Solo Possum Merino Wool Beanie

 

Take a look behind the scenes at the latest Solo photo shoot

by Brian Palmer at the washing machine post

brushtail possums are sort of cute little furry animals that are indigenous to australia and new guinea, and can be roughly compared to the squirrel in terms of their place in society. they are nocturnal and generally considered to be pests in urban areas because of their predilection for vegetation and fruit. about 150 years ago, european settlers introduced them to new zealand with an eye on a burgeoning fur industry. unfortunately, as is often the case with so-called well meaning human intervention, the little blighters didn't take long to escape into the wild, procreating in a manner not dissimilar to that of rabbits. the 2009 estimate for the number of new zealand brushtail possums in the wild was close on 70 million. a pest, though not entirely of its own doing.

brushtail possums have no natural predators in the wild and thus have proceeded to destroy vast areas of new zealand's native forests, eating around 21,000 tonnes of vegetation every evening. and you thought you were hungry. birdlife, including the kiwi, and many native tree species are now threatened with extinction. so before those of us who are identifiable tree-huggers get really upset that these cute and cuddlies are being shot, at least, if consolation is sought, their fur, which is similar in texture to that of mink, is being put to good use. though i'm not sure too many possums would totally agree.

paul mason at solo cyclewear in auckland has decided to utilise the outcome of all the foregoing to alloy a 60% possum fur mix with 40% merino, plop a peak on the front and provide us northerners with a more than adequate means of keeping head and ears warm this winter. and should you need a smidgeon more convincing as to the efficacy of this ploy, possum fur is one of only two natural fibres that doesn't freeze; the other one belongs to the polar bear, a fur that won't be appearing on a cycle cap anytime soon.

in appearance, the solo possum beanie looks a little like one of those mohair jumpers, with a myriad of little hairs scooting out in all directions. it's lovely and soft, fits under a helmet just dinky-doo, and has the distinct advantage of pulling down over the tops of your ears when it's cold. just like it is now. and yesterday too. the peak is well judged, since it's just a fine size to keep that low, watery sun from blinding the eyes when judging when to outjump cavendish. the back features what i now take to be a solo trademark red tab wrapping to the inside. one size fits all, and will likely fit me all winter. cost is £26 ($44).





It fits underneath a helmet comfortably, and a small peak not only looks good but also serves the useful function of shielding your eyes from the nuclear-blast brightness of the sun on blue-sky winter days. A small red tab on the rear gives a subtle dose of Solo style.

Apparently, along with Polar Bear fur, Possum fur is one of only two natural fibres in the world that won't freeze when wet - handy to know when you're heading out on those bitterly cold days. Like today. And yesterday.

Verdict: Soft, comfortable and warm, 5 Stars.