Andrew Sabisky
Reviewed: 22 June 2009
Cherish with care and love
Super-breathable and beautifully stretchy. Pocket allocation works very nicely for energy gels, keys, phone, etc. Reinforced seat means you can sit down without worrying you're shortening the lifespan of the shorts. Gusseted crotch holds your balls in place, so underwear can be left at home.
The stretch comes at a price. Yes, the seat is reinforced, but the rest of the fabric feels like it requires TLC. Be very careful when tying the waist cords tighter: pull too tight and the fabric from where the cords emerge can and will rip. This should have been toughened. The irony is that they don't actually need tightening: they feel like they might slide down your backside, but actually they won't in the slightest.
Fast movers will appreciate the breathability, well-designed crotch and careful pocket allocation. I described them as mid-thigh above, and this is how they are advertised, but actually they come a little lower, to just above your knee (on my longish legs, at any rate). The reinforced seat feels pretty tough, but the rest of the fabric requires TLC, as I found when I destroyed my first pair misjudging a jump over a fence (good thing, though. If they hadn't ripped I'd probably be dead: this really was my fault). Now on my second pair and am being very careful to avoid excess tightening on the waist, as the fabric around the band isn't very strong. That said, one minorish quibble apart and they are excellent.
