Rapha Women's Souplesse Shadow Tights

With the Women's Shadow Tights, Rapha has combined its finest technologies to create "unparalleled" weather defence and performance – and added a price tag to match. Leaving no stone unturned from cosiness to safety, it has created a reliable and stylish pair of bib tights to keep you on the road, even when the mercury plummets.

• Pros: All-round performance, comfort, superb fit, weatherproofing, nice finishing touches
• Cons: The price, DWR coating could wear over time

It was almost a decade into Rapha's existence before the women's collection appeared, but since then the company has not held back – make no mistake, Rapha women's kit is no afterthought. In fact, the new Shadow Tights lead the way – they're not just Rapha's priciest women's tights, they're its most expensive ones overall. At £270, Rapha's Shadow tights have upped the game on cost. (Although Assos isn't far off, its women's habuTights cost £235.)

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The Shadow Tights cost over twice as much as Rapha's Core tights, yet both are made for winter riding – albeit the latter for commute rather than crit. So, what makes them so special? Are they really cut from a different cloth? Well, yes. Rapha calls it 'Shadow fabric' – a tight weave material with stretch and a special coating for breathable weather defence.

While Rapha's Souplesse Tights feature some Shadow technology too, the Shadow Tights are developed with a greater focus on foul conditions – and not just to survive them, but to thrive in them. The Shadow tech was developed for the Spring Classics. From Team Sky to Canyon//SRAM, Rapha's self-dubbed revolutionary material has been ridden to World Tour level.

The Shadow fabric is a blend of nylon and elastane finished with a hydrophobic DWR (durable water repellent) treatment made for staying dry whatever winter throws at you. The technology, Rapha claims, is 'an unbeatable force in weather protection'. After several washes there was no sign of wear, but Rapha sells a re-proofer just in case.

'Unbeatable force' is a strong statement, but hours from home with torrential rain setting in, I agreed. Water collects into satisfying little beads which brush away to reveal barely-wet fabric. Out on chilly, wet training rides I was able to stay dry, with no rain sinking through the fabric.

The fabric is designed for wind resistance, too, and I found this to be particularly effective over my upper body thanks to a generous cut. Toastiness was aided further by the lining – oh my goodness, the lining. From ankle to torso, the fleecy inner is 'nano brushed' for warmth, and soft enough to be worn directly against skin. I felt snug through single-figure rain and winds. And noticeably, for a sweaty cyclist, I didn't overheat. There's no plastic layer in it (sometimes used in waterproofing) which allows for more breathability.

Of course, all of this weather repelling goodness would be nothing without a decent fit – or for this price, an outstanding one. This is where the Souplesse bit comes in... and being the french word for stretchy, you can see where this is headed. Cut from a light, durable and flexible fabric, the Souplesse kit is made for top-level riding. The Shadow Souplesse Tights echo this, providing a race-worthy body hug – yet pleasingly devoid of over-tightness. Carefully placed seams above and below the knee add support while reducing wrinkles (they still exist, but there's no curse of the baggy knee).

I tested the Shadow Tights in a medium (they're available in six sizes) and they provided a perfect fit. I sometimes wear a small in tights, so I'd say they err toward the small side. The legs are adequate in length, even covering ankles, while the torso is cut high on the front, stopping shy of the chest to accommodate a variety of sizes. The rear has almost-full back coverage stopping just below the nape, and the bib straps are generous in both length and width – and finished with bonded edges for more comfort.

While bib tights sometimes leave imprints or cause my shoulders to ache over time, the Shadow bib straps provided impressive comfort that showed no signs of waning after six hours on the bike. Rapha calls the straps high stretch, and it's true; I think they could accommodate quite a bit more height than my 5ft 7in. Being cut to Rapha's pro fit, the Shadow bibs are actually shorter in the body than its regular fit versions, but they still provide adequate torso length, even for my longer than average body.

Out on the road, the performance of these tights is evident: movement feels free, and the upper's breathable fabric is dotted with a little hole pattern to help sweat escape. There was evidence of sweat on them after the ride, but less than can often be the case – and I sweat more than most seem to in cold weather.

> Buyer's Guide: 16 of the best winter bib tights and trousers

Safety too, is not forgotten. The rear of the lower leg features a white reflective panel to enhance visibility at night. Co-riders told me they look super-bright both in daylight and the dark, especially given their movement while pedalling. They washed well too, with no signs of the black fabric dye leaking into the white panel. If you're a cyclist who likes things to look sharp, though, don't forget to ensure the panels are positioned in the very centre of your legs before pedalling off...

The chamois can be a let-down in women's kit – some fail to meet the need for comfort not just for the sit bones, but all the way to the front of the gusset. The Shadow Tights' pad (the same as that in the Souplesse tights) appears to sit a little too far back when you're standing upright. Yet, with cycling position adopted – and in particular, a forward-focused race position – it becomes clear this is likely all in Rapha's design plan: all the important bits are superbly comfy. While these bibs aren't strictly designed for long, laid-back miles, they were still comfortable after a day's worth of riding.

The centre upper is finished with the classic Rapha stripe which, since it'll always sit under a jersey, serves little purpose than to tie in with the reflective panels on the legs – but hey, you know it's there. Next to the stripe, a sewn-in patch reveals a little story 'From the shadow of the mountain...', which offers some insight into the product name itself (think 1968, the Giro, and a cycling legend), and adds a dash of Merckx-style motivation.

Overall, the supreme fit of the Rapha Shadow Tights matches their genuine weather-performance. It's not often you get supple, waterproof and sweat-free without compromise, and I think it's this lack of compromise that sets the Shadow Tights apart – perhaps even justifying the cost, although that in itself is the trade-off.

Verdict

Superbly snug, weather-defending bib tights that deliver on breathability too