Best 'no-rain' type bibtights?

bigpikle
bigpikle Posts: 1,690
edited November 2013 in Road buying advice
Quite keen to get a pair of bibs with more water resistance than some of my current longs.

Castelli Nanoflex or Sportful No-Rain both get good reviews but a few reviewers have said that the water shedding quickly wears off after a few washes. Does anyone have first hand experience of these type of bibs and how long they perform well for? Any other alternatives?

Appreciate any experiences please.
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Comments

  • MattC59
    MattC59 Posts: 5,408
    These:

    http://www.enduraequipe.com/products/legwear/thermo_windshield_biblongs.aspx

    They have waterproof panels where they count. Excellent longs, served me well last winter.
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  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    FWIW Sportful and Castelli are the same company. I have some Fluido Nanoflex - they are superb. After a few washes the water-repellency of the fabric wears-off like all treatments (can be re-treated), but the windproof panels continue to do their job. The problem with some tights of this type is that can be too restrictive / clammy - the one area where some miss out is a water-resistant panel on your backside.
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  • brettjmcc
    brettjmcc Posts: 1,361
    Monty Dog wrote:
    FWIW Sportful and Castelli are the same company. I have some Fluido Nanoflex - they are superb. After a few washes the water-repellency of the fabric wears-off like all treatments (can be re-treated), but the windproof panels continue to do their job. The problem with some tights of this type is that can be too restrictive / clammy - the one area where some miss out is a water-resistant panel on your backside.

    I've been searching for these since you mentioned them earlier this year. Looking at Castelli's site they don't seem to do them anymore?
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  • bigpikle
    bigpikle Posts: 1,690
    I know Sportful & Castelli are the same co but I'm not sure these are the same fabric or coatings in both are they? Its a shame the finish wears off after a few washes as that effectively makes them a bit worthless, as I could imagine wearing these every week once autumn/winter arrives again and I'd like them to still be shedding water after Xmas...

    I might look a little differently then and perhaps consider the Gore tights where the weather resistance is the fabric rather than a coating. Pricey but they get good reviews.
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  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    You can reproof kit - using Nikwash. So I reckon you could make any bibtights water resistant. They'd all soak thru in heavier rain though. For me the legs arent so much the problem - they're being used and are warm anyway. Keep the core warm and you should be ok.
  • Giordana G-Shield bib tights can be picked up quite cheap at the moment. Giordana use Aquazero - it's the same black water repellent fabric, but Sportful and Castelli call it Nanoflex while Santini, Giordana, Vermarc and a few others call it Aquazero. The pad in the G-Shield bibs is the same one used in the top-end Forma Red bib shorts that Lotto and OPQ use. So you get boss bum comfort and dry legs – while Castelli give you a pretty base level pad.
  • On one of the other commonly read websites has a nano flex owner who said:
    I've found no issues with repeated washings on a delicates setting.

    Additionally, a very light iron with the lowest setting refreshes the water repellency.

    Mine haven't lost their ability to bead & shed yet but I will be trying this come the time...
  • bigpikle
    bigpikle Posts: 1,690
    well I ended up with some Castelli Sorpasso Windstopper and am very happy. Definitely a bit warmer and the windproof panel ont he legs has been very effective in rain as well. Expensive but I'm worth it ;)
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