ETC Zip Off Leg Warmers

The ETC Zip Off Leg Warmers are designed for wearing before and after a workout or event, designed so you can whip them off without having to remove your shoes before the start of your ride. The zips cause a few comfort issues for extended warm-ups, but their simplicity takes away the faff. They aren't a bad price either.

If you've ever done early season races, or events that start at the crack of dawn, you'll know all about trying to keep warm before the off. I used to time-trial, and remember spending plenty of time standing about in a freezing cold layby waiting for my push-off. Even getting to the start line as close as possible to the off, you can still get cold very quickly. This is where the ETCs come into their own.

With a full zip on each warmer, they are easy to put on and off quickly without removing shoes. This makes them not only ideal for road race events, but off-road stuff including mountain bike or gravel and cyclo-cross events, what with the shoes being bulkier and the ground often being wet and muddy. You don't want to be dipping a sock down before the race start.

The zip itself starts at the top, at the thigh, so when the warmers are fully done up it finishes down by your ankle, which stops the zip digging into a fleshy thigh.

They come in a range of sizes from XXS to XL; I'd say go for the same size you wear in normal tights, unless you have large thighs, in which case go up a size.

The zip doesn't flex as well as the rest of the fabric, so they can feel a little uncomfortable if you are moving around a lot. I tried a few sessions on the turbo as if to replicate warming up, and I found the zip track to be a little irritating.

In truth, I'd normally take them off to warm the leg muscles, and quickly put them back on as soon as the warm-up was finished. I wouldn't want to be wearing them riding to or from an event.

> Buyer’s Guide: 20 of the best arm and leg warmers

The material is fleece backed and I found them plenty warm enough even when not warming up at just above freezing.

If you like your kit to look spick and span, you might be a bit disappointed that the logos crack as soon as the fabric has been stretched a few times.

Otherwise the quality is good. All the seams are neat and tidy, and the zip runs smoothly up and down.

An elasticated strip at the top of the warmer keeps it in place too.

There aren't that many fully zipped leg warmers on the market, but their price of £24 compares well with Endura's FS260-Pro Thermal Full Zip leg warmers at £35.99.

Overall, the ETCs are a neat solution for keeping you warm before or after an event, and they are competitively priced. I just found that the lack of flex in the zip area makes them a bit irritating for actually riding/warming up in.

Verdict

A good solution to keeping your legs warm pre and post-ride