Full Leg Protection, Impossibly Mild: Velocio Ultralight TRAIL Pants Overview

Velocio solely began making mountain bike attire a few years in the past and has been steadily rising its product lineup ever since. One of many newest additions to the model’s TRAIL vary is the Ultralight TRAIL Pant. These summer-weight mountain bike trousers are constituted of the identical extremely light-weight materials because the Ultralight Shorts and slot into the lineup alongside the heavier-duty Entry Pant.

In accordance with Velocio, the Ultralight is “a mid-summer path pant designed to be ultralight and ultrabreathable. Three-season versatility when additional protection and safety are warranted. Whether or not it’s a midsummer day on an overgrown path or a shoulder season journey with variable climate, the Ultralight TRAIL Pant will take it in stride.” 

I’ve been testing the Ultralight TRAIL pants for the previous month or so. Summer time was on its final legs after they arrived, however I managed to get a few heat, sunny rides in them earlier than settling into the cooler climate of fall. These pants have served me extremely properly so far, proving to be impressively versatile and definitely residing as much as their Ultralight identify.

Materials

The Velocio Ultralight Pant shares the identical materials because the model’s Ultralight brief. The light-weight “Italian milled stretch woven” materials is a mix of 79% polyamide and 21% elastane. I couldn’t discover the precise gsm weight of the fabric, however it’s extremely mild. The pants in a dimension medium weigh simply 188 grams on my scale. They’re by far the lightest full-length driving pants that I’ve ever worn. In actual fact, they’re solely ~ 50 grams heavier than the shorts.

It’s purposely very skinny, and the 4-way stretch materials is sort of stretchy, with loads of give in all instructions. As cliché because it sounds, they actually do have a “barely there” really feel, particularly in comparison with another MTB pants that I’ve worn — I at present personal roughly 10 pairs and have tried much more than that. The material felt nice towards my pores and skin, with zero irritation, even after pedaling for hours, and there’s no restriction of the pedal stroke in any way.

Velocio payments these as “summer-weight” pants, and I believe that’s a good evaluation. I took a few 80-degree rides in them within the full solar, and it wasn’t stifling or too scorching. The skinny, mild materials breathes extremely properly and doesn’t block wind as a lot as thicker supplies. The laser-cut air flow holes behind the knee add a tiny little bit of airflow as properly.

I additionally took just a few rides in cooler climate, together with one trip in a light-weight however regular drizzle, and I discovered them to be snug in temperatures right down to round 55 – 60 levels. In mild sprinkles, the DWR beaded and shed water very properly, however in a heavier, extra constant drizzle, they acquired soaked by fairly rapidly. That stated, they actually don’t declare to be waterproof, and so they dry in a short time.

Match

Velocio makes a few of the nicest street and gravel biking attire in the marketplace, and that have reveals within the match of the Ultralight Pants. Not surprisingly, they match quite a bit just like the Ultralight Shorts, which is likely to be my all-time favourite. Maybe it’s simply that Velocio’s stuff suits my physique form higher than most different manufacturers, however I’d argue that the model has paneling and contouring completely dialed. 

The match is unquestionably on the slimmer, extra tailor-made aspect of the spectrum. My dimension medium check pair suits my 32-inch waist completely to the purpose that I can put on them and not using a belt if I need. The locking snap closure is safe, and the silicone texture throughout the again of the waistband helps preserve them in place. 

They match me comfortable by the hips and have a relaxed however not dishevelled match by the thighs earlier than tapering over the calves to the ankles. There’s simply sufficient room for low-profile knee pads just like the Fox Enduro Professional that I’ve been sporting lately. The 32-inch inseam size works surprisingly properly for me. I’m 6’0” tall, and so they fall proper to my ankle bones off the bike and don’t actually trip up in any respect whereas pedaling, due to the articulation within the knees and the stretch within the materials.

Pockets

A complete of two pockets, one on every thigh, comprise the storage of the Ultralight Pants. The backloading pockets have vertical zippers and are very straightforward to entry whereas seated on the bike. They’re sufficiently big to suit fashionable smartphones, and their place retains the contents comparatively regular and from interfering with the pedal stroke. They’re equally practical off the bike, too, with room for a cellphone and pockets do you have to be sporting them earlier than or after a trip.

Sturdiness

I don’t have a ton of time or miles within the Ultralight Pants simply but, however there’s nothing about them that offers me any sturdiness issues. Like each different Velocio garment that I’ve tried, the craftsmanship is top-notch and the supplies are prime quality. Sure, the fabric is loopy mild and tremendous skinny, so there’s in all probability the next potential for the fabric to be broken in a heavy crash in comparison with extra sturdy materials. Nonetheless, I’ve acquired 1000’s of miles within the Ultralight Shorts constituted of the identical materials, and so they one way or the other nonetheless look model new — severely, not a fray within the materials or perhaps a unfastened sew. I anticipate the identical from the pants, however will definitely report again if that’s not the case. 

What’s To not Like?

My solely actual critique is that it could be good to have some type of waist adjustment system in-built. The match of the dimensions medium is fairly spot on for my 32-inch waist, however that’s not going to be the case for everybody, and the one approach to actually comfortable them up is to put on a belt. A stretchy belt, like these made by Arcade, works very properly for that objective, however it does add a bit of bulk and weight to an in any other case very glossy, mild, and minimalist pair of pants. 

At $209 retail, they’re additionally comparatively costly. You’ll be able to positively discover mountain bike-specific pants that value much less. However I haven’t tried one other pair of pants which might be as mild and ethereal as these. Primarily based on my expertise with the shorts, I can solely assume that they’ll nonetheless be trying model new two years from now. Time will inform.

My Takeaway

Shoulder season is right here, and with it comes the continuing problem of dressing completely for these in-between temperatures. The Velocio Ultralight Path Pants take a few of the guesswork out of fall and spring, when shorts are just a bit too cool and pants are just a bit too heat — these pants are excellent. They’re extremely mild, extremely breathable, as pedal-friendly as might be, and I discover them to be tremendous snug. 

I don’t know in the event that they’ll convert me to driving in pants all summer season, however for individuals who do, they’re in all probability a bit cooler than what you’re sporting. Plus, they’re versatile sufficient to stretch into the spring and fall seasons till it will get chilly sufficient for one thing extra substantial. Sure, they’re costly, however my expertise with Velocio merchandise has been nothing however optimistic by way of match, perform, high quality, and sturdiness, which helps to justify the associated fee. 

Velocio makes the Ultralight TRAIL Pants for women and men, and so they are available in Black, Madder brown (red-ish), and Spruce Inexperienced. Should you’re on the lookout for one thing a bit of thicker and burlier, the Entry Pants are constituted of a mid-weight Cordura materials however have the identical nice match. You’ll be able to take a look at the total lineup of Velocio MTB Attire at:

velocio.cc