The Modarchy has no frivolous features, just the necessities

The Modarchy Jacket by Toronto eco-brand Modrobes achieves what many clothing manufacturers aspire to, ultimate utility from ultimate simplicity. It comes in your choice of black, grey or brown and retails for $109.  It’s a no-nonsense design that has only what you need and nothing that you don’t: two zip up pockets on the outside, two pockets on the inside, a hood with draw cords for when it’s really coming down, and a front zipper with dual pull tabs. That’s it, no pit zips, no crazy colours, no radar beacons, ID pouches, laser beams or other eye candy. Simple.

This simplicity masks just how versatile this jacket really is. First of all, while I’m pretty sure it is in fact a jacket, a more accurate description could be “lightweight mid-layer”. On the sliding scale of layers,  the Modarchy falls somewhere between a hoody and a softshell. It’s incredibly flexible and lightweight, being made from one layer of 4% spandex and 96% recycled polyester. As a matter of fact, Modrobes prides itself on making only environmentally friendly clothing, from the recycled materials they use to their manufacturing processes. An added bonus for the ethical athlete is that all of their products are made in Canada.

The polyester-spandex blend is thin, stretchy, and comfortable. The outside pockets are sewn in to create inside pockets

There are many things that I love about this jacket, and only a few that I don’t. First of all, it’s light enough that you barely notice you’re wearing it (or have it stashed in your bag), but not so light that it can’t hold up to the elements. I wore mine all through the fall, winter, and spring and only noticed leaking in torrential rains after I put it through multiple rounds in the washing machine, including hot washes, which eventually caused the DWR coating to wear off. If it’s warm, wear it by itself, if its cold, wear it on top of  heavy wool sweater and thermals; that’s all I found necessary down to fifteen below. When things get harsh, the zipper comes to right under your chin, making an effective seal, and the sleeves have thumb holes at the ends that help to keep things out. If you’re on a bike, you can cinch the hood tight enough that it effectively becomes a bulky collar instead catching the wind. It fits well under packs straps, vests, and helmets, and transitions from the urban scene to the trail with ease.

The Modarchy works well as a jacket for bicycle commuting, and the hood can cinch up to become a collar while you ride

There are really only two things that would improve the Modarchy in my eyes. The main improvement would be the addition of a waist cinch. The Modarchy has a very generous cut, similar to a traditional bike jacket, that provides ample coverage, but leaves the bottom hanging loose off the body, which can be annoying when the wind picks up. The other feature I’m wary of is the durability of the zippers. Initially I had difficulty doing up the front zipper, as the dual tabs seemed reluctant to fit together snugly. This problem solved itself, but now the bottom of the front zipper has begun to fray as a result of the tugging initially necessary to zip it up. On a purely cosmetic note, the reflective logos on mine, which are hardly noticeable to begin with, began to scrape off from the regular abrasion of my shoulder bag strap. Overall though, these setbacks do not in any way compromise the jacket, and I am confident in its quality and durability as a performance product. It’s seen me through some tough scrapes, including rain, snowstorms, and a collision with a car that scarred my face but left nothing on the jacket.

I would give the Modarchy jacket a rating of 8.5/10, and encourage people to check it out, along with the rest of the Modrobes catalog.

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Review by: Trevor Clark. Photography by: Justin Dreimanis.