With a high cut, brushed fleece back Italian roubaix and a durable water repellent finish, these full length tights from Madison are certainly aimed at the winter rider. Elastic ankle cuffs backed up by silicon gripper keep them in place, while an anti-bacterial 4G-Race gel chammy pad provides the comfort.
Straight out the bag we took to the brushed fleece inner face of these cosy tights. When you are looking out the window at cold, grey sleet or just a plain old damp morning, there is nothing that lifts your spirits more than feeling like you are pulling on something that will keep it at bay. The Madison Fjord tights feel like they will do just that.
Once on they perhaps don't quite have the fit of some of the other brands, with the obb baggy wrinkle forming around the knees and ankles, but they certainly do keep the temperature up. We love the high mesh back just for the sheer coverage and warmth, while the elastic and silicon do keep the ankles in place perfectly.
As with all DWR coated lycra they do keep some rain and light splashes on the surface, and that proved to be a real boon, especially on those damp and drizzly morning where we would look down to see our legs a mass of silver beaded droplets. Throw some heavier rain onto them, or a couple of direct hits from puddle splashes, and it would get through of course - simply muscling through the open weave of the fabric. This isn't a criticism, just a warning of what you can expect. Water resistant, yes; waterpoof, no.
The pad is very comfortable indeed, with a great deal of design and thought gone into where to put the padding. Thick in all the right places and thin the rest, the impression is of a low profile chammy that still does the job over longer rides.
Overall a high quality pair of tights that will see you through late autumn to early spring in comfort - or as near comfort as you can expect when out in the murk. A comfortable chammy, cosy fleece lining and good all-over body coverage mean you will at least feel like you are prepared when you step out the door.
