Essential Short Liner
Whether you're hammering a daily commute or looking to add some padding to your favorite trail baggies, the Zoic Women's Essential Short Liner offers anatomically contoured padding within a supportive, form-fitting design. As the go-to liner short in Zoic's lineup, this padded liner short fits comfortably under almost any pair of shorts or pants, instantly transforming casual garments into padded, bike-friendly attire.
Made with an ample dose of Lycra, this bike liner short offers muscle support and stability. Its flatlock seams won't rub or irritate your skin when you're riding, while the 6-panel design forgoes a center-front seam for extra comfort and mobility. Its Zo-Tech chamois is a female-specific insert that's anatomically contoured for a comfortable, body-conforming fit. Moreover, this chamois actively wicks moisture off your body, preventing the build-up of perspiration and the inevitable chafing that follows.
Details
- Turn your favorite unlined shorts into chamois-equipped attire
- Breathable fabric wicks moisture quickly away
- Comfort chamois provides supportive comfort
- Flatlock seams prevent chafing
- Elastic leg cuffs hold hems in place
- Shorter inseam hides stealthily under casual clothing
- Item #ZOI006S
- Material
- 84% polyester, 16% spandex
- Fit
- form fitting
- Inseam
- 5in
- Chamois
- Comfort
- Leg Gripper
- brushed elastic
- Recommended Use
- cycling, mountain bike
- Manufacturer Warranty
- lifetime
Reviews
Q&A
Overall Rating
4 based on 5 ratings
Review Summary
Fits Slightly Small
Screen reader users: the following list provides a visual scale to illustrate the product fit. Please refer to the heading above for the fit type in text.What do you think about this product?
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Selecting an option will reload the available reviews on the pageJune 3, 2023
Underwhelming
- Familiarity:
- I returned this product before using it
I was overdue for a new liner but have procrastinated this purchase since, frankly, there are things that are much more exciting to spend money on than padded underpants. But I wanted to get this right so I did my research and narrowed my search to 3 candidates: the Terry Aria, Zoic Essential, and POC Essential Short liners. In case you’re at a similar crossroads, I’ll share my impressions and which liner I ultimately chose. I’m a fit 5’6” woman, ~130 lbs, mid-30’s, with the sturdy upper legs and saddle of a mountain biker. I’m a little more padded than I’d like to be, but petite by most standards. I’m typically a XS/2/26 in street clothes, though after reading reviews claiming that all 3 of these liners ran small, I ultimately ordered a small in the Terry and Zoic shorts and a medium in the POCs. Note that this turned out to be the correct size for me in each short. Here’s how my head-to-head comparison shook out. POC Essential Liner: Hands down, these had the best chamois of the bunch. Dense but not bulky padding with a natural shape. I also liked the fabric of the shorts themselves. As promised, it did offer light compression. The shorts were well-shaped and felt like they wouldn’t need to be tugged up all the time. This is the only short of the 3 that has silicone leg grips, if that matters to you. But that is unfortunately where the virtues of these shorts ended. The length and band construction was an unequivocal dealbreaker. With a 2.5-3 inch inseam, the legbands squeezed my thighs at the widest point. And not just a little squeeze…I have never worn a garment that made me feel more grotesquely corpulent. If only these had a longer (7-9 inch) inseam and a wider leg band, I really think my search for the perfect liner would have been over. That said, if you have zero body fat or pin-straight legs, these could be your match…just go up 2 sizes from your street size! Zoic Essential Liner: I had high hopes for these given many positive reviews online, but found them unimpressive across the board. The fit was okay, though they are low in front. The chamois was the second densest of the 3 options and seemed like it would be comfortable. The inseam was moderate at around 5-6 inches. The biggest turnoff was the unexpectedly thin fabric that lacked integrity, sort of like a kid’s unlined Lycra swimsuit. There is a band of elastic encased in this material at the top of the yoga-pant-style waist, but it felt strangely rigid in comparison to the thin material. Similarly, the leg band was so much thicker and stronger that the shorts that it created uncomfortable bulging above and below the band. I couldn’t see this fabric standing up well to tugging, heat, sweat, friction, and frequent motion, but if the fit sounds like it could work for your leg shape, it might be worth a look. Terry Aria Liner: (spoiler: winners!) Out of the ba, these are the least attractive of the 3 with a high waist, old-school elastic band at the top, perforations all over, and lace bands. You have to pull them on kind of like nylons, by gathering the fabric in your hands, so I was shocked when they slid on like a glove and just felt instantly good everywhere. The chamois is less dense than the other contenders, and I suspect is optimized for road/commuting use, but it’s a quality Italian product with some density over the sit bones and is flexible and breathable. When doing big rides, I haven’t noticed any more soreness than I had in my old, thicker chamois. The shorts slid under my baggies compliantly and don’t slip down or stretch out on the trail. I was concerned the lace bands would be inadequate to hold the legs in place without any silicone grip, but I was wrong. They stay put as well as my old silicone grips plus they’re incredibly comfortable, with no binding or constricted feeling. I’m a fan of the longer inseam. The shorts are very breathable, hold their shape, and hug your curves. They won’t win fashion points but I’m a happy rider!
Originally reviewed on Backcountry.com
October 19, 2020
Great Chamois Liner
- Familiarity:
- I've used it several times
Grabbed these to wear under my zoic neveah shorts and I couldn't be happier. Perfect amount of padding and super comfortable, bought a second pair
Originally reviewed on Backcountry.com
May 16, 2020
Gift for my daughter
- Familiarity:
- I gave it as a gift but have feedback to share
These are my daughters first chamois, she loves them. We rode just after getting these in the post and everything was great..fit, function, etc.
Originally reviewed on Backcountry.com
May 7, 2020
Good enough
- Familiarity:
- I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions
A little on the small side, I'm 5'3" 120# and I got a small. A bit tight and low around the waist, I wish they were a higher rise, and tight around my quads. Went out on an hour long ride , they were fine, did the job. Not as much padding as I would like for mountain biking, especially on the sits bones. I'll probably just keep these for road biking as they are a little shorter than my other patagonia chamois and better under a 5" short. Overall, fine for what they are, I just prefer more padding and a higher waistband
Originally reviewed on Backcountry.com
April 12, 2020
comfortable and budget friendly
- Familiarity:
- I've put it through the wringer
I have two pairs of Zoic's essential liners, one came with the naveah 7 baggie shorts. I wore these liners on every ride last summer, fall and winter. The liner is comfortable and stays in place. I have lost some weight so I need to size down. When I first bought the liners I was 150 lbs, 5'3" and size medium was perfect. I have to agree that I love the wide waistband; it feels more like yoga pants. I am still a newbie and haven't tried many other brands but these beat the heck out of Pearl Izumi's Escape Sugar shorts I bought (also a budget friendly liner but padding is an awful fleecy material).
Originally reviewed on Backcountry.com
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