XL because I am still looking for what a true gravel jersey should be for someone like me: a stocky mid‑50s rider with a broad back, strong shoulders from lifting, and a realistic midsection that reflects both training and a less‑than‑perfect diet. I like the function of road jerseys, especially the pockets, but I do not love how they look or feel on social rides with non‑roadie friends. After three gravel rides along my home base on the C&O Canal, this Varlo top has become the closest thing I have found so far to a gravel jersey that works for my body and my riding, without looking like a race kit or a luau costume.

Why I Wanted A Different Kind Of Jersey

At some point, “gravel” started to feel like a costume. On one side you see riders in full road kits on dirt roads, tight race jerseys and all. On the other, brands push “gravel shirts” that look more like something you would wear to a luau than to a ride: loud prints, collars, button fronts, and short sleeves that seem more at home at a tiki bar than on a towpath. I do not need a collar for a gravel jersey. I do not need to look like I am headed to a resort buffet.

What I wanted was much simpler. I wanted a top that felt more like a trail T‑shirt than a race jersey, something I could wear on social rides and mountain bike days without feeling like I showed up in the wrong uniform. At the same time, I did not want to give up what road jerseys do well. I still like real back pockets. I still like having a place for a tube, a small toolkit, snacks, and keys.

Most road jerseys are drawn around a very specific shape. My Giordana jersey in XXL is a good example. It feels like it was meant for a skinny climber on Alpe d’Huez, not for a rider in his mid‑fifties with a broad back, strong shoulders, and a midsection that has seen some decades. On the other side, my Fox and Outdoor Research jerseys fit like trail shirts and have longer tails that I like, but they have no rear pockets at all. On those rides I end up loading up a small backpack or a Patagonia Atom‑style sling bag instead of my jersey.

So I have been looking for a gravel jersey that makes sense for me, something that sits between a road jersey and a mountain bike shirt. No collar, no buttons, not a Hawaiian shirt, but also not sprayed‑on Lycra. The Varlo Explorer Cycle Crew Shirt looked like it might live in that space, so I decided to give it a try.

How I Ended Up With The Varlo Explorer

Before I ever saw this shirt in person, it showed up in the research I did for my opening “Why Most Gravel Kit Reviews Miss Normal Riders” article. I asked an AI assistant to help me sort through the overlap between road jerseys, gravel shirts, and trail tops, and the Varlo Explorer kept coming up as one of the few pieces that tried to split the difference. On paper it looked like what I was after: a crew‑neck top with real rear pockets, aimed at gravel, but without a collar or button‑down “party shirt” vibe. I talk more about that research process in the “Why Most Gravel Kit Reviews Miss Normal Riders” post, so this jersey is very much a product of that groundwork.

Once it was on my radar, I checked to see if any local shops had it in stock. REI did, in my local store, so I headed over to see it in person and make sure the fabric and cut looked right. The color I picked is Terra Blue, a pattern that looks like a stained glass window in different shades of blue with pink accents. It feels a little psychedelic, almost like a tie‑dye without actually being one, which fits my own taste and love of music. When I saw it on the rack at REI, I knew it was for me before I even realized it was the exact type of shirt I had been looking for.

The men’s XL seemed like the right call based on what I usually wear in road jerseys, so I went with that rather than studying the size chart. The real bonus was the price. Regular price is around $79 dollars. I picked it up on sale at REI for about $39 dollars, which made it an easy experiment.

So far I have put three rides on it, all on gravel along the C&O Canal. That is my home base for gravel riding, and it is where most of my “does this gear actually work?” questions get answered.

Fit And Feel On A Stocky Build

Torso, shoulders, and arms

In the chest and shoulders, the Varlo Explorer feels like a slightly more structured trail T‑shirt rather than a race jersey. It is still close fitting, but not tight the way a traditional road jersey is. I would call it “trail‑trim.” It is looser than a road jersey, but not baggy. The sleeves are on the shorter side and sit relatively close against my arms, which are not skinny, but they stop short of feeling restrictive.

The cut clearly aims for a V shape: broader shoulders tapering down toward a narrower waist. From the back, that lines up reasonably well with how I am built. I have a stocky upper body with a broad back and strong shoulders from lifting. From the side, though, I am more teardrop than straight V. My midsection looks like what you would expect from a mid‑50s rider who trains plenty but does not have a perfect diet.

I have the upper body of someone who lifts and rides, not the flat, narrow profile most road jerseys seem to be drawn around, and that mismatch is a big part of why I wanted a different kind of top for social rides. Even with that, the Varlo still works. It is snug through the belly, but not so tight that I feel squeezed, and it is far more forgiving than a traditional race‑cut jersey.

Belly and shape

The belly fit sits right at the line between “fitted” and “a little snug.” It is tighter in the stomach than I expected from something called a “crew shirt,” especially one in the gravel line, but it stops short of feeling uncomfortable. Compared to a road jersey, it is noticeably more forgiving. Compared to a true trail T‑shirt, it is more fitted and structured.

If I had to place it on a spectrum, it would be: Giordana at the tight, race‑cut end, then Hillkiller, then the Varlo, then Pearl Izumi’s more relaxed road jerseys, and finally the true trail T‑shirts from Fox or Outdoor Research. The Varlo sits closer to the middle, which is honestly where I wanted it to land.

Length and coverage

Length is another strong point. The torso covers my midsection well, and the back has a longer tail that gives better coverage than a standard T‑shirt. On the bike, the shirt stays put. It does not ride up in the back, and it does not sag down past my waist in the front the way some longer road jerseys can when they are not a perfect match for your torso length.

That combination of decent coverage and reasonable length makes it feel well‑suited to gravel and mixed rides. I am not adjusting it constantly. It just disappears into the background the way a good piece of gear should.

Pockets And On‑Bike Function

The whole point of this experiment was to combine a more casual look with the function of a road jersey. On that front, the Varlo mostly delivers.
There are three rear pockets:

• Two side pockets that are a bit narrower than traditional road jersey pockets.
• A center pocket that is closer in size to what you would expect from a road jersey.
• A small zippered pocket, which is ideal for keys or something you absolutely do not want to lose.

The narrower side pockets still work for how I pack. I can fit a small toolkit, a tube, and a couple of bars across the three pockets without much trouble. If I wanted to, I could probably carry a bottle in the middle pocket, though I have not made that a habit yet. The big difference from my Fox and Outdoor Research MTB jerseys is simply having rear storage at all. It feels good to move some load off the small backpack or Patagonia Atom‑style sling bag and back onto my clothing.

On the bike, the pockets feel secure. I am not constantly checking to see if something is about to fall out. The zip pocket is especially reassuring for keys. The only real tradeoff is that the narrower side pockets are a bit more precise about what they are happy to carry. If you are used to wide, open road jersey pockets where you can stuff anything, you will notice that the Varlo asks you to be a little more deliberate.

How It Compares To My Other Jerseys

Giordana (XXL)
The Giordana jersey in XXL still feels like it is cut for an Italian climber, not for a rider my age with a stocky upper body. Even at that size, it is tight across the chest and belly. Compared to Giordana, the Varlo Explorer feels like a dancefloor. There is room to move. It is still fitted, but in a way that feels far more comfortable and realistic for the way I ride.

Pearl Izumi (XL)
My Pearl Izumi jersey in XL fits a bit loose. I am somewhere between a large and an extra‑large with them. The bigger issue is length. The Pearl Izumi tops tend to run long on me and can drag below my waist, which is not great for how the pockets sit and behave. The Varlo is shorter and less relaxed than the Pearl Izumi road jersey, but it actually works better on my frame because it does not overhang or drag. The pockets sit in a more functional place, and the shirt does not feel like it is trying to become a tunic.

Hillkiller (XL)
The Hillkiller jersey in XL fits okay but leans toward tight. The fabric clings more than I prefer, especially around the belly. The Varlo is slightly looser and less clingy, which makes it more comfortable and a better match for social rides. The pockets on the Varlo feel a bit more constraining in width than some Hillkiller designs, but they are still very usable for the way I pack.

Novelty jerseys (XL)
I have a few Chinese‑made jerseys with novelty designs, including Grateful Dead themes and a Cutters jersey inspired by the movie “Breaking Away.” They are fun to look at and fine to ride in for shorter outings, but the performance fabric and cut are not on the same level. The fits range from “good” to “too loose,” and they feel more like costume pieces than serious gear. The Varlo feels more purpose‑built while still giving me a design and vibe that does not scream “team kit.”

Fox and Outdoor Research (L)
My Fox jersey in large and the Outdoor Research Freestyle jersey in large both fit well as MTB tops. They have longer tails, which I like, and they work well for rides with the mountain bike crowd. The catch is they have zero rear pockets. On those rides I end up carrying more in a small backpack or a Patagonia Atom‑style sling bag.

The Varlo sits between those tops and a traditional road jersey. It feels closer in vibe to Fox and OR than to a full race kit, but it finally gives me the rear storage I want.

Who This Jersey Is For

The Varlo Explorer Cycle Crew Shirt is a good fit if you are in a similar spot to me:

• You ride gravel or trails, often with friends who are in MTB shorts and T‑shirts.
• You do not always want to show up in a full road kit, especially if you do not look like a traditional roadie.
• You still like the function of rear pockets and want a place to put keys, tools, snacks, and maybe even a bottle.
• You prefer a slightly more relaxed, trail‑leaning fit without going full baggy.

You might want to skip it if you want a truly loose, casual top with no structure, or if you prefer spray‑on race jerseys that feel like they were shrink‑wrapped onto your torso.

For me, it hits a useful middle ground. It lets me show up to social rides and C&O spins in something that feels appropriate for the group, without giving up the pockets and function I have grown used to from road jerseys. This is not the final answer in my gravel jersey search, but it is the best option I have found so far.

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