Nopinz Pro-1 Warm Up Leggings Men’s

The Nopinz Pro-1 Warm Up Leggings are very good for keeping yourself warm prior to the start of a road, circuit or cyclocross race or time trial. The fleecy material is very soft and the leggings are easy to remove in a hurry. Some water resistance is great in adverse conditions, but I'd have liked a closer fit around the knee.

Warm-up leggings, or zip-off tights as they're also called, are a great way to keep your legs warm before you start a bike or running race. The Nopinz Pro-1s have served me very well for my cyclocross races.

> Buy now: Nopinz Pro-1 Warm Up Leggings for £64.99 from Nopinz

Pulling the Pro-1 leggings on, I was impressed by the soft, cosy feel of the brushed fabric. It does a great job of keeping your legs warm, even in really cold conditions.

The outer surface of the leggings is also well designed with a good deal of water resistance; you should stay dry as you roll over to the start line, even with plenty of spray coming off the front wheel.

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You may well be wondering why someone wouldn't just wear a set of leg warmers to the start line. Well, the beauty of these leggings is that they're much quicker to remove thanks to full-length zips that run on the outside of each leg, from the ankle to the waist. You can be very busy not paying attention to the race commissaire (guilty!), and still get them and your jacket off in a panic when they call 30 seconds until the start.

My only issue with the Pro-1s comes at the knee. Here, the fit is a little bit baggy, which feels odd when riding. But you're unlikely to be riding far in these – just to the start line – so it's only a minor grumble.

Everywhere else, the fit is perfect, with loads of length above the hips for protection of the lower back.

At £64.99 they are quite a bit more expensive than the very good ETC versions, which Stu tested last year and cost £42, but you can spend more: Santini's offerings are £85.

Conclusion

While the price might be a bit higher than the ETCs (now seemingly only available in smaller sizes – XXXS here), I really like the extra bit of water repellency that you get with the Nopinz Pro-1s. They're great for warming up prior to a race, and despite the minor fit issue, I'd be happy to recommend them.

Verdict

Cosy and protective, these are great at their job