If you are on a budget but are not willing to settle for an inferior quality pair of shorts, then look no further. The Zoic Ether Shorts + Liner is one of the most inexpensive models in our test, and they come with a chamois liner included. The Ether surprised our testers with its performance, with solid scores in all of our tests. Best of all, it retails for around half the price of many shorts included in our review. The Ether shorts truly hit the sweet spot when it comes to performance at a reasonable price.
Zoic Ether Shorts + Liner Review
The Zoic Ether are a solid performing pair of shorts with the added bonus of being some of the most affordable shorts we tested.
Price: $80 List | $49.97 at Competitive Cyclist
Compare prices at 3 resellers Pros: Removable inner liner, many well-placed pockets, affordable
Cons: Poor quality chamois
Manufacturer: Zoic
Compare prices at 3 resellers Pros: Removable inner liner, many well-placed pockets, affordable
Cons: Poor quality chamois
Manufacturer: Zoic
By Curtis Smith ⋅ Senior Review Editor ⋅ Nov 15, 2018
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Our Verdict
Compare to Similar Products
Our Analysis and Test Results
The previous version of the Ether short was a Best Buy Award winner, the most recent version sees some substantial improvements. We loved the old version and Zoic has managed to improve upon the original with Duraflex fabric, higher quality zippers, and a revamped waist adjustment system. The best part is that they have managed to keep the price competitively low. The Ether + Liner retails for less than half the cost of the most expensive shorts we tested.
Performance Comparison
They might be affordable but they don't look cheap.
Comfort
The Ether ranks amongst the most comfortable shorts we tested, only being outscored by a few of our top-rated models. For an $80 pair of shorts, this is quite an achievement and goes to show that affordability and reliable performance are not mutually exclusive.
Mesh ventilation below the waistband on the Ether shorts.
The Ether is most comparable to the 100% Airmatic in its cut, and the slightly baggy design seems to lend itself well to good passive ventilation. As one of the cooler shorts in our test, the Ether along with the Airmatic , Patagonia Dirt Roamer and the Kitsbow Mescal Ventilated were go-to shorts for our testers on hot days. Mesh panels on the legs and below the rear portion of the waistband further enhance ventilation. The Ether shorts do not wick sweat as well as the Airmatic or the Kitsbow Mescal Ventilated, but they are a solid warm weather performer.
The Zoic Ether shorts come with a chamois liner, the budget price of the shorts is more apparent here, we were not all that impressed with the liner.
Zoic sells the Ether short with their IPL Essential Liner. The liner is decent, but not nearly as well made or comfortable as the Fox liner short. The chamois is more rigid and does not conform to the body as well. Walking in the IPL liner is not nearly as comfortable as the Fox either. Like the low-end liner included with the Fox Ranger Cargo, it's not likely to blow your mind, but getting a liner short at all in this price range is unbelievable. Even if you plan to replace the liner with something a bit nicer, having a spare pair of liner shorts is nice.
Fit and Pedal Friendliness
The fit of the Ether is slightly baggier and roomier than the 100% Airmatic, but the shorts do have a slightly articulated cut which improves pedaling performance. The Ether is a solid short for long days in the saddle. The four-way stretch fabric does a good job of limiting resistance to the pedal stroke. The fabric slides easily over the skin, and the seams in the shorts are not noticeable. There is undoubtedly more material flapping around than you have with a short such as the Kitsbow Mescal Ventilated or the Patagonia Dirt Roamer, but unless you're racing cross country, this is probably not a deal breaker.
The Ether is a great short for long days in the saddle, with great comfort and excellent pedaling performance.
Overall, the fit is a bit less performance oriented than our highest rated shorts, but Zoic has done an excellent job creating a short that balances a looser cut with good all day pedaling performance.
Features
If you thought that the most affordable pair of shorts we tested would be short on features, you would be incorrect. They have the greatest number of pockets, and also include a nice functional waist adjustment system.
The cell phone pocket with a headphone cable port is a nice feature of the Zoic Ether.
A total of six pockets are found on the Ether. If loads of pocket storage space is high on your priority list, these may be the shorts for you. There are two unsecured hand pockets on the front of the shorts that are ideal for food or other items you need quick access to. Also, there is a zippered pocket on the lower leg on each side of the shorts that Zoic refers to as Active Access cargo pockets. There is also a zippered pocket on the right leg with a headphone port that fits an iPhone 6; it is a bit snug for any of the plus-sized phones we tried. You also get a zippered wallet style pocket on the back of the shorts, and there's plenty of room for almost anything we can imagine the need to carry in our shorts.
An adjustable waist is a critical feature, we prefer shorts with an external adjustment like the Zoic Ether.
The waist adjustment system uses Velcro laminated rubber tabs on the exterior of the waistband, similar to the Troy Lee Ruckus design. The rear portion of the waistband is stretchy elastic which when combined with the waist adjustment system makes for one of the most adjustable shorts in the review. The front closure is a single snap with a Velcro patch. These are the only shorts we tested that use this setup. We like the extra security of two closure methods, and it likely takes some of the stress off of the snap. A zipper rounds things out below for easy nature break access.
Durability
The Ether shorts held up well during testing, but they fall within the more lightweight end of the spectrum, like the Kitsbow Mescal Ventilated. They do not have the burly fabric of more downhill oriented products like the Ruckus, but they are well made. The lightweight stretch fabric on these shorts makes them perfect for pedaling, but they lack the ruggedness of shorts with heavier fabric like the Pearl Izumi Elevate. The mesh panels on the lower legs and hips are also more prone to damage and abrasion than shorts that omit this feature.
Extensive use of the black mesh ventilation patches decreases durability but increases ventialtion.
The stitching and zippers do not appear as robust as the hardware on the Troy Lee Ruckus, but everything held up well during testing. The interior of the pockets is mesh, so they can serve double duty as vents on a hot day if your pockets aren't full. This design is not as durable as a solid fabric pocket, but it has its advantages.
The front hip pockets of the Ether do not have zippers and feature a mesh lining.
Style
Style is the most subjective category in which we rated our test shorts. We think most will agree that the Zoic Ether sits in the middle of the road between athletic shorts and casual shorts. The non-zip hand pockets and faux front belt loops give the short a casual feel, while the mesh vent panels and elastic waist back look more technical. We think that the Ether is casual enough to wear off the bike with the separating liner left at home.
The Zoic Ether has a loose baggy fit and comes down to just past the knee.
The shorts used in our test were teal in color, and while the cut appears relatively casual, the color and the mesh vent panels make these shorts look like a mountain bike short. They aren't incredibly flashy, but the bright teal color stands out. The fit is baggier than the ultra-fitted Kitsbow Mescal Ventilated but the cut is slightly articulated and designed for the pedaling position. One thing we can say with confidence is that the shorts do not look cheap, and most people we asked guessed they were in the $100 plus price range.
Protection
The Ether has a 12-inch inseam, which means that the shorts fall just over the knee when standing, and provide a good amount of leg coverage in a crash. The leg openings are large enough to be worn with knee pads, which is a plus. For the best protection consider our Top Pick Award winner the Troy Lee Ruckus or the Pearl Izumi Elevate, which have a 3 inch longer inseam and use a burlier material.
The Zoic Ether shorts have a loose fit and good leg coverage.
The fabric on these shorts is similar in thickness to the 100% Airmatic and is not nearly as burly as the ripstop material found on the Troy Lee Ruckus. Abrasion protection, while not an afterthought in the design, certainly takes a back seat to pedal performance and ventilation.
Best Applications
The Ether is a great all arounder. It is well suited to trail and enduro riding but is also a solid choice for the entry level rider who wants a solid pair of shorts and does not want to spend a lot.
The Zoic Ether might be one of the most affordable shorts we tested, but their performance is in line with the best shorts we tested.
Value
The Ether is one of the best values of any pair of shorts we've ever tested. These shorts score well in all of our performance tests, and retail for around half the price of many comparable shorts. The liner short is a bit of a let down if you are used to high-end chamois pads, but at this price, we are amazed that the shorts even come with one in the first place. If you need a high-performance pair of shorts and don't want to spend a fortune, then these are the shorts for you.
Conclusion
The Ether shorts are one of the least expensive shorts in our test and impressed our testers with an amazing price to performance ratio. If you're a rider on a budget seeking a great value in a high performance short that comes with a chamois liner, check out the Ether + Liner. In the end, it was edged out of the Best Buy Award by the Fox Ranger Cargo, but the Ether is still an excellent short at a fantastic price.
— Curtis Smith