Santini Redux Istinto Women's Bib Shorts

Santini's Redux Istinto Women's shorts are a premium-looking option with an excellent gel chamois for long days on the bike. The price might be offputting but, despite the obvious race focus, these bibs are pretty versatile. The overall look and feel is one of supreme class.

Of Santini's broad women's shorts collection, the Redux Istinto (Italian for bringing back natural instinct) is its priciest pair at £200. In a departure from the sea of black shorts out there, the Istinto is available in three classy hues: grey, purple or blue – plus of course the standard black – providing a subtle way to stand out from the peloton.

Each colour is twinned with its own vibrant pop of colour on the interior of the bib strap. The 'titanium grey' pair I tested made a refreshing change to my usual, but I did find grey less forgiving of the sweaty, dare I say snotty, marks that can be picked up on hard rides.

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I tested a small. On Santini's guide I only just sneak into this size (I'm not far off XS), so I was surprised to find these shorts feel very snug – they are however an aggressively aerodynamic option, and the body-hugging fit perfectly echoes this. As a result, getting into them requires a bit of a wrestle.

Tight fit aside, the 'honeycomb' silicone grippers stick to the legs with tenacity while pulling them on, while the leg hems need fettling to look straight. This is testament to the grippers' effectiveness, though.

Once in place, these shorts are seriously comfy, and don't feel overly tight. The 'huggy' feel translates into a miraculously forgiving look that soaks up bumps and lines, thanks, according to Santini, to the 'defining soft feel' material. It's a mix of polyamide, nylon and elastane with a very clean aesthetic, which is further aided by the general lack of seams. The one vertical seam isn't flatlocked, though, and does leave a nice imprint on me.

The straps – a stunning peacock colour on the inside – are raw cut, yet probably the neatest of these I've seen. Unlike many raw finish hems, there is no evidence of bobbling or fraying.

They are pretty stretchy, but feel a little short and therefore tight to me. That said, I have a long body, so regular-torsoed folk should find them fine. In action they didn't produce the tell-tale shoulder ache of truly short straps, though.

The straps are also pleasingly wide and sit out comfortably to the side of the body. They feature Santini's new crossover racer-back design, which creates a section of airflow across the lower back. The only downside is the straps' seam which, although flatlock, feels a bit scratchy.

The bib shorts' upper is constructed with a 'tattoo-effect' fitter fabric, which is dotted with little holes for breathability. This black panel is nice and wide and feels secure: not a chance of midriff-peep here. The secure feel is aided by the crossover straps effect to the rear.

The bright pink C3W chamois – Santini's own – is a high point for an already impressive pair of bib shorts. First up, it feels more robust than all-foam options owing to gel pads. On this women's version, the gel footprint is slimmer and further forward than the men's. Beyond the gel inserts is multi-density foam, with an impressive 1in taper which aids a very smooth look once on.

The result in action is seriously comfortable, with no sitbone or soft tissue discomfort on my test rides. After a long period of wear there are no hotspots or rubs. The positioning of the chamois is forward-focused, yet it's surprisingly kind in the upright position too, making these shorts pretty versatile.

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The legs are a compressive and robust-feeling fabric which, while Santini doesn't advertise it, repels water really well – handy if you're caught in a summer shower. They're finished with reflective strips.

The leg grippers, as mentioned, are super grippy. They've been improved for the Redux shorts and feature no less than two inches of honeycomb-shaped silicone, with outstanding results. The only downside is that pee stops take longer because they just want to cling to everything!

Value

At £200, these echo the current go-to price for premium bib shorts from well-known brands such as Castelli, MAAP, Rapha and Gore. They're on a performance par, too, with the likes of Castelli's Premio (£200) and MAAP's Women's Team Evo shorts (£190) – both of which feature the same robust yet low-profile feel, and size up a bit small.

Given the high point of these shorts is arguably the chamois, though, Santini's Legend shorts are a good option at almost half the price (£110), as they feature the same one. However, at the time of writing, Santini was selling the Istinto at the meaningfully discounted price of £140.

Overall

These shorts look as good as they feel (and vice versa), with an outstanding gel chamois, a smooth clean cut, a good compressive feel and the grippiest grippers I've ever experienced. If I'm being picky, the straps could be stretchier, the seams smoother and the wee stops easier. Overall, though, it's hard to fault them – which is good, considering the price.

Verdict

Race-focused shorts with a super-clean look, body-hugging feel and a high quality finish – plus an outstanding chamois