Details
Softail™ Pad delivers unparalleled comfort for those gnarly long days in the saddle. >Differential density, multi-level foam construction provides additional padding at pressure points without increased bulk. >3D anatomical shaping and seamless construction hug your body for a performance fit. >Polyester-knit face fabric against your skin disperses heat and moisture. >Anti-bacterial finish maintains hygiene. >Dries rapidly after washing.
Reviews
Bike Radar - Mar 10
These tights have been the biggest surprise of the winter. They hail from New Zealand so you won't be surprised to learn they're made, at least in part, from the favoured Kiwi material, merino wool.
The legs are Lycra, though, specifically four-way stretch Hot Shot Lycra which lets your legs spin freely and is sewn with flat-stitched seams for next-to-no-chafing even when wet.
For a bit of extra night-time visibility each leg has a reflective logo on the calf. Keeping things comfortable is a really good seamless synthetic antibacterial chamois. Whether wet or dry, there was no bunching, creep or hot spots. Perfect.
All these great features would be good enough in themselves to have us recommending them, but the SnakeBites have another trick up their leg. The torso portion fits more like a full vest, covering your chest, back and sides.
It's made from quality Heatwave merino wool and wearing it is quite literally a winter riding luxury. You can put a base layer underneath, but our tip is choose a thin one because you'll end up being a bit too roasty-toasty otherwise.
By Justin Loretz, What Mountain Bike.
Hot Shot™ Lycra
Italian stretch fleece used for winter shorts and tights. 4-way stretch nylon with a tightly woven, hardwearing outer and a brushed inner delivers winter warmth. It dries quickly and is blended with 13% lycra to stretch and move with your body.
> Composition: 87% nylon; 13% lycra
A bi-component thermal fabric combining 51% merino wool and 49% polyester. Superfine 18.5 micron New Zealand merino wicks sweat away from your skin while the polyester provides a durable, non-pill outer. Lightweight at just 160gm/m2 and machine washable. Developed by Ground Effect and knitted for us in New Zealand.
> Composition: 51% Merino; 49% polyester
Man vs Wild
Merino is unrivalled for comfort as a body layer. It absorbs more moisture than synthetic fibres, mopping up excess sweat rather than letting it settle and cool on your skin. However high-aerobic activities like cycling will often overload ordinary merino. Heatwave's polyester component repels moisture to avoid total saturation of the fabric - so it dries faster to keep you toasty.
Snug-as-a-Bug Fit
Heatwave™ Merino tops are intended to hug your body, ensuring the fabric sits against your skin to wick sweat away - keeping you dry and not chilling out.
Hot ‘n’ Cold
As a single garment Heatwave™ Merino regulates your temperature through a wide range of conditions. Delivering comfort in all but the hottest climes. Yet it is versatile enough to layer under a WindFoil™ top or HydroFoil™ jacket in winter.
Sizing
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.
Essential bodywear to survive nuclear winters and sub-zero training rides when there's no chance of overheating. Heatwave&trade Merino keeps chilling sweat off your torso while 4-way stretch thermal lycra lets your legs spin freely. Bibs keep you tucked in and the long front zip lets you relieve pressure without breaching too many by-laws.
> Heatwave&trade Merino vest.
> Fast-drying, 4-way stretch Hot Shot Lycra tights.
> No-elastic waist means zero pressure around your midriff.
> Flat seams for enhanced comfort.
> Calf zips to ease 'em on and off.
> Hazard! reflective logos on each calf for increased nocturnal presence.
> Softail&trade Pad - 3D anatomical shaping, multi-level foam, rapid drying, seamless synthetic 'chamois' pad with anti-bacterial finish.
> Made by us in New Zealand.
> Both are made from four-way stretch Hot Shot 4-way stretch nylon with a brushed inner for winter warmth and a tightly woven, hardwearing outer. It dries quickly and is blended with 13% lycra to stretch and move with your body.
> The Daddy Long Legs are a layering garment that you wear over your lycra shorts. The legs have a WindFoil fleece front to protect your knees from biting wind and a fleece panel around your kidneys to keep 'em toasty. The calf zips allow you to whip them off over your cycle shoes when the going gets hot.
> Snake Bites are two garments in one... a pair of Hot Shot Lycra thermal tights coupled with a Heatwave Merino vest.
> Snake Bites have our Softail pad for all day riding comfort. But you lose the versatility of the Daddy Long Legs than can be added or removed at your will - providing slightly less absolute performance but greater versatility.
> The Daddy Long Legs are also available in an XS size - which roughly equates to a women's small.
Tell me about the pad in these shorts.
> Softail™ Pad delivers unparalleled comfort for those gnarly long days in the saddle. Differential density, multi-level foam construction provides additional padding at pressure points without increased bulk. 3D anatomical shaping, 4-way stretch and seamless construction hug your body for a performance fit. Polyester-knit face fabric against your skin disperses heat and moisture. Anti-bacterial finish maintains hygiene and dries rapidly after washing.
> It requires no special care and dries very quickly after washing (it loves a warm wash!).
> There are two main differences between the women's-specific and men's-unisex versions of the Softail pad. While the moulded part of the pad remains the same the pad is shorter at the front in the women's version. The position of the pad in the short is also gender specific, with differently shaped panels in the short's gusset supporting the pad.
Should I wear underwear with these shorts?
> Hell no. You want to have as smooth an interface as possible between your bum and the saddle. The seams on your underwear will inevitably be in the wrong place - causing rubbing and saddle sores. Also underwear is generally cotton - nice for everyday use but damp skin below is more susceptible to chaffing.
Washing Instructions?
> Ground Effect shorts 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 technical fabrics and may cause skin irritation. Bleach strips dye and can also cause irritation.
> With shorts in particular, cold-water detergents and those with bleach can cause 'nappy-rash' so if you're experiencing issues in that department try a warm wash and a change of cleaning brew. As a rule of thumb, product that is easy on the planet is also easy on your body. Plant based soaps like Ecover or specific sport wash formula are recommended.
> Hand washing is sometimes the only option on tour, but a washing machine rinses more thoroughly and is preferable if you have the choice.
> The shorts and pad dry super-fast, so drying on the line or hanging over the bedpost does the trick. Or use a dryer on a warm (not hot) cycle.
> UV rays accelerate the decay of lycra. Our fabric is knitted so the lycra component lies on the inside of the fabric - shielding it from the sun when you're out riding. Consequently you should avoid drying these shorts inside-out. It's not a bad idea to do so occasionally as the sun does help keep the pad hygienic - although it is treated with an anti-bacterial finish anyway. But drying in this manner is a trade-off with the damage done to the lycra.
> It's common practice to not wear underwear with your riding shorts so you need to wash your shorts daily.