Behind THE AW26 COLLECTION
Making it possible to Ride All Year starts with understanding what each season demands. Meet the R&D team behind AW26 and discover how experience, testing and rider feedback shaped the collection.
COPENHAGEN, SEPTEMBER 2026
Taking proven ideas further
For GripGrab CPO and founder Kristian Krøyer, AW26 builds on knowledge accumulated over many years of developing products for difficult riding conditions.
“One of the main themes behind AW26 is building on concepts we know work, but pushing them forward in terms of performance, fit, materials and overall coherence within the collection.”
That thinking can be seen particularly clearly in the gloves. Proven concepts behind GripGrab winter staples such as Hurricane, Windster and Raptor have evolved into three new gloves within PACR.
The development went beyond simply updating existing products. Fit, materials and construction were reconsidered, while particular attention was paid to how the gloves work as part of the wider PACR collection.
“We wanted to select materials that perform optimally for the individual products, but also make the gloves feel like a natural part of the wider PACR cycling wear collection,” Kristian explains.
Magnus Cort shares his feedback on the new AquaShield Neoprene Raceday Gloves with Product Developer Tobias Tybjerg Christensen, who leads GripGrab’s glove development. Input from professional riders is invaluable when developing a waterproof race glove made to perform in demanding conditions.
Learning from the pros
Another important influence on AW26 came directly from riding at the highest level.
GripGrab’s collaboration with Uno-X Mobility gives the development team valuable feedback from professional riders who spend long hours training through Scandinavian winters, day after day. Their experience in cold and wet conditions helped fuel the development of two new products specifically designed for riding in heavy rain.
For AW26, these are introduced as two new AquaShield products.
For Kristian it all comes back to Ride All Year. If we want to help riders keep going through autumn and winter, the products need to evolve with the demands of the season. AW26 takes what the team has learned from years of developing for difficult riding conditions and translates it into a more refined, coherent and performance-focused collection.
Professional riders are used to pushing themselves and their equipment to the limit. That experience gives us valuable feedback on the details that can make a real difference.
R&D favourites
When you develop cycling wear for people who ride all year, you also spend a lot of time testing it yourself. Products are ridden in, washed, adjusted and tested again, and again..and along the way, some naturally become personal favourites.
For Senior Product Developer Anne-Sofie Goetz, choosing a favourite doesn’t take long. The new PACR Winter Jacket stands out for its combination of materials and race-focused fit, with a shorter, tighter body and pre-shaped sleeves designed to feel natural in the riding position.
Living and riding in the Jura mountains also gives her plenty of opportunities to put it to the test. Throughout winter, she combines the jacket with the PACR Winter Seamless Long Sleeve Base Layer and PACR Insulated Mid-Layer Vest.
For Product Insight Manager Morten Vogt Laustsen, one of the toughest tests for a winter base layer is the constant shift between high-intensity efforts and easy riding or standing still.
During testing, this is exactly what he looks for. The PACR Winter Seamless Long Sleeve Base Layer is designed to move moisture away from the body during harder efforts, helping the rider stay comfortable when the pace drops and the body starts to cool down.
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“For me, that’s when a base layer really proves itself. You may still be sweaty and the fabric may still be carrying moisture, but if you don’t feel clammy, cold or wet, then it’s doing exactly what it should.”
Made to ride all year
AW26 brings together years of product development, professional rider feedback and experience from riding through the colder months. Different products, different needs and different conditions – all developed with the same purpose.
To keep you riding all year.
