review: Zoot ultra trishorts

I have a pair of the 2006 Zoot Ultras that I love, so I thought that I'd get a pair of the new 2008 ones. Oh boy, have they changed these shorts! Zoot's size large is generally the correct size for me, so that's what I ordered. The new Ultras are much more of a compression fabric. That translates to it didn't fit at all in the legs. I couldn't pull them up because they were so tight. I went back and tried on the old ones. Yup, they still fit. Then I rechecked the size on the new ones to make sure they'd sent me a large, not a medium.

While the material at the legs and butt are this new fabric, the waist band, which doesn't come up as high as the old version, is not compressive at all. In fact, in the large, it was somewhat loose.

I sent back the large for an extra large. The lower part of the shorts fit, but now the waist gaped. There was no stretch to the fabric at all. And it's cut so low that I had "plumber's crack". Ugh.

If you have a larger waist and smaller legs this may be the trishort for you. Otherwise I would look elsewhere. (I like Zoot. I'm going to try their Endurance line. But I'm done with the Ultra.)

Hey Roadiegal,

How do these compare to the other shorts you recommended (the "top shelf pro line" by aero tech from the other shorts thread)? Do you wear them for the same kind of rides? I'm thinking of ordering the other ones, but their size charts just go by waist, not hips, so how do sizes run?

I do mostly 20-30 mile rides several times a week, so I need something that will hold up to a lot of washing.

The trishorts have only a minimal fleece pad. They're specifically designed so that you can swim and run in them as well as bike. Like I said the Zoot shorts are VERY compressive.

The aerotech shorts are full on bike shorts with a multilayer pad. The material, while supportive, doesn't make you feel like an overstuffed sausage in a tight casing.

I have a 30" waist and @42" hips. The woman's large fits me perfectly. The sizing runs pretty true.

Oh, thanks! Hadn't noticed that you wrote the Zoots were tris in the title. That makes sense.

I think I'm going to give the aerotechs a try.