Details
Turns into itself to form a tidy package in your backpack or pannier.
Reviews
What Mountain Bike - Dec 09
"Decent waterproof over-shorts for when it's really tipping down"
The 3/4-length Helter Skelter shorts are waterproof, but not really designed for planned wet rides- they're more for changeable weather days.
The waterproof Hydrofoil shell shorts roll up into their own zip rear pocket, so they're ideal for storing at the bottom of your riding pack for deployment as an over-layer.
You could go with just a liner underneath, but the fabric feels a bit odd so they're better over other shorts. If it's raining you probably ought to opt for something like the Altura Attacks, which are waterproof riding shorts rather than waterproof over-shorts.
By Justin Loretz, What Mountain Bike
Mountain Biking Australia - Jul 09
No one likes riding with a wet chamois but rainproof long pants are simply too hot and cumbersome for anything more than a gentle commute. Ground Effect may have come up with a solution with their 3/4 length 'Helter Skelter' rain pants. They are made from a lightweight, waterproof yet breathable fabric called Hyrdrofoil. It should keep your backside dry and mud free without having full-length legs to get caught in your chain and make you overheat. This New Zealand mad garment features articulated knees, fully tape-sealed seams and Velcro tabs on the cuffs.
Bicycling Australia - Jun 09
We don't normally put 'mountain bike' products into 'Top Gear', but these pants were so impressive, we felt we had to. I spent years sitting on trains with a wet chamois and if these pants were around then I could have avoided so much discomfort. Made from breathable hydrofoil fabric, the Helter Skelters are a commuter's dream. The three quarter length stops them getting tangled in the chainrings, as well as making them easy to put on in a hurry. The tabs at the bottom stop them from flapping around and they fold away into a zippered rear pocket. They have articulated knees and the fabric is good enough that you don't look like a Gumby when not on the bike.
NZ Mountain Biker - Jun 09
Designed for commuting and touring duties; these three-quarter length waterproof rain pants from Ground Effect proved 100% effective at stopping rain and road surface water from ruining my ride to work on wet days. The knee length is bang on: long enough to stop the wind from freezing that oh-so-important leg joint, but short enough that pedalling movement allows enough air circulation to avoid any feeling that you're riding in a plastic bag. Which is why Ground Effect has gone for 3/4 length rather than full trousers: aside from the potential to get the leg caught in the chain, waterproof trousers tend to get hot and clammy pretty quickly.
Adjustable velcro tabs allow the legs to be cinched up below the knee to whatever tightness you prefer - I usually left them with a fair bit of slack, to encourage air flow. One downside versus full length trousers is of course that water runs down your shins into your shoes, but unless you have waterproof shoes, they're going to be wet anyway. Of course, the Helter Skelters are windproof too, so they fend off cold winds as well.
Despite Ground Effect making no claims about their suitability for mountain biking, they made my day on their first off-road outing -which included a bit of standing around in the rain. While my ride mates' saggy wet baggies flapped around and then clung in a cold muddy embrace on their legs, I completed my ride in dry comfort quite happy -smug even.
There's a certain amount of roominess in the crotch region that gave me some concern I might snag them on the seat in a dodgy muddy trail move, but it didn't ever happen, so my concerns seem unfounded. The one small pocket at the rear was perfect for a cell phone or muesli bars, but as it's quite small, I would ideally have liked two of these pockets.
Some might say that three-quarter length looks dorky -but the other option for avoiding wet-butt on a rainy commute would be mudguards, which clearly fall into that same category. And mudguards won't keep you dry from water falling from the sky, whereas the Helter Skelters do. Overall: simply awesome for wet weather riding.
Carl Patton
Specifically developed for high aerobic activities. 2.5 layer HydroFoil™ fabric combines a lightweight ripstop nylon shell with a composite membrane that is completely waterproof, totally windproof and extremely breathable. The outer fabric is treated with a water repellent finish that encourages rain to bead up and roll off, while an inner textured finish enhances comfort against your body
> Composition: 100% nylon with PU laminate
> 20,000mm hydrostatic head with durable water-repellent finish on face fabric
> Breathability: 15,000gm per sq.m per 24hSizing
This chart is a guide only – if you fall in-between sizes, the right size for you will depend on your body shape and how loose or tight you like to wear your clothes. It's no hassle to swap it, if your first choice is not the best fit.
| Unisex | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
S |
M |
L |
XL |
|
|
Height |
163 -
172 cm |
169 - 178 cm |
175 - 185 cm |
183 - 191 cm |
|
Chest |
91 -
97 cm |
98 - 104 cm |
105 - 111 cm |
112 - 118 cm |
|
Waist |
73 - 79 cm |
80 - 86 cm |
87 - 93 cm |
94 - 100 cm |
|
Hips |
87 - 95 cm |
96 - 103 cm |
104 - 111 cm |
112 - 120 cm |
Unisex vs Women's Sizes
Most Ground Effect designs are unisex. The jackets, tights
and baggy tops generally fit both men and women equally well.
Fitted garments like cycle shorts and some tops are more gender
specific so there is generally a women's version in the Outskirts
range.
Out-of-control rain pants for committed commuters, the playfully insane and long distance tourers. Three-quarter length styling makes 'em easy to pull on and off, enhances breathability, avoids chain suck and reduces bulk when stashed. HydroFoil fabric shields your thighs from deluges and your bum from rear wheel splatter.
> Lightweight waterproof-breathable 2.5 layer HydroFoil fabric with fully tape-sealed seams for maximum waterproofness.
> Zipped fly with gripper elastic waist keeps them hitched up.
> One piece gusseted crutch.
> Articulated knees.
> Velcro speed tabs at cuffs.
> Zipped rear pocket.
> Turns into itself to form a tidy package in your backpack or pannier.
> Hazard! reflective labels.
> Made by us in New Zealand.
> We've extensively tested both full length and 3/4 waterproof pants over the last few years and have concluded that wearing 3/4's more often than not provides the best trade-off between functionality and performance. In particular the ability to avoid overheating when out riding in the Helter Skelters, which is a major sticking point when wearing full length overtrou.
How waterproof is it?
> The challenge is for a jacket to keep you as dry as possible. With all shell fabrics this involves a trade-off between waterproofness and breathability. Even garments made from the most waterproof fabrics will eventually leak when you're belting along at 30kph in the wet (rain gets in through the collar, cuffs or closures). It's difficult to quantify waterproofness in meaningful terms for cycling. Keeping the wind out stops the majority of heat loss.
> The Phantom, Doctor Smock and Flip Flop keep you dry in intermittent rain or light showers. In persistent rain you'll probably begin to feel damp after about half an hour.
> The Flash Gordon provides extended protection and is good for up to a couple of hours in continuous rain.
> If you're heading into exposed areas for a day or longer or often ride in the rain for more than a couple of hours, then choose the Storm Trooper or She Shell for maximum protection - with its tape sealed seams and hood. And remember, if it all gets too grim then it's okay to hunt down a warm fire and a pint of Guinness.
> What ever your choice, it's important to use any shell in combination with an effective base layer (a Heatwave Merino, HyperActive or micro-fleece 100 top) so that any accumulated moisture is transferred away from your skin.
How breathable is it?
> Cycling is a highly aerobic activity - so you sweat a lot. Even the most breathable fabrics won't actually stop you sweating and because they're windproof, you lose the cooling effect of the air rushing past as you ride.
> The Phantom, Doctor Smock and Flip Flop use Microfibre fabric - very breathable and totally windproof but only provides some water repellency.
> The Flash Gordon, Storm Trooper and She Shell all use 2.5 layer HydroFoil fabric. Specifically developed for high aerobic activities, it is extremely breathable - around 2-3 times more so than standard waterproof-breathable fabrics. The latest spec 2.5 layer version has a textured finish on the inside that improves comfort. Under arm vents in the Storm Trooper and She Shell provide additional temperature control and all the HydroFoil jackets feature full-length front zips.
Washing Instructions?
> Ground Effect shells enjoy a warm machine wash. Try to avoid cold-water detergents and those with bleach. The cold-water varieties have little enzymes that are super-charged to brave the cold but can damage the HydroFoil fabric. Bleach may attack the HydroFoil laminate. Also avoid products containing fabric softeners, ie. wool wash. These destroy the water repellent finish.
> Select a mild plant-based soap - like 'Ecover' or a specific sport wash like Grangers Extreme Cleaner, Nikwax Tech Wash or our new favourite Atsko Sport Wash (around NZ$30 from most outdoor shops). Check out www.grangers.co.uk, www.nikwax.com or Atsko.com for more info. Any stubborn stains should be dabbed not rubbed clean. For grease spots you can use a degreaser like Swarfega. It's aggressive stuff though so take care - it might be best left alone as added character.
> Try not to wash too often. General wear along with washing progressively removes the water repellent treatment from the outside of the fabric. This treatment helps rain to bead and run off - and enhances the overall performance of the fabric. You can help restore it after a wash by chucking your jacket in the dryer using a warm (not hot) cycle. This 'recharges' the water repellent treatment so it lasts a bit longer. When this trick no longer does its magic you can beef up the original treatment to some extent with a product like Grangers Extreme Synthetics, Nikwax TX Direct or Atsko Permanent Water Guard (around NZ$30-40 from most outdoor shops). A bottle is good for two or three rounds with your jacket. The effectiveness of this process depends on the age and condition of your jacket. Expect ok results if the fabric is only 'wetting out' in patches (the 'mid-life' crisis). If the entire jacket is 'wetting-out' rapidly in light rain then it already has one-foot-in-the-grave and beading is unlikely to improve much from the treatment. The 40 bucks maybe better spent put towards a new jacket. Note that while the fabric's wetting-out impairs performance, particularly breathability, the HydroFoil laminate should still be waterproof.