The Pas Normal Women’s Escapism bib shorts are part of the brand’s adventure range, with four pockets for on-the-go storage. The pocket material can also be seen on Pas Normal’s Essential Bib Shorts straps.
What’s it for?
The Escapism bib shorts fall under the cargo bib short remit, although it’s not explicitly in the name. The bib shorts have two mesh leg pockets and two back pockets, designed to fit small items like a phone or snacks.
Pas Normal says the Escapism bib shorts are made from 53% polyamide and 47% elastane overall, with DWR treatment and anti-abrasion properties. The material is very soft in hand and highly stretchy. The fit is relatively compressive and provides a good level of support.
The Escapism bibs’ pockets appear quite delicate but are anything but, and the combination of reliable leg grippers, seamless fabric and female-specific chamois made for comfortable riding after long days in the saddle.
I’d have loved to see a comfort break feature, especially on adventure bib shorts, but Pas Normal says it hasn’t fully dialled in this element yet.
Fabric and features
The Pas Normal Escapism bib shorts are made from varying blends of polyamide, polyester and elastane. The main body uses 71% polyamide and 29% elastane, while the pockets are 67% polyester and 33% elastane.
Pas Normal says the pockets use high-stretch fabric, with elastic fibres that provide long-term durability. The pockets measure 15.5cm deep and, while other brands have opted for deeper storage, Pas Normal says it chose this size to fit small items such as snacks or a phone, and that larger cargo is not recommended.
The main body of the bib shorts features four-way stretch material and has a PFC-free DWR-coating for water resistance. Pas Normal rates the bib shorts as high breathability, with mid-tier insulation, water and wind protection. The recommended temperature range is between 5 and 15°C.
The Escapism bib shorts use a female-specific chamois, which Pas Normal says features the same material but in a shorter shape than the men’s one. The brand also says the position of the chamois varies dependent on the range and intended type of riding, though doesn’t specify how this applies to Escapism. The chamois is made from 100% polyurethane foam, while the face fabric is made from 82% recycled polyester and 18% elastane.
Pas Normal Women’s Escapism bib shorts fit and sizing
I wear a size 12 in standard clothing, so chose a size large for the Escapism bib shorts which fitted well. The bib shorts are designed to have a semi-compressive fit which matched my experience wearing them. They’re available in sizes XXS to XXL, a comparatively inclusive range for cycling clothing of this quality.
The legs have a high level of stretch, and the flatlock design prevented the seams from digging in after several hours wear. The leg grippers are quite tall, which holds the material in place and stops it from riding up, an important feature when the side pockets are full.
The straps use a seamless construction and they sat smoothly against my skin, however I felt they were somewhat lacking in stretch. At 5’ 7″, I’m not particularly tall but found the straps to be nearing the end of their give, so taller riders may experience issues with this.
Wearing the Pas Normal Women’s Escapism bib shorts
The Escapism bib shorts are intended for all-day adventure riding and, while I chose to test them out on the tarmac rather than the trails, I put plenty of miles on them to test out this claim.
My first thought was how comfortable the compressive fit was. The material hugged me without being restrictive, and the seamless but grippy leg design kept the material in place regardless of how much I stuffed in my pockets.
The pockets themselves were sturdy and had no problem holding numerous phones/keys/energy bars all at once, with the material providing decent hold throughout. I personally would prefer them to be a little deeper (as I have a stupidly large phone case) and potentially have a more robust upper hem to make it clearer that an item has been fully lodged in place, but these are minor preferences.
On the bike, the strap length caused no issues, though I still feel this could be tweaked for a better off-bike experience to fulfil the adventure remit.
So too with the lack of comfort break feature. Pas Normal said it had mixed feedback on the matter from its focus groups, but was still working towards a perfected solution. While I understand the feature isn’t for everyone, I feel like it’s a must for bibs in the off-road, adventure category.
Pas Normal Women’s Escapism bib shorts review summary
The Pas Normal Escapism bib shorts are a compressive set of adventure cargo bibs, with a comfortable cut and reliable pockets. The material is highly stretchy and uses smooth flatlock seams, while the leg grippers and chamois provide the necessary comfort on long rides.
They aren’t the cheapest out there but match the likes of the Rapha Cargo bib shorts for price. The Escapism bib shorts would be a good option for riders ready to invest in a highly practical, comfort-oriented set of cargo bibs.
