Reviews

Pactimo

The US brand have some fantastic kit in their range, and here are a few of our favourites

Born in Colorado, Pactimo are a smaller US clothing company in the process of forging a big reputation for themselves. They’ve been around since 2003, and their roots are firmly entrenched in the creation of custom kit for teams and clubs around the world.

But when something’s this good, it doesn’t make sense to keep it custom only, and now you can buy Pactimo’s ever-growing range as individual items too. We’ve tested a couple of their flagship pieces over the last year and been impressed enough that we knew we wouldn’t be able to create an RCUK100 without them.

If you want to have the debate about who produces the definitive pair of bib shorts, Pactimo’s Raptor RFLX Bib Shorts have earned their place in that argument. They’re made from Schoeller-Eschler Raptor fabric – hence the name – a material that has compression qualities meaning both a firm fit and, say Pactimo, improved oxygen delivery to the muscles during exercise. The material also makes use of Flash coldblack technology, which basically means dark materials reflect, rather than absorb, heat. So even though the shorts are black, you wont find them heating up like sand on a beach when the sun’s out.

If you haven’t heard of Pactimo you will have soon, because kit of this quality is too good to keep quiet

But our favourite part of the shorts was the chamois. It’s made by Cytech, who basically make pads for some of the best brands around, and has a multi density that goes from 60kg/m³ padding at the front to 120/m³padding under the sit bones at the back. Long story short, it’s one of the best pads we’ve ever used. Oh, and the grippers on the shorts are made from hyper reflective material that reflects headlights as if it’s lit itself.

Pricing:
Summit Speed Jersey – £80
Raptor RFLX Bib Shorts – £130
Zero-Weight Sleeveless Base Layer – £28
Website: Pactimo
UK distributor: Dig Deep Coaching

In a similar vein, the Summit Speed RFLX jersey – as well as having an even catchier name than the shorts – has fit as one of its key focuses. And it meets that goal by using a combination of three fabrics: Superleggero, Transfer-C and Zero-Weight. They are used in different areas of the jersey to meet different ends, but the result is a jersey that fits extremely well, especially across the top half where it sits flush. The grippers are high-vis, just like those on the shorts, and the wide band infused with small, silicone touches provides a really strong hold that stays comfortable as well as holding tight.

And speaking of zero weight, the Zero-Weight Sleeveless Base Layer is the perfect companion to the jersey and shorts on a hot day out. Scoff if you want, but a good base layer is an excellent companion on even hot days because it helps to move moisture away from your skin – a key component in staying comfortable. And while the base layer might not actually be zero weight, Pactimo say the honeycomb texture maximises the wicking performance, and the lack of sleeves means it fits well, even under skin tight jerseys like the Summit Speed.