I've worn Pearl Izumi Pro shorts for several years. I've considered Castelli, as nearly everything else in my kit is Castelli, but Pearl Pro shorts never disappoint. They are not inexpensive, but after 30+ years of cycling, I've learned not to take shortcuts on shorts. The chamois does not chafe, and provides good padding, enough for my 61yr old backside to handle 2 to 3 hour rides. Seems like there was a near revolt in the last couple years by long time Pearl wearers regarding design changes, but I have no complaints with the tweaks they have made. I'm 6'2" and weigh 170 to 172lbs, and a medium short works well for me. I've read past reviews where people feel the front is cut too low, but I've not encountered any issues with my lower torso showing itself. The leg grippers are sticky and wide. I've not had issues with leg warmers or knee warmers working their way loose. The overall fit and amount of compression work very well for me.
Even on sale, these are expensive. But I have 5 pairs of Assos, so it isn't a shock. About half of my Assos have some kind of odd quirk, like binding/chafing on one side, too short (wife bought them as a gift), so I was open to try another brand. I haven't found a flaw in these Pearl Izumis. I have about 5 rides on them, with increasing distances to about 50 miles.
They are very tight; I was convinced to get a size Small based on other reviews, but I feel like a muffin top in these. (I am 5-9, 138lbs).
The only oddity is that the chamois seems to stop lower down on the butt than Assos. Maybe that is a size thing, or maybe it is just they way they are built, since it does cover the saddle contact area just fine.
My mountain bike shorts did not have a good liner that was thick enough so I bought these to try under the shorts. I primarily ride a road bike and use Pearl Izumi Pro bibs. I figured these would be about the same under the shorts. Bought these to try same size I normally get for my road shorts, but the straps are a little tight. Not terrible and I have used them several times on mountain bike rides. I am thinking of trying them under my long unpadded bib tights rather than road bib shorts. I may also try them on my trainer over the winter and get another pair if they work out.
Was looking for a version of sun sleeves that would be a bit stretchier than my other sleeves (Specialized) and these fit the bill. They aren't as stretchy as arm warmers, which I am guessing is a function of the sun-shielding material, but they are an improvement for sure. My old ones tended to bunch at the elbows and would bind when I bent my elbows. These don't bunch much and allow for more movement, while still having good sun protection. The fabric also do seem to do a good job of cooling.
