Wait a second...

"I seem to remember you saying paying 80 smackers for shorts is something you can't bring yourself to do?" Yeah, well, that is still true... I had a gift certificate. So there.

Endura Humvee Baggy Short

The Specs

"The Humvee baggy short from Endura has the look and feel of a true all terrain vehicle. From the durable ripstop nylon fabric, the stretch lower back panel and crotch gusset, to the six useful pockets and the burly belt this short packs a wallop. It also features two side zipped ventilation openings for extra cooling power and a detachable, interchangeable liner short with Coolmax covered stretch chamois. There are even Velcro adjustable leg openings to allow you to cinch them in for a custom fit."

• Made from durable Teflon® treated nylon with side-zipped ventilation
• Two rear tabbed large map pockets, two front zipped pockets, cargo pocket and zipped mobile phone pocket
• Stretch lower back panel and seamless stretch inner leg panel
• Sold with 6-panel Clickfast^TM liner
• Adjustable belt

So, along with the Hoss Ponderosa's of previous review fame, these also came highly recommeneded out there on the internet. Luckily enough, Nashbar via Amazon had them for sale, so I picked me up a somewhat price subsudized pair.

Initial Impressions

These made me feel all tingly when I opened them up. The felt nice and lightweight, looked good, had a stretch panel to help keep my buttcrack hidden, and the liner was completely removeable. They also boasted plenty of pockets if you are into that sort of thing, not to mention zipper operated ventilation slots on each side of the shorts to keep your boys cool.

I was particularly impressed with their liner "attachment" mechanism: they use a series of small snaps to fasten the liner to the waistline part of the baggy overshort. It is very low profile and secure. Best method I have come across so far in my limited experience.

The liner itself also seems top notch. The chamois is a funny colored yellow/orangish color which I think means crap that will make your nuts rot off won't grow there.

The Ride

The Fit

Again, I am in the area of a 38 waist (sometimes 36), so, in accordance with their sizing, I went with the XL. The liner fit quite nicely, and the shorts buttoned up with very little room to spare - if I was a couple pounds heavier, I probably will have popped the button. The belt? I was barely was able to buckle it - and I had that mother fully extended! However, I should also mention that the belt is completely removeable, so you can skip it entirely, or go with something with a little more street cred.

They are long. On me, at 6 foot plus a wee smidge, they come down far enough to just about cover my entire knee. In fact, less than 30 minutes into their first ride, I was accused of wearing "schmantz".

Overall though, they fit, almost perfectly - if I drop a pound or two I am betting these are going to be perfect.

Lastly, they do a good job at toeing that line between baggy and tight - just baggy enough to look good and hide your bits, and not baggy enough that you are hooking the crotch on your seat. Well played Endura, well played.

The Chamois

Super comfy, perfectly padded, breathable, removeable. Perfect. One tip though: snap them into the shorts before you put them on. Buttoning them onto the shorts while wearing them is a little tough around back. No biggie though.

Breathability

The breathability of these shorts was great. Very quick drying as well.

Pockets

A little overkill on the pocket department if you ask me. Of course the most I ever keep in my pockets riding is maybe some lip balm to keep my lips oh so soft and plump. Some are zippered, some are velcro, and there is what I believe they toot as a cellphone pocket down near the knee - which, and I am guessing here, would be the most efficient place to have it to be annoyingly knocking into your leg while pedaling.

Lastly, there is an external "key clip" offering one an extra hand in losing your car keys in the woods. It doesn't really get in the way, so I suppose it's fine - just seemed like an odd choice.

Conclusion

The Pros

• Very comfortable
• Breathable and quick drying
• Removable liner with a great attachment system
• Removable belt
• Good looking, though maybe a little long

The Cons

• Key clip is just plain silly
• Sizing could be iffy, slightly too long in my opinion
• For my tastes, a little expensive?

Overall

These are really nice shorts, no question about that. Well thought out, well constructed, and comfortable. $80 though? That's tough, if I came across a pair on sale in the $50-60 range, I would be all over them. Otherwise, I might just stick with another pair of affordable Hoss Ponderosa's.

Comments / Discussion