If you’re a regular reader, you know we’re fans of DHaRCO, a young apparel and protection outfit from Australia. We’ve been watching them grow their identity ever since they got started, driven by their fresh designs as well as great product quality and functionality. They've already left their mark on the racing scene as well, most notably as the apparel and protection supplier to the high-flying Commencal Muc-Off squad, with more teams set to join the ranks now in 2026 too. With such strong gravity roots it was no big surprise that DHaRCO should lack some lighter-weight apparel options in their first catalogs, especially when it comes to pants and shorts. With the all-new Ather collection they’ve remedied that shortcoming, so we were of course eager to check the new gear out for ourselves to see what they’ve come up with. Our impressions follow!
DHaRCO Ather Pant Highlights
- Lightweight nylon stretch fabric
- DWR water-resistant finish
- 3 YKK pockets (two front and one rear)
- A hidden elastic style waist band, with Velcro adjustment and bonded front seams
- Room for knee pads
- No snag crotch panel
- Cross-functional for ride or lifestyle use
- Men’s and women’s versions available
- MSRP: $156 USD
DHaRCO Trail Short Highlights
- Ripstop 4-Way stretch fabric
- Recycled nylon
- Bonded adjustable waist tabs (men’s version)
- Yoga-style waist band (women’s version)
- 3 YKK zipper pockets (men’s version) / 2 YKK zipper pockets (women’s version)
- Mid-length cut
- No snag crotch panel
- MSRP: $107 USD
DHaRCO Ather Jersey Highlights
- Bonded neckline and cuffs for comfort and durability
- Light-weight, quick-dry, anti-odour fabric
- Left side zip pocket (YKK)
- Raised silicone logos
- Everyday styling with tech detailing
- Men’s and women’s versions available
- MSRP: $74 USD (long sleeve) / $66 USD (short sleeve)
Initial Impressions
In ancient Greece, Aether was the pure air that the gods would breathe up in the sky. DHaRCO’s Ather range may not be Greek but it certainly is light. The Ather pant reprises the cut and features of DHaRCO’s heavier-duty Gravity pant, just built around a lighter fabric. It also gets a semi-elastic waist band which can help provide a little extra space if you went too hard on the holiday food for example. In contrast, the Gravity pant sports a non-elastic waist which is all fine and dandy if you have a divine midriff like Amaury Pierron and Myriam Nicole, but could prove a squeeze for some of us regular mortals.
The Ather pant gets 3 zippered pockets, placed in different spots, with Velcro waist adjusters along the side. The styling is generally subdued, although there are a few wilder versions available in the women’s range.
The Ather jersey is also very light, and super soft to the touch. It’s made from a very breathable polyester fabric with quick-dry and anti-odor properties (quite close to the Fox Flexair fabric, for reference). A bonded neckline adds comfort, while a small zippered pocket can help you carry some essentials. Much like with the pant, the styling is quite subdued, although once again the women drew the long straw with a rad pink option available as well.
The Trail Short is also made from a lighter weight fabric than its Gravity brethren. The cut is very similar here as well, although the Trail short is a bit shorter at the knees. There are 3 zippered pockets on the men’s version, with one of them placed behind the leg in a somewhat unusual spot. The women’s version makes do with just the two main zippered pockets. The men’s version gets a zippered fly, a slightly elastic waist band and two Velcro waist adjusters, while the women’s version sports a taller, yoga pant-inspired elastic waist band and foregoes the fly completely.
On The Trail
On the trail, this new gear is light and comfortable. The cut works really well on the bike, and the stretchy fabrics allow the pant and short to follow your movements with more ease than the Gravity versions. As mentioned before, if you’re among those who won’t let concern for their waistlines stand between them and a tasty donut from time to time, the Ather pant and Trail short are notably easier to live with (or in) than the Gravity models. Whether you’re pedaling uphill or shredding the downs, this stuff soon makes itself forgotten, in the best sense.
The pocket placement is never quite standard with DHaRCO, but that has the advantage of catering to many different preferences. The pant has a phone pocket on top of the thigh, which seems a bit strange at first but actually works really well – no bouncing around here. The pocket at the rear of the men’s short is a bit more odd, but it can be useful for some minor storage as well if you are so inclined. In both cases you can also just one of the regular hip/side pockets (we've always loved the DHaRCO logo branding on the zippers, incidentally).
Diving into the details, the lower part of the pant leg is tapered, to avoid any potential drivetrain snagging or such, but the openings are large enough to make it easy to fit your foot through. The yoga pant-style elastic waist band on the women’s Trail Short is very comfortable and remained secure in action during all our testing. As mentioned, all the fabrics are light and stretchy, but they the pant and short both still feel reasonably robust to the touch and we believe they will stand the test of time, provided you don’t end up on the ground regularly (in which case you’d probably be opting for the gravity range anyway). As for the jerseys, the fabric is very thin, so if you regularly go bushwhacking you may want to look for something a bit sturdier as this one doesn't exactly love thorns, for example.
The Ather jersey is super light on the body, and very comfortable. This type of soft polyester fabric is one of our absolute favorites, it doesn’t hold too much moisture in and dries out quickly when you sweat in it. The cut is relaxed without being too baggy, which makes it very versatile as well. The men’s range features mostly subdued hues, while the women’s range pops a bit more with some bright pink options should you want them.
A final word on sizing: all the gear we tested generally falls within “standard” sizes. Johan typically wears a size L for tops and bottoms, and that worked out well here. As mentioned throughout the review, the Ather pant and Trail short are more stretchy than the Gravity versions, which gives you a bit more wiggle room. Darina tested S tops and M bottoms, which turned out perfect. Measurements of both testers follow:
Johan
Weight: 190-pounds (87 kg) // Height: 6'0" (1.84m) // Inseam: 34.25" (87cm)
Darina
Weight: 140-lbs (63 kgs) // Height: 5'3" (1.61m) // Inseam: 29.5" (75cm)
What’s The Bottom Line?
DHaRCO’s new Ather range is named after the air that the Greek gods would breathe, and while we wouldn’t call it divine, we certainly WOULD call it comfortable and fit for purpose. You can always argue that you don’t need to spend money on MTB-specific gear when a gym short and t-shirt might kinda do the job, but that would be selling today’s bespoke fabrics and features short. Mountain biking can get pretty intense, and since it usually takes place outdoors, comfortable gear can make a big difference. Where there previously was a bit of a hole in DHaRCO’s range, we’re very happy to see them introduce these lighter-weight options now – Ather is the perfect fit for trail riders looking for highly functional apparel with a classy look.
For more information, head to dharco.com.
About The Reviewers
Johan Hjord - Age: 52 // Years Riding MTB: 20 // Weight: 190-pounds (87 kg) // Height: 6'0" (1.84m)
Johan loves bikes, which strangely doesn’t make him any better at riding them. After many years spent practicing falling off cliffs with his snowboard, he took up mountain biking in 2005. Ever since, he’s mostly been riding bikes with too much suspension travel to cover up his many flaws as a rider. His 200-pound body weight coupled with unique skill for poor line choice and clumsy landings make him an expert on durability - if parts survive Johan, they’re pretty much okay for anybody. Johan rides flat pedals with a riding style that he describes as "none" (when in actuality he rips!). Having found most trail features to be not to his liking, Johan uses much of his spare time building his own. Johan’s other accomplishments include surviving this far and helping keep the Vital Media Machine’s stoke dial firmly on 11.
Darina Privalko - Age: 49 // Years Riding MTB: 4 // Weight: 140-lbs (63 kgs) // Height: 5'3" (1.61m)
Darina discovered mountain biking later in life, but instead of spending any time looking back at what could have been she tackles every adventure on her new two-wheeled friend with unbridled enthusiasm - heels down and eyes up!
Photos by Johan Hjord and Darina Privalko
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Free shipping on orders over $50 (continental U.S. only).
International shipping available. Some exclusions apply. |
Free shipping on orders over $50 (continental U.S. only).
International shipping available. Some exclusions apply. $156.00
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Free shipping on orders over $69 (continental U.S. only).
International shipping available. Some exclusions apply. |
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1/18/2026 6:34am
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