All Arround MTB

MTB gear with F1 pedigree Headed up by Australian Formula One driver Mark Webber, new outdoor clothing brand Aussie Grit boast of design “with an absence of negatives” – and we certainly hope that’s the case, given the eyewatering prices. Shown here are their Flint bike shorts, which are made from a four-way stretch fabric and have a built-in liner that’s joined to the outer through its elasticated, drawcord-secured ‘Anchor’ waistband. The matching jacket is fairly minimal in terms of features, and made from a three-layer breathable and waterproof fabric. It’s got shaped sleeves, a zipped chest pocket and an offset main zip. Does all this warrant the cost? We’ll find out soon when we put it to the test. Price $225 (shorts), $330 (jacket)

The Impacts are Royal’s top-of-the-line trail shorts. Being both lightweight and ventilated, they’re ideal for summer missions at home and abroad. Made of four-way stretch fabric, they don’t inhibit movement in the slightest, and laserperforated front and rear panels give great airflow. The 33cm (13in) inseam on the medium size covered the tops of our knee pads nicely. What we don’t like about these shorts is the cut. The legs are square and boxy, which makes the Impacts look and feel too baggy. There’s no danger of them falling down, though, thanks to the clip and twin-popper front closure and chunky Velcro waistband tabs. Four zipped pockets provide plenty of storage and they’re positioned high up, so the contents don’t bang about on your thighs when pedalling. Colour wise, they come in black, orange or ‘sand’ – the greenish khaki colour seen here, which we think looks pretty cool. Price $135

The new Trail Pros are competitively priced and well thought out. Tough ripstop fabric is used over the knees and hips to boost durability. Although this is a little noisy, it feels fine next to the skin. Elsewhere, dhb use a two-faced fabric with two-way stretch to keep things comfy and movement free and easy. Neat touches include silicone gripper inside the waistband, which has Velcro adjusters on either side, a seam-free crotch and three zipped pockets (though we’d happily ditch the rear pocket and would have preferred black zips). The Trail Pros feel particularly well-shaped around the waist, where they sit high enough to cover your lower back when hunched over climbing, and articulate well when pedalling and moving around the bike. They also stay put when caked in mud. The straight-cut legs allow ample room for pads but can get a little flappy if you’re not wearing knee protection. Price $90

Alpinestars’ Pathfinder Base shorts are relatively lightweight trail offerings, which don’t come with a padded liner. The fabric has enough stretch to ensure that movement remains unrestricted and your bum crack is kept covered when you’re sat down climbing. There’s also enough weight to the material that the shorts hang as they should and don’t ride up over your knee pads when pedalling. The two hip pockets are handy for stashing things in when off the bike but, with no zips, are more or less redundant when you’re in the saddle. This is irritating (though obviously less of an issue for those carrying packs), particularly as the only zipped pocket sits halfway down the thigh, which means the contents flap around as you turn the cranks or move around the bike. Waist adjustment comes courtesy of two Velcro tabs, which make it easy to get the fit right. We like the really soft fabric that lines the inside of the waistband for maximum comfort. Price $105

These liner shorts have a well-shaped chamois, plus removable hip pads for a bit of extra protection. The ‘Dryarn’ knitted fabric is incredibly soft and comfy next to the skin and provides a properly figure-hugging fit without feeling too tight. While you do notice the hip pads initially, it doesn’t take long to forget about them once you’re riding. They don’t shift about as you pedal, and stay put when out of the saddle and shifting around on the bike too. If you don’t want to use them, they slide out of the shorts easily enough. At just under $128, the Trailknit Pros are incredibly expensive as liners go. The added protection really doesn’t come cheap. Price $128

The XA Pro shorts exude the quality and attention to detail we’ve come to expect from Mavic. They’re made from a lightweight ‘Trail Tech’ fabric, which feels comfortable yet durable, thanks to its dense weave and 11 per cent elastane content. A small internal key pocket is hidden near the waistband and there’s a zipped pocket just above the knee. While these don’t provide enough storage to let you ride packless, there’s space for the key/card essentials. On the bike, perforations on the inner thighs aid breathability but undermine the effectiveness of the otherwise sprayresistant DWR-coated material. Small diamond-shaped grip sections help keep you perched on the saddle, until it gets really muddy. Getting the sizing right is crucial, since there’s no waist adjustability, but we found Mavic’s size chart to be accurate and the stretch rear panel allows some flexibility. Price $120

These are Sombrio’s freeride shorts and they’re made from a noticeably burlier four-way-stretch fabric than their more trail-orientated Highlines. They’ve got a ton of features, including three zipped pockets (although these sit too low on the leg for our liking), zipped vents and a lift-pass retainer. On the bike, the stretch fabric, seamless crotch and vents mean you can pedal in cool comfort despite the thick material. Build quality is generally high, with reinforced stretch stitching on most seams, though one of the Velcro waist adjusters on our samples delaminated on first use. Price $135

While the SingleTrack Lite IIs may sound quite pricey, coming in at a shade under $105 and with no liner included, they do offer a lot when it comes to performance. For starters, there are two zipped hip pockets, which are well positioned and sized for stowing the essentials, plus a smaller zipped stash pocket on the rear of the waistband for cards and keys. Velcro adjusters on the waist let you alter the fit, and there’s a zipped vent on the outside of each leg to help cool you down when working hard. The lightweight fabric is stretchy and comfortable next to the skin, although it does rustle when moving. There’s ample depth in the waistband and enough articulation in the cut that the SingleTrack Lite IIs will stay put when you’re sat down pedalling. The legs are long enough and roomy enough that they’ll sit over knee pads without issue too. Comfort on the bike is decent, but if your pack sits low on your back or you have to cinch the Velcro adjusters up quite a bit, you can rea...

These have been designed to take a bit more abuse than most trail shorts and to provide a little extra leg length too. While the inseam measures 14in, the additional 1.5in provided by the curved end to the legs means there’s no fear of showing any skin above your pads when pedalling. Made from a durable four-way stretch material, they’re comfy next to the skin and lightweight enough for all-day epics. A DWR treatment means they’ll shrug off showers, but will still get soaked in a downpour. The relaxed fit is great, with no excess fabric and some well-considered tailoring ensuring that they’re incredibly comfy to pedal in. Velcro waist tabs mean there’s no need for the belt loops. The two mesh-lined pockets are too far down the leg for stowing anything heavy, but the inner phone pocket is handy. While the price is high, it includes Scott’s highly-regarded liner, which breathes well and has a comfy pad. Price $157

The DBX 4.0s are best suited to uplift fans, rather than pedalling-keen riders, due to their thick, abrasion-resistant build. While there are ventilation holes, the scuff-proof double and triple-layer material makes the shorts warm and heavy in use. Durability has been spot on so far, thanks to the tough material and chunky YKK zips. The cut is high enough at the back to not leave you exposed, and this is backed up by an easily-adjustable waist fit. While the legs are roomy (without being flappy) and extend over the knee, they’re designed to work best when worn over pads. Should you choose not to, they can rub on the knee. There’s a soft mesh liner, but no chamois, though the seamless seat adds comfort. A water-resistant treatment keeps splashes and dirt at bay, but the shorts feel much heavier when sodden. Price $120

On board, no matter how demanding the ascent or descent” is how Dakine describe these shorts, and with that in mind we’ve been trying them out on everything from cross-country spins to full-on downhill runs. They’re certainly comfy and won’t stop you getting into wild shapes, thanks to the four-way stretch fabric and the huge, stretchy mesh panel at the rear. The DWR coating is also good at shrugging off a bit of light rain and keeping your legs dry. Sizing is generally good, although lankier testers found them a smidge too short in the leg. With internal Velcro tabs to adjust the waist, as well as belt loops, you can be sure that wearing these won’t result in any embarrassing incidents, and with zipped hip pockets you won’t have the embarrassment of losing your keys either. Price $90

Thanks to two shallow leg pockets and three deeper rear pockets, Specialized’s SWAT (Storage Water Air Tools) undershorts allow you to ditch your pack on shorter rides. The leg pockets are handy for lighter items like energy gels and bars, while the bigger rear pockets can happily accommodate a spare tube, basic tools, phone or even a water bottle. We’d like to see one zipped pocket for keys or cash, though. Even when fully loaded, the body-hugging fit means the SWAT bibs don’t sag down and kit stays well positioned while riding. To top things off, the Specialized chamois is one of the comfiest out there, which just adds to the overall value. Price $97

There’s no getting around the fact that ION’s Scrub_AMP shorts cost a lot of money, especially considering that they don’t come with a liner. There are two zip pockets at the front, which will let you stash the bare essentials while you’re out for a pedal. The right-hand pocket includes an inner neoprene sleeve to stash your phone in, which does offer a little more protection than just leaving it floating about in there with no protection whatsoever. It’s a bloody tight fit for your average smartphone though, so a bit of a faff to get it in and out. Thanks to the four-way stretch fabric the shorts are made from, they’re extremely comfy to pedal in. Two Velcro adjuster tabs at the waist make tweaking the fit easy enough, and the cut, which sits just over the knee, feels spot on, with more than enough room at the openings to accommodate knee pads. We can’t say we’re the biggest fans of the huge ‘S’ on the left leg though. Price $150

The latest Lithos shorts use an integrated belt system to allow you to get the fit just right, alongside a double popper and fly closure to ensure they stay put. There’s enough give in the lightweight, stretchy fabric to keep pedalling unrestricted and the deep waistband doesn’t dig in or feel uncomfortable even on long days in the hills. The two zipped hand pockets are useful for essentials, and if that’s not enough, there’s a zipped thigh pocket too. While the baggy fit means the shorts will easily accommodate knee pads, it does make the legs quite flappy over bare knees. Price $105

The Enduro Comp shorts have become a favourite here. They’re that bit better fitted than much of the competition – not so baggy that they flap around in the breeze, but relaxed enough that they sit happily over pads and offer enough coverage even when you’re really flexing your knees. The stretchy ‘VaporRize’ fabric is comfy and also provides some water repellency, while the twin Velcro waist adjusters ensure the shorts stay seated nicely on your hips and don’t droop down when hunched over the bike. Our only real niggle is the lack of even one zipped pocket. While the two hip pockets are handy, the single zip on the right-hand side is there so you can access your Specialized SWAT bib shorts (which you can stash kit inside), so if you’re not wearing these, it’s redundant. Price 97$

These are some seriously constructed shorts, which is reflected in the price. But after one ride we were sold. The cut is phenomenal, from the generously high-backed waist to the long leg length that sits well over the knee, to the back yoke that allows ample freedom of movement.

It’s not often that we award a heavier weight pair of shorts four stars, because riding comfort is often compromised by the extra protection. Not so with the Descents.

Exceptional kit generally feels right as soon as you put it on, and with the Recons there was a definite ‘ah’ moment when we fastened the waist. Pared back in terms of design, with just two discreet hand pockets, these shorts have been considered down to the last detail.

We liked last year’s Ambushes but updating the styling for 2016 with a higher back has made a good pair of shorts great. The cut is neat on the hips and, combined with a longer than average leg length, gives a perfect balance of fit and movement.

These deceptively simple and understated shorts deliver big time on the details that matter. The first of these is the fit, which is impeccable, with a high-backed waist and spot-on rise measurement paired with long legs that manage to be roomy but not overly baggy.