POC Transcend Jacket and Pants Review

Solid three season Jacket and Pants

The POC Transcend collection blends its lifestyle and active category into the perfect everyday riding gear. From the house to the office or an adventure, all Transcend gear is as good for daily wear on and off the bike as it is on active rides.

Both the POC Transcend Jacket and Pants are lightweight and flexible with a fluorocarbon DWR coating to keep you dry in the shoulder seasons. From fit to finish, POC knows how to make riding gear that fits well and has the necessary features for cyclists.

I’ve been rotating the POC Transcend jacket and pants into my weekly riding since spring. Both the jacket and pants are a slim fit, without being too snug or uncomfortable. Not only do they look and fit well while riding, they can be worn casually. So for commuters out there, no need to change your pants when you get to work.

The Lab

The POC Transcend pants and jacket both use a Polyamide fabric that is soft to the touch and doesn’t irritate the skin. Equally, it’s not abundantly loud when rubbing against itself like some tech gear is. Most importantly its extremely elastic, which is great while riding and not having the fabric restrict your motion.

The Fluorocarbon DWR coating handles more moisture then you would expect. I wouldn’t quite call it waterproof, but wouldn’t hesitate to wear it on days that rain is on the forecast. With any gear that has a DWR coating, it’s important to pay attention to washing instructions to extend the life.

The POC Transcend Jacket has open cuffs with elastic on the underside. Despite the looser fit and lack of a strap to secure them around the wrist, the cuffs stay down low. There are two zippered pockets that are lined with a soft silky like material. A deep full width pocket is found on the backside with accesso from the left, which makes great storage for gloves, snacks, or your glasses. A two-way zipper is used on the front to help regulate your temp while riding. POC has touches of reflective logos to add visibility while riding, and a fluorescent orange strap to secure the hood down and keep it from catching wind like a sail. The hood itself is large enough to fit over most helmets, with a nice tall and wide collar to shield your face while riding and not be constricted.

The POC Transcend Pants are as slim trouser as it gets. Their are two open side pockets, a rear zippered pocket and rear pocket with a button. The side pockets are deep enough for a phone or your hands, with the rear pockets spacious for your wallet. The cuffs have an adjustable hem to tailor the fit based on your type of riding. The pants have a standard zipper front with a button and belt loops to incorporate your favorite active belt to get the right fit around the waist. The pants see the same fluorocarbon DWR coating and Polyamide fabric as the jacket.

The POC Transcend Jacket and pants are offered in sizes from XS to XXL. Both come in Uranium Black which maches closer to a deep indigo then true black, and the Jacket is also available in Alloy Grey.

Everyday riding, casual and active

As I mentioned earlier, I have been rotating the POC Transcend gear in and out of weekly use since spring. Starting in the early shoulder season, bringing us to the present. At 6′ tall with longer arms, I tend to struggle finding gear that fits me the right way. Typically sizing up for ample arm coverage with the penalty of an overly sized torso. The POC gear has a cut that fits well with my dimensions making the Large just the right size. Across the board, POC gear tends to have a slim fit and in this case is my preference for an everyday jacket. The pants were a bit trickier to narrow down, with a 31 waist I opted for a small which fits, but will find myself exploring a medium in the future.

As important as the fit, how does it perform. The pants have definitely seen more use throughout the year. I have found them great in these cooler months and even into the heart of summer. They breathe relatively well and for casual rides around town when it’s hot out they aren’t uncomfortable. For higher-exertion rides when it’s hot out, shorts are my preference. The jacket didn’t seem much action this summer with the heat, but night rides or rides at higher elevation it was a perfect lightweight jacket to have around. It has great wind resistance and the DWR coating is nice to have for those unexpected summer rains. For cold weather riding it is rapidly becoming a daily grab. Layering it with baselayers is a great way to add extra warmth.

The POC Transcend gear is definitely worth considering and for many of you who live in more moderate weather environments, it could easily be year-round gear. For those of us, with a true four seasons to look forward to yearly, POC offers heavier duty gear specific to the wet days.

I have found that the jacket is comfortable year round and will pair it with a lightweight rain fly for wet rides and run it well into 80°F days for the UV protection. The pants are great year-round for commuting and casual wear while having the limitation of not being truly a winter-ready pant. For $150 each, POC delivers exactly what they set out to make with the fit and finish for every day use. If the Transcend Jacket seems like it’s a bit too much for the type of riding you do, check out our review on the POC Mantle Thermal Hoodie for a lightweight, warm and breathable pullover for those shoulder seasons.