Zoic Women's Navaeh Shorts and Vivid Jersey - Review
In the words of Zoic, the Navaeh short is aimed at 'ladies who launch.' The Navaeh's are made from a lightweight stretch fabric and are cut for all-mountain performance. The shorts contain two front pockets, a stealth zip rear pocket and two leg pockets that have seam taped zippers which are designed to stay locked while you ride. In addition, there's also a tech pocket for a music player with a headphone cord control grommet and loop. The front waistband has a double snap and zip fly closure and there are elastic and velcro side adjusters to help you get the best fit out of the shorts. The Navaeh's come with an 11 inch inseam, which is designed to fall at the knee. The Navaeh's also includes an IPL Essential liner with a women's specific chamois contour that includes Z-Wick moisture management. The fusion inseam gusset is designed to provide a nice range of motion and reduce seat hang ups. There is no tag in the shorts to eliminate irritation and the stitch free leg hem is designed with the same goal in mind. The Navaeh short is made from a Polyester/Spandex mixture and retails for $95 USD.
The Vivid Jersey has a v-neck with a contrast binding and 3/4 length sleeve. The neck line is tagless to prevent irritation and the sleeves have a gathered cuff. In the back there is a rear fold over pocket for small items. The Vivid jersey is a mixture of primarily polyester with some spandex and retails for $50 USD. www.zoic.com
Pinkbike's Take:
 | A lot of care and thought has gone into the design and construction of what is simply a nice and neat little kit. The Navaeh shorts are well constructed, and in putting them on you can appreciate the design elements that have been incorporated into them. Unlike some shorts that feel like a flappy burlap sack when you pull them up, the Navaeh slides up and over the hips and pop neatly into place. The higher waistband and contoured hip and backside means everything sits nicely and you can further modify the fit with the elastic/velcro waistband straps on the sides of the short. When riding, the close fitting construction meant there were no seat hang ups, and the range of movement provided was more than adequate coupled with a barely-there kind of feel. The lightweight material was especially appreciated on the sweltering hot days I rode in them, and combined with the really short leg of the essential liner, the level of breathability of comfort was like a dream come true. The Navaeh's narrower knee circumference and the 11" inseam does mean that it's nearly impossible to avoid the dreaded 'gorby gap,' that line of exposed skin between the hem of the shorts and the top of a set of knee pads. Nonetheless, I have gotten plenty of wear out of these shorts with just a few fly away threads, but no major faults to report. I also like that Zoic went out of the norm a little and provided a short that incorporates a pattern; I thought the camo was fun and was easy to mix and match with a bunch of different jerseys. I found the Vivid jersey to fit really well, and the gathered material at the elbows adds a stylish touch. The jersey looks smart, like it was meant for a lady but was definitely practical and comfortable enough to rip around in like a cowgirl. Lime green might not suit everyone's tastes, but I enjoyed the pop of colour against the cool camo of the shorts. - Rachelle Frazer |
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=prawn
different way of building it and different materials used matter a lot.