Review: Ion's 2022 Outerwear Collection
Ion's new outerwear collection comes with the tagline 'get over it' - it being the cold and wet weather that tends to discourage many of us from riding as much this time of year. I had the pleasure of testing a women's kit as the weather has cooled down and I've increasingly needed some well-thought-out garments to keep the elements out and the warmth in. Below are my impressions.
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The Shelter Jacket 3L is designed to keep rain and wind out while maintaining breathability and giving riders plenty of features. It has two armpit zip vents, a helmet-compatible elasticized hood, and two chest pockets, one of which has a goggle wipe inside.
The four-way-stretch fabric is soft and flexible without the crinkly noises that often come from water-repellent jackets. The grey and black color blocking looks nice to me, especially with the light blue zipper, but it's available in "tidal green" and grey with a pink zipper as well for those who want a bit more color. The men's version is available in the same colors but with more neutral zippers.
The Shelter Jacket 3L is easy to like. Mainly, it's the attention to detail that I'm impressed by: the hood snugs around a helmet or helmetless head thanks to its elastic, eliminating the need for any adjustments, and the sleeves are perfectly shaped to cover the backs of the wrist and snug against the inner wrist using, again, nicely-placed elastic. All the seams and zippers are sealed to keep water out, and the pocket placement is user-friendly.
The fit is quite true to size, essentially exactly what I'd expect from a women's medium. As a tall person with long limbs, I really appreciate not only the shape but the length of the sleeves, though that's something to be aware of for the shorter folks.
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+ Comfortable
+ Well thought out
+ Very breathable for the warmth
- Sleeves may be a bit long for those without long limbs
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The Shelter Pants 4W Softshell are a bit more robust than the jacket, with reinforcement on the lower legs and seat and a durable, softshell material. As with the Shelter Jacket 3L, Ion has excelled once again in the outerwear department. The Shelter Pants 4W Softshell are quite comfortable and have just the right amount of stretch, so they don't limit any pedaling or other movement.
In the interest of range of movement and flexibility, they have a short zipper at the bottom of each leg - a feature I've been calling the Instant Bell Bottom™ (no, Ion has not cosigned on that name). The zipper is nice for putting on tall socks or knee pads (depending on the knee pads).
The pants' other features are smart, too. Two mesh vents let extra heat out on the uphills but seal nicely the descents, hook and loop adjustments ensure a good fit at the waist, the closure snap is plenty sturdy, and there's a neoprene lining in the right hip pocket to offer a bit of protection for a cell phone.
These pants are some that not only will serve me on lots of chilly bike rides in the months and years to come, but will also come in handy for other cold-weather sports.
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+ Four-way stretch for maximum comfort
+ Smart features
+ Versatile and robust
- Some might not like the extra zippers on the calves
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Silicone dots on the palm help with grip, and there's a small thumb patch that'll work as a goggle wipe. Although they're not bulky, the gloves are warmer than many fall and winter riding gloves, especially with the rain cover. The rain cover also helped me to find the sweet spot of climbing without the cover before adding that extra warmth for the descents, thus avoiding the problem of sweating and then freezing.
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+ Claw rain cover
+ Warm without sacrificing dexterity
- On the pricey side
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+ Breathable
+ More features than most jerseys with minimal added weight
- Maybe too breathable - a bit see-through
- A bit baggy
The Shelter Jacket 3L is designed to keep rain and wind out while maintaining breathability and giving riders plenty of features. It has two armpit zip vents, a helmet-compatible elasticized hood, and two chest pockets, one of which has a goggle wipe inside.
The four-way-stretch fabric is soft and flexible without the crinkly noises that often come from water-repellent jackets. The grey and black color blocking looks nice to me, especially with the light blue zipper, but it's available in "tidal green" and grey with a pink zipper as well for those who want a bit more color. The men's version is available in the same colors but with more neutral zippers.
Shelter Jacket 3L Details
• Sizes: women's XS-XL and men's S-XXL
• Ion's 4way_Stretch fabric (which is, yeah, exactly what it sounds like)
• Breathable and water-repellent: 20,000mm water column & 20,000 gr/m/24h breathability
• Armpit vents, goggle wipe, and helmet-compatible hood
• $249.99 USD / $319.99 CAD
• www.ion-products.com (men's available here)
• Sizes: women's XS-XL and men's S-XXL
• Ion's 4way_Stretch fabric (which is, yeah, exactly what it sounds like)
• Breathable and water-repellent: 20,000mm water column & 20,000 gr/m/24h breathability
• Armpit vents, goggle wipe, and helmet-compatible hood
• $249.99 USD / $319.99 CAD
• www.ion-products.com (men's available here)
The Shelter Jacket 3L is easy to like. Mainly, it's the attention to detail that I'm impressed by: the hood snugs around a helmet or helmetless head thanks to its elastic, eliminating the need for any adjustments, and the sleeves are perfectly shaped to cover the backs of the wrist and snug against the inner wrist using, again, nicely-placed elastic. All the seams and zippers are sealed to keep water out, and the pocket placement is user-friendly.
The fit is quite true to size, essentially exactly what I'd expect from a women's medium. As a tall person with long limbs, I really appreciate not only the shape but the length of the sleeves, though that's something to be aware of for the shorter folks.
Pros
+ Comfortable
+ Well thought out
+ Very breathable for the warmth
Cons
- Sleeves may be a bit long for those without long limbs
The Shelter Pants 4W Softshell are a bit more robust than the jacket, with reinforcement on the lower legs and seat and a durable, softshell material. As with the Shelter Jacket 3L, Ion has excelled once again in the outerwear department. The Shelter Pants 4W Softshell are quite comfortable and have just the right amount of stretch, so they don't limit any pedaling or other movement.
In the interest of range of movement and flexibility, they have a short zipper at the bottom of each leg - a feature I've been calling the Instant Bell Bottom™ (no, Ion has not cosigned on that name). The zipper is nice for putting on tall socks or knee pads (depending on the knee pads).
Shelter Pants 4W Softshell Details
• Sizes: women's XS-XL, men's S-XXL
• 4way_Stretch fabric
• Mesh vents on thighs
• Neoprene phone pocket
• Zip calves
• Adjustable waistband
• $169.99 USD / $219.99 CAD
• www.ion-products.com (men's available here)
• Sizes: women's XS-XL, men's S-XXL
• 4way_Stretch fabric
• Mesh vents on thighs
• Neoprene phone pocket
• Zip calves
• Adjustable waistband
• $169.99 USD / $219.99 CAD
• www.ion-products.com (men's available here)
The pants' other features are smart, too. Two mesh vents let extra heat out on the uphills but seal nicely the descents, hook and loop adjustments ensure a good fit at the waist, the closure snap is plenty sturdy, and there's a neoprene lining in the right hip pocket to offer a bit of protection for a cell phone.
These pants are some that not only will serve me on lots of chilly bike rides in the months and years to come, but will also come in handy for other cold-weather sports.
Pros
+ Four-way stretch for maximum comfort
+ Smart features
+ Versatile and robust
Cons
- Some might not like the extra zippers on the calves
The Haze Amp gloves are a durable option for those looking for some extra warmth on rides where they'll encounter some rain and wind. The gloves fit nicely, with a neoprene cuff and wind-resistant backing, and come with a bonus integrated rain cover that folds under the cuff when it isn't needed. The claw shape of the rain cover allows for index finger braking while keeping the rest of the fingers together for warmth.
There's also a screen-compatible fingertip, so using a cell phone doesn't have to mean losing feeling to your fingers.
There's also a screen-compatible fingertip, so using a cell phone doesn't have to mean losing feeling to your fingers.
Haze Amp Gloves Details
• Sizes: unisex XXS-XL
• Wind-resistant material
• Integrated claw rain cover
• Velcro closure and neoprene cuff
• Screen-compatible fingertip
• $69.99 USD/ $89.99 CAD
• www.ion-products.com
• Sizes: unisex XXS-XL
• Wind-resistant material
• Integrated claw rain cover
• Velcro closure and neoprene cuff
• Screen-compatible fingertip
• $69.99 USD/ $89.99 CAD
• www.ion-products.com
Silicone dots on the palm help with grip, and there's a small thumb patch that'll work as a goggle wipe. Although they're not bulky, the gloves are warmer than many fall and winter riding gloves, especially with the rain cover. The rain cover also helped me to find the sweet spot of climbing without the cover before adding that extra warmth for the descents, thus avoiding the problem of sweating and then freezing.
Pros
+ Claw rain cover
+ Warm without sacrificing dexterity
Cons
- On the pricey side
The Bike Tee Scrub LS jersey isn't part of the Outerwear collection, but it arrived with the rest of the goods, so I'm including it for good measure. The jersey is made of a mesh torso and solid sleeves, all made of polyester with what Ion calls S.Café technology, which uses coffee grounds to treat the fabric to provide better wicking and odor control.
I can't exactly speak to the effectiveness of S.Café, but I can say that, like all the Ion products above, the jersey is thoughtfully designed and integrates features that we don't usually see in jerseys without adding unnecessary weight. On the back, there's a small pocket that can hold a lift ticket or a key, and on the other side, there's a microfiber goggle wipe.
I can't exactly speak to the effectiveness of S.Café, but I can say that, like all the Ion products above, the jersey is thoughtfully designed and integrates features that we don't usually see in jerseys without adding unnecessary weight. On the back, there's a small pocket that can hold a lift ticket or a key, and on the other side, there's a microfiber goggle wipe.
Bike Tee Scrub LS Details
• Sizes: women's XS-XL, men's S-XXL
• Ventilated mesh torso
• S.Café fabric finish claims to provide odor control and faster drying
• Small pocket on the back
• Integrated goggle wipe
• $79.99 USD / $99.99 CAD
• www.ion-products.com (men's available here)
• Sizes: women's XS-XL, men's S-XXL
• Ventilated mesh torso
• S.Café fabric finish claims to provide odor control and faster drying
• Small pocket on the back
• Integrated goggle wipe
• $79.99 USD / $99.99 CAD
• www.ion-products.com (men's available here)
Pros
+ Breathable
+ More features than most jerseys with minimal added weight
Cons
- Maybe too breathable - a bit see-through
- A bit baggy
Author Info:
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Discuss.
There's also the part about his handle being [NOT]outsideceo.
Be safe be well,
Incognito Robin
Here's the name: International Personhood of Mountainous Riders and Reviewers
Be safe be well,
Incognito Robin
No, it's much more likely that he hired WAKI as his Pinkbike-specific social media liaison.
Be safe be well,
Incognito Robin
Be safe be well,
Incognito Robin
@notoutsideceo: drone
me cosy in it. For the light weight bike gear I have tried in the past, you end
up having to re treat often otherwise succumb to wet out, not to mention weak
threads under stretch and wear causing seams to open up, couple of branch
bramble strikes and the whole lot opens up, tiny zippers that jam or to small to
open with gloved hands, bike specific clothing never seems to last.
Just today I ordered a pair of Ion Shelter pants. 126chf (138US$) and free shipping.
Also, they offer the widest temperature range of all my kit, due to the thick but breathable fabric, and the small but very effective hip vents.
On the negative side: I prefer the Specialized-style waist closure, don’t find the phone pocket all that useful (kind of a pain to get even an iPhone Mini in and out of it with gloves on), and I wish the butt panel was truly waterproof, not just DWR.