Aero Tech Designs is an affordable cycling apparel brand offering fun prints and based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. All their apparel is designed, printed, cut, sewn, and shipped in-house. They’re a size inclusive company offering up to 5XL on some products. This review is for the Aero Tech Designs Women’s Cat jersey and All Day Padded cycling shorts.
In a sea of solid colors, Aero Tech Designs stands out in its fun print offerings.
| Women’s Cat Outline Empress Cycling Jersey – Short Sleeve | Women’s All Day Padded Cycling shorts | |
| Rating | Design: A Size: A– Comfort: B | Design: A– Size: A Comfort: A– |
| Retail Price | $99.99 | $149.99 |
| Likes | + Unique graphic with pattern matching + Integrated label + Lightweight and breathable fabric | + Paneled design creates compression + 2 good size side pockets + Reflective bands on either side |
| Dislikes | – A bit long on an average length torso – Sleeve is a bit snug | – Waistband is a little bulky |
| Where to Buy (US) | Aero Tech Designs | Aero Tech Designs |
CAT OUTLINE EMPRESS CYCLING JERSEY
The women’s Cat outline empress cycling jersey is available in sizes ranging from XS to 4XL and made with 100% polyester AeroCool fabric – a mesh type, breathable, lightweight, moisture wicking fabric that has a 50+ UPF rating. Aero Tech Designs also offers a Dog outline version of this jersey. Playful black outline cats are screen printed on PFD (prepared for dyeing) white background. Note: PFD white does not appear bright like our helmet as it does not have optical brighteners/whiteners added. The color blocking with solid black side panels and sleeves makes the print stand out.
The jersey has a full length YKK zipper in the front and 3 good sized back pockets. 3M reflective tab below the back pocket for visibility. One of the nice features of this jersey is the perfect pattern matching along the length of the zipper and the back pocket openings. The pockets are good sized with reinforced openings. Labeling information is printed on the collar eliminating the need for separate labels.
ALL DAY PADDED CYCLING SHORTS
The Women’s All Day Padded Cycling shorts are available in sizes ranging from XS to 4XL. They’re also offered in pink, yellow, and blue side panel variations. The fabric is a Nylon-Spandex blend with four-way stretch. There are two with 3M reflective openings for visibility. The legs openings are elasticized with soft silicone leg grippers on the inside to keep them from riding up. The chamois is made of dual density foam with 15mm thickness in the sit bones area for long endurance rides.
RIDING IMPRESSIONS
This is a relaxed fit jersey. Our 5’ 5”, 33” chest rider, wore a small size paired with our favorite year-round merino baselayer. The back pockets were a tad shorter than our 6” phone so you can see it peeking out in the pictures. The torso was about 2” too long on our rider with an average length torso which caused bunching in the middle and had to be frequently pull down. The sleeve band is not very stretchy so it can be a bit snug if you are muscular or have fatty tissue.
On our 5’5” rider with 40” hips, the medium size with 7-3/4” inseam was a good fit. The dual density chamois was the right size and thickness and not at all bulky and was really comfortable on our short 2hr ride. The side pockets were a good size and easy to access. The reflective openings were a nice touch. The paneled design provided light compression. The leg grippers worked well in keeping the inseam in place during the entire ride and also worked well when worn with baselayer leggings. One negative was that we found the waistband elastic is a little bulky.
THE VERDICT
The Cat outline empress jersey and the All Day Padded cycling shorts from Aero Tech Designs are well made and work for warm weather riding. Given that they’re made in the US, the price point is well below some of the premium brands manufactured overseas. If you’re looking for domestically made affordable cycling clothing, give Aero Tech Designs a try.
Disclaimer: The product for this review was provided by Aero Tech Designs. The views expressed on this website are solely those of the authors and are here to help people make an informed choice before a purchase. The authors or the blog itself does not get any monetary compensation from the product manufacturer or third-party websites/vendor links that are posted here.