We've got a guest reviewer this go-round. She's a friend of mine,
an excellent rider and had an opinion to share. Here it is:
"First Impression
Nice light fabric
Appealing accents that are feminine without going overboard
Available in a very nice grey and a deep brown color
Overall fit
I am a 30” waist and 40” hip and I found the Medium to fit well. As I tested that squatting off the back of the bike position for unwanted draftiness, I was pleased to find these shorts gave no hint of the dreaded plumbers crack. Next I did a turn in the mirror, to make sure I didn’t look like I needed a wide load sign and the shorts earned a extra point for flattering cut. I should have expected as much from a company like Fox. Now down to the important stuff. The length on the shorts was good for freeride shorts, falling just at the knee on my 5’4” frame. The outer fabric felt light enough to not chafe like heavy DH Azonics will on a hot day, but still strong enough to offer some protection. The built in liner short was a light fabric with venting that seemed to promise excellent wicking and had a nice soft feel. The chamois was the only component of the shorts that gave me pause in the dressing room. The chamois was not held in place well by the built in short and was fighting to resume the shape it had been folded into during shipping, it was a bit like a diaper wedge. However, most chamois require a little break in time so I was willing to withhold judgment until I had a bit of ride time into the chamois.
Technical Performance:
I have used these shorts on at least 10-15 rides in areas varying from the somewhat rocky steep and climbing portions of Skeggs to the swoopy, hippy areas of UC with drops, jumps and other fun silliness. I was pleased overall with the performance of the shorts. They did what freeride shorts should do, protect my soft girly skin while staying the hell out of my way and keeping me cool. The fabric did not chafe, and the inner short wicked well. My only disappointment is that so far despite having 20+ hours and 10+ washings in the shorts the chamois is still stubbornly riding up my tukas. Admittedly, I don’t notice it too much while climbing. However, any time there is a long standing DH section or when we stop to regroup, I feel the intense need to pick the chamois out of my butt.
The Nutshell
Great fit
Good fabric
Functional while looking good
Not black, ;)
Chamois needs tweaking
Things I'd like to see:
These shorts overall are great. The chamois is a bit of a buzzkill, but I suspect the chamois is not at fault. It seems like the wicking material they used for the built in short does not have enough elastic strength to hold the chamois flat and in place the way a pair of road shorts does. In their next revision of this short, I would love to see them resolve this issue with a different fabric or maybe a removable or separate inner short."
Alas, my gal pal gave it no score, so here's my best guess:
8 out of 10, because you should never have to think about your chamois.
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