Most of the shorts in this review are of the silky, lightweight variety. Dakine’s 8 Track shorts, however, aren’t playing that game. Think of these things as the industrial-strength Carhartt models of the mountain biking world–the 8 Track’s polyester, canvas shell is burly as hell. These things shrug off spills and abuse without flinching. If you’re hard on your gear or are looking for shorts that are a bit warmer than the rest, the 8 Tracks, with their bomber build and hefty Durable Water Repellant coating, are the perfect choice.
If you’re more of a summertime rider, you might find the 8 Tracks a bit
too toasty. Dakine has equipped the 8 Tracks with zippered, inner leg vents,
but these shorts will never feel as light and airy as shorts constructed from
lighter materials. It’s all a matter of tradeoffs. As for fit, the 8 Track
features both interior Velcro waist adjusters and exterior belt loops, so
adjusting the waistline to compensate for last month’s pork rind binge is never
a problem.
Price 95$
