Velocio Trail Access Pant Review

The fair weather of summer is a far-off dream these days, and my scanty little riding shorts are now on the shelf to rest. With consistent rain and low temperatures being the seasonal reality, it’s a good time to have a trusty pair of riding pants. This season, I’ve been thankful to find just that with the Velocio Trail Access Pant. They may not be my first thought for those downpour days when folks throw around terms like “atmospheric river”, but I consistently reach for them when I head out to ride – more than any other pants, in fact.

Velocio Trail Access Pant Features:

• Uses two different stretch-woven CORDURA fabrics in strategic areas — both milled in Italy
• Body-mapped fit for optimal on-bike performance — with or without knee pads underneath
• Belt loops and ARCADE stretch belt included
• PFC Free DWR treatment for weather resistance
• Minimal seams and advanced patterning improve comfort and reduce failure points
• Laser cut and bonded zip pockets built to be used when riding
• Tapered leg and ankle for a slim fit
• MSRP: $199

Svelte and Ready to Ride

There are a few big wins with these pants that draw me to them. The top three in my eyes are mobility, breathability, and durability. Let’s start with the real barrier-to-entry trait: mobility. If mountain biking pants don’t allow you to move freely, you can’t ride your bike. If you can still ride, you’re hampered. Maybe you’re limited in range of motion when you’re pedaling; maybe deep-compression landings tighten the pants around your knees and pull them lower on your waist. Lack of mobility manifests itself in ways that range in impact from prohibitive to irritating to, at times, dangerous. And that’s why the stunning flexibility of the Trail Access pants means as much as it does. It enables a hard and agile riding style.

Folks on the mountain sometimes talk about riding in jeans, saying they’d never pay more than $50 or $100 for riding pants. I understand the frugality, certainly, and at just shy of $200, Velocio’s Trail Access pants aren’t exactly a bargain basement deal, but for mobility alone, they prove themselves in a class all their own. Not just jeans, but many other riding-specific pants don’t flex and move as deeply and easily as these pants do. And it’s no surprise with Velocio’s chosen materials and design elements. The cordura fabric stretches well, and the pants are equipped with a very generous gusset at the crotch which may just allow the more limber among us to drop down into the splits.

And breathability? These non-summer seasons require some nuance with that trait. My average riding temperatures end up being between 35 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit in the darker months. So when I talk about breathability for riding pants, I’m really talking about straddling the line. They shouldn’t be fish-net freezing, but they do need to prevent bogginess and overheating. After riding in a variety of conditions – from the mid-60s in the early season to the 30s more recently – I feel that these pants strike the balance perfectly. They breathe, but I don’t get cold. What more could I ask for there?

As for durability, I’m still figuring out how to wreck these pants. Not to brag over here, but I am really quite talented when it comes to breaking outdoors gear. I have fallen a lot wearing these pants. I do that. Somehow though, they don’t even have abrasion spots or loose threads. I’m actually a little baffled by it.

Here’s a prime example: I was ripping down the mountain on my hardtail when I hit a deeply chunked-out and poorly maintained berm. Not expecting it, the shock of the rear-wheel chop bucked me off my pedal mid-turn and sat me down hard for some high-speed chaos as I clutched at the brakes. That long-pin pedal found a cozy home in my calf, and by the time I’d come to a stop, there was a fair amount of blood matting my pants. Hole? Nope, no hole. Somehow, the pedal punched holes into my leg, but not the pants. Honestly, they still look new, and, as I said before, it’s baffling. To my mind, these really set a new standard for durability in riding pants. All the mud and blood washed out nicely too.

At the risk of sounding too peaches-and-cream, maundering about durability, let’s move on to some other aspects of the pants. Style is subjective, but I think they look pretty slick. I’d happily roll up to a brewery post ride wearing them. Comfort-wise, they’re nearly ace, fitting quite well except for tightness around the calves. It doesn’t hinder mobility at all, but they are tight, and it is noticeable when you put them on.

As for features, the Trail Access pants have 2 zippered pockets on the outsides of the quads. They do their job quite well, though as a pocket fiend, I’d prefer to see a couple more. Since nobody needs that tirade, I’ll highlight one last thing. I’m a fan of every choice made around the waist of these pants. The button closure is high quality. The belt loops are adequately sized. Most notably though, the decision to sell the pants with an Arcade belt (an excellent belt, BTW) instead of attempting an integrated adjustment system makes a lot of sense, and results in a consistently perfect fit. I approve.

Fit: I’m 5’11”, 170 lbs, and typically wear pants with a 31” waist. I tested a size small, which fit well with no major surprises. If anything was a little odd, it was some tightness at the calves.

Buy Now: Available at Velocio.cc