Altura Firestorm bib shorts review

Altura's hot weather bib short doesn't quite set us alight

Cycling Weekly Verdict

The sweat and moisture management of the Altura Firestorm shorts cannot be faulted and impress in warm conditions as too does the very comfortable Stealth seat pad. However the poor fit of the short means that there are too many detractions and distractions that make any riding experiences pretty underwhelming.

Reasons to buy
  • +

    Short material does great job of wicking sweat

  • +

    Stealth pad is comfortable

  • +

    Reflective hems add safety

Reasons to avoid
  • -

    Hem gripper is too tight, inflexible and sweaty

  • -

    Front panel fit is far too loose

  • -

    Bib strap transition can dig in when worn under tight jersey

You can trust Cycling Weekly. Our team of experts put in hard miles testing cycling tech and will always share honest, unbiased advice to help you choose. Find out more about how we test.

I've been a big fan of Altura clothing in the past and the brand has been responsible for some kit that punches way above its price bracket in terms of performance. With this in mind I was keen to try out the new Altura Firestorm bib shorts. These are designed for warm weather riding (chance would be fine thing) and promise to manage sweat build up better than any of Altura's other bib shorts - so possibly the ideal short for indoor training.

The construction is a little different to most bib shorts - there's a lot more mesh material around the torso rather than the normal continuation of the main short material.

Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

James Bracey

James Bracey's career has seen him move from geography teacher, to MBR writer, to Cycling Weekly's senior tech writer and video presenter. He possesses an in-depth knowledge of bicycle mechanics, as well as bike fit and coaching qualifications. Bracey enjoys all manner of cycling, from road to gravel and mountain biking.