Santini Tono bib shorts review

The Santini Tono bib shorts are towards the premium end of the brand’s range. Their key feature is the built-in leg grippers. The leg fabric is raw edged and there’s a 7cm-wide area of small silicone dot grippers printed on their inner surface, in what Santini calls a tattoo effect. This ensures that the legs stay in place very well and without the grippers being noticeable.

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The outside of the legs has some flashy-looking Santini go-faster graphics. If you like the slightly Italian look, they’re smart and will match the Santini Tono lightweight jersey.

While the leg fabric is thin and stretchy, the rest of the Santini Tono bib shorts is made of a thicker Lycra fabric. This is durable, but not quite as breathable as some. The waistband and the bottom of the rear yoke are made of a doubled-up layer of the same fabric. This gives good support, but again tends to reduce airflow.

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Santini’s straps are wide, hemless and flat, though, so they lie comfortably and have plenty of stretch. In the rear, they’re attached to each other with a lightweight mesh central panel that helps keep them in place well.

The Santini Tono bib shorts have a NAT pad sewn in. Santini says it is perfect for the hottest days. The pad includes a gel core to help distribute pressure well. Unfortunately the white antibacterial microfibre surface is prone to discolouration.

The Tono shorts are quite a close fit for UK riders but comfortable in typical UK summer weather. I wore them for rides of around five hours, with Santini saying the pad is good for rides of up to seven hours.

But if it starts to get a bit hotter, the lack of ventilation around the lower back, in particular, makes them not quite as satisfactory as some other options.