ION Ivy shorts

You can feel their quality as soon as you put on the Ion Ivy shorts. The material is super-lightweight, silky soft against the skin and cut in such a way that there is absolutely no restriction of movement. In fact, it feels like you're hardly wearing them, except for the bulky neoprene phone sleeve sewn inside the right hand pocket. They boast a high-tech fabric plus they look attractive (if you're a fan of surf style) to boot. The fit is flattering yet relaxed (I sized up from the pair in the photos) so you can wear liner shorts underneath if you wish.

The breathable material is a polyester/Coolmax mix with two-way stretch and built-in sun protection (UPF 40+). These are designed for Californian summers, it would seem, and on a long, hot ride recently they did indeed feel lovely and cool to wear, thanks in part to their feather-light weight. However, on a rainy day I was impressed by how the water beaded up on the inside leg panels so the fabric remained dry, which made pedalling in the wet a more pleasant experience. The rest of the leg material got wet, but thanks to the wicking properties of Coolmax they dried very quickly after the shower.

The construction of the Ivy shorts is very good with neat finishing throughout. The outer side of the material has quite a robust finish despite its light weight. I expected a one-piece gusset panel perhaps, but the flat central seam was not discernible, even when worn without liner shorts. Each inside leg panel has the ION logo laser cut with ventilation holes for some subtle added breathability where you need it.

You adjust the fit of the shorts via external Velcro waist adjusters with sturdy tabs, which work well and don't create an obvious bulge where drawn in. Two V shape insert panels on the hips help with the contoured fit, and the stretch yoke below the rear waist means the waistband stays in place when you're in the riding position. There are two zipped, generously sized hand pockets that are mesh lined at the front to reduce bulk and aid breathability, plus a third smaller zipped pocket on the right leg. A reflective logo on the right buttock rounds off the features list.

So far, so great, but there were a couple of things that detracted from these otherwise excellent shorts. The first is the integrated phone pouch – I can't help but think this must have been a male designer's brainchild, as men generally don't seem to mind having pockets full of keys and wallets – but it sits just over the crease where your leg bends below the hip and annoyed the hell out of me, and that was without a phone in it. Ion says it's to 'protect your mobile device against light showers' – a nice idea maybe but in practice it didn't work for me at all.

When I tried it with my phone I couldn't actually fit it (a Samsung S5 with case) inside. It's only a tad bigger than an iPhone 6, and I'd imagine that is the kind of phone riders who buy these shorts are likely to own. Even if you could fit your smartphone in the pouch (I just tested it with mine loose in the pocket) then it just gets in the way of pedalling and is downright uncomfortable. A much better place for a phone pouch would be in a pocket on the outside of the leg. So aggravated was I by the pouch I spent an hour in front of the telly carefully unpicking it – time very well spent! No more bulk and sweaty neoprene.

My second niggle is the Velcro fly – what's wrong with a zip? I found the Velcro kept catching either on my jersey or the inner pocket fabric whenever I took them on or off, which was very irritating.

Aside from these two negatives, these are a very well made pair of shorts that feel luxurious to wear and cycle in, although you pay a premium for their calibre.

Verdict

Supremely comfortable casual summer shorts with many good features but a hefty price tag