Pearson Survival Of The Fittest Bib Tights

Pearson's Survival of the Fittest bib tights come with a comfortable pad and good core body coverage. The use of all-recycled plastic gives them an environmental tick, too.

If you're interested in the Pearson Survival of the Fittest tights, check out our Best Winter Bib Tights buyer’s guide, with options from £80 to over £200.

Starting at the back, the upper panel and shoulder straps are all one piece of non-fleecy nylon with 27% elastane for stretch in all directions. The straps are edged with a broad strip that appears to be bonded to the mesh and stayed that way.

Where the straps join the stomach panel, the stitching is tidy and flat, and there may also be some bonding involved to reduce the amount of sewn seam. It makes for a comfortable, flat-fitting arrangement that didn't dig or rub.

All the remaining leg and body panels (I counted 17) are fleece-backed Roubaix with 17% elastane. The long seams down the inside and outside of the legs, and down the lower belly, up the back and all around the pad, were very flat inside and out, and of high quality. These are not going to pull apart in a hurry.

The lower belly coverage is extended right up the midriff by another panel that, on me, came right up to the chest. It makes for a warm ride – perhaps too warm in milder autumn conditions – but I used them right down to temperatures of 3°C and was tolerably comfortable, just beginning to feel the chill around the loins and groins at that temperature. However, stopping for a wet on the wall reminded me that there's no front zip, so you need to 'lob it over the net'.

At the ankle, there's neither zip nor stirrup to hold everything in place, but a stretchy border backed with an inch or so of grippy silicone. I didn't find this sat very tightly, but I have narrow ankles. Over a winter sock it was enough to prevent the ankle sliding up. This arrangement's worked fine with bib shorts for years. I wonder why more manufacturers don't do it.

The designers have decided to insert an extra panel at the back of the knee. I can see why they have done this, for improved articulation, but they haven't employed the same flat seams and the result is rather lumpy. It doesn't help that this join goes right around the mid-thigh, resulting in some rather puckered panel junctions above the knee. I worried this might result in some chafing in use, but it didn't.

The slightly Nora Batty experience was not helped by the size large coming up quite, er, large. On Pearson's size guide I came up as a large for chest but medium waist and suspect I could have sized down for a snugger fit. That's fine, but when it came to Pearson's Test Your Mettle insulated jacket (review to come), I had to consider an XL for the sleeve length. This would have resulted in my ideal combination being an M and an XL from the same manufacturer.

Anyway, the large meant there was plenty of length in both leg and body for my 6ft 3in frame.

Pad

Pearson says the pad is its in-house design and, while it looks nothing elaborate it's really comfortable. Even on a couple of hard 60-mile rides over the Northumberland hills in November and December my rear was the least of my worries. That's a rarity for me, the patron saint of saddle sores.

There are some printed-on reflective detail for the finishing touches (the calf reflectives being thoughtfully positioned so they don't get covered up by your winter overshoes) and a nice little logo button in the middle of the back. The tights come in navy blue as well as black and in six sizes, but sadly, as yet no women's version (its bib shorts do).

The 100% recycled fabric is a bonus for the environmentally minded, the tough and tidy construction suggests you'll get a lot of use for your £110 outlay, and the 'Made in Portugal' tag is nice if you're not happy about pouring your hard-earned readies into the Chinese economy.

That's a decent price compared with another pair of bib tights made from all-recycled fabrics, Shutt VR's Tourmalet, as given a solid 8/10 by Stu and retailing at £129.99. They are, however, £25 more than Lusso's Classic Thermal Bib Tights, which are good at any price, but at £85 are hard to beat. They're UK made, too – but at the time of writing are only available in small and XXL.

As go-to winter tights, the Pearsons are certainly worth considering, especially if you're prepared to try a couple of pairs to find your ideal fit.

Verdict

Up-to-your-pits coverage and an excellent pad make for a warm and comfortable ride, but beware the Nora Batty knees