Rapha Men's Pro Team Winter Tights III Review: built for the harshest of conditions

A pair of hardy bib tights is an essential item to get you through the colder months. In days past these were just a Roubaix fleece layer, often without a pad, that could be pulled over a pair of shorts. Now the best winter bib tights are typically loaded with features to help protect you against the wind and the rain. Just like the Pro Team III offering from Rapha. Let's see how they fair...

Construction

The Rapha Pro Team Winter Tights III have been beefed up in terms of their cold weather performance and weather resistance compared to the outgoing model. Whereas previously the tights used a brushed fleece fabric inside, this has now been replaced on the front facing panels to a grid fleece structure. This helps to trap air but also aids a level of breathability and airflow. Meanwhile on the rear facing panel behind the knee, a lighter weight brushed fleece interior has been used to allow better articulation of the joint when pedalling.

There is also a lighter grid fleece structure on the rear panel of the straps designed to insulatate but not get excessively warm during higher intensity efforts, a feature of the Pro Team range. The straps themselves are very similar to the Pro Team III Bib shorts being wide and elasticated so as to provide a secure fit across a range of body positions.

The outer material of the tights uses a windproof exterior as well as featuring a PFAS free DWR coating both on the front and the rear so as to reduce the effect of wheel spray. Although seams are not taped internally or externally, they do use a flatlock construction. There are also reflective details on the side and rear of each leg, with an elastic cuff so as to reduce any water ingress that can come from using a zip section.

The chamois is another area that's been updated. It's now the same single density higher density foam used in the Pro Team III bib shorts, designed to reduce bulk while also providing ample support and vibration dampening.

Four colour options are available at time of writing, with sizes from XS to XXL. Meanwhile Rapha recommends a temperature range for these tights between 1-8˚C.

The ride

I am generally not a big fan of proper heavy duty winter bib tights. More often than not I find that the material lacks a great deal of suppleness due to the weatherproofing treatments and thicker materials. Given the legs are the part of your body that move the most when cycling, good fit and supple materials tends to have a great impact on comfort.

What impressed me, however, with the third generation Rapha Pro Team Tights, was that even with a more rigid construction than say the brand’s own Lightweight Tights, there was no real impact on movement or comfort, even on 5+ hour ride days. Don’t get me wrong, I prefer a more flexible material generally, but in this case the trade-off is well worth it.

The tights have an exceptionally effective weather proofing treatment. Water beads off the legs with ease, even at speed where water pressure at the point of impact increases, so ingress is more likely. Seams still provide a weak point in heavy rain, as they do for pretty much every kit item, but the insulation properties mean that even when water makes its way in, there is no windchill and no cooling.

These tights are actually very similar in construction and design to the PNS Mechanism Deep Winter Tights, with a similar grid structured fleece internally, but then brushed fleece in areas where rubbing can potentially occur. In testing, these tights have been comfortable in low single figure temps with north winds and rain, and manageable up to around 14˚C.

Sometimes Rapha items in the Pro Team range can pull you over into a more hunched position. However, here the fit is well balanced, in that they are comfortable for more prolonged upright positions, and don’t pull or tug when you tuck in and up the pace. This is all the more impressive given the relative lack of material pliability compared to non-weatherproofed lycra. The straps also help here, providing good, even support across the shoulders and back. Although the bib front is high, they are easy enough to pull down for nature breaks as well.

Another star of the show is the new Pro Team Chamois. This is the same as featured in the Pro Team III and Pro Team Ghost bib shorts. It’s denser, lower volume, just as supportive, and I’ve already waxed lyrical in those reviews about how it provides a great balance of support, vibration dampening, and doesn’t get in the way at all. That is still the case here, with the fit of the tights keeping the pad nicely in place so as to maximise comfort.

My only small gripe is that the hems are a little difficult to get over my feet. Forgoing a zipper on the legs is the right call, as this can be a weak point for weatherproofing, but it does make the legs a touch harder to get on. The less supple material needs a bit more give around here, with even an elasticated hem not quite providing enough give. But that’s it for potential negatives. I do like that reflective details have been more heavily featured, as the Classic Winter Tights used to feature just one reflective leg, on the leg. Fine for riding in Europe, not as fine for UK riding on the left side of the road. Now there are large reflective details on the back of both legs, and the sides, ideal for winter and foul weather riding.

Value

When you look at how functional the Rapha Pro Team Winter Tights III are, they compare favourably to their competitors, even with a £275 / $380 price tag. The most similar competitor from my testing are the Pas Normal Studios Deep Winter Tights, while retail for £280 / $380. Both of these feature quite a similar construction, but the Rapha Pro Team just about edges out on water resistance and fit.

Some other real heavy duty deep winter competitors are the likes of the Endura Pro SL II (£189.99 / $290) and POC Cargo Thermal Tights (£270 / $330). The issue with both of these is that although the insulation and weatherproofing is equally as good, the materials are far less supple and do restrict movement somewhat. Both also fall short when it comes to the performance of the chamois compared to the Rapha tights.

The only tights that are slightly more supple are the Q36.5 Dottore Termico Bib Tights, but these come in at a staggering £330 / $440, and the Assos Equipe RS Johdah Ultraz Bib Tights S11 which are a whopping £380 / $485. While being more supple in the case of the Dottore, or a bit more water resistant on the lower leg with the Equipe, you pay a large premium for these features. The Rapha Pro Team III tights are potentially a better balance overall of performance, comfort, weatherproofing, and value.

The Rapha Pro Team Winter Bib Tights III are an impressive pair of bib tights for when the temperature drops and the weather gets foul. The repellent DWR treatment works a treat in rain and against road spray, but heavy rain does ingress through the seams. However, the insulation is so effective that this won’t negatively impact your temperature. Their usable range is also larger than advertised, comfortable up to the low teens, while the chamois is superb. Costly, but not the highest priced out there, and the balance with performance is great.