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I think it's time to part with my favorite pair of shorts (Primal Wear Prima), as I appear to have biked myself out of them.
I love the chamois on those shorts. It's wide enough, but isn't bulky at all--I can forget it's there. I've never seen anyone mention them on here, but if you can recommend a similar pair, that'd be awesome.
My second favorite shorts, if it helps, are the Sugoi Evolution shorts with the red/orange chamois. My Castellis (Vizio.1) are not entirely friendly.
I don't know how the chamois would compare, but those Primal Wear ones look similar to the PI Symphony Cut short, which also has a 6" inseam and a flat waist panel. Those are my favorites. I also have a pair of Symphony shorts with the 8" inseam, but they are snugger and don't have the same nice waist panel.
Having been on a shorts quest in the last year, I've found that the fit of the shorts is as important as the construction of the chamois. If the shorts are even a little too big, the chamois will move around, and if they are even a little too small, my parts will be compressed and/or suspended, and I'll move around independently of the chamois. Either way is not good.
I'm on the line between sizes in just about every brand, so it's a real issue. In principle I really like the Castelli Kiss-3 chamois, but when the rides get longer, as far as the "outside" part of the shorts, Medium is too big and Small is too small, and they just get uncomfortable. One of my two most comfortable pairs of shorts right now is the LG Neo Power (in Large, for comparison with Castelli sizing). When I looked at that chamois I didn't think I would like it, but I was willing to give it a try. As it turned out, the shorts fit me so well that the chamois doesn't move under me and I don't move over it, and they're great for all day.
So my advice is to find a brand that fits you very, very well, and pay as much attention to that as to the chamois. If you're one of those lucky ones who isn't on the line between sizes, ignore me. :p
I'm actually snugly within medium for everything except Primal and LG, so we're good on sizing. The Sugoi shorts fit me well, but I don't want the bulkier chamois that's in the newer Evolution shorts.
That LG chamois actually looks pretty comfy. Can't find the PI shorts zoom-zoom recommended anywhere in medium, but I'll see if I can find some other PI shorts and at least check those out.
Thoughts on Shebeest?
You might not like the Elite 3D chamois in those PI shorts I mentined--it's similar to the newer Sugoi chamois, I think. It works OK for me, since the footprint fits my sit-bones and girly bits pretty well, but it could be a bit less bulky and I'd not mind.Quote:
Originally Posted by Owlie
I think that chamois is in all their shorts, at least, all the ones I've seen. If I can get to a shop (either Performance or the LBS) that sells PI, I'll try them on and take an in-person look at the chamois.Quote:
Originally Posted by zoom-zoom
I have a question, when you say "biked myself out of them" do you mean they wore out, or that you're now a different kind of rider?
If they just wore out, but you loved them when they were new, I'd get the same ones.
They're now a size too big. They were probably a touch too large when I first got them, but not enough for me to notice. I looked at replacing them, but apparently they've been discontinued. :(Quote:
Originally Posted by redrhodie
Oh, that kind of biked out of! :) It's too bad you can't find them anymore. I just read a review of them, and they looked great.
I love the chamois, but I'd have liked a fabric that's a bit more compressive.Quote:
Originally Posted by redrhodie
Well, I found some, and probably my size, with black stitching on the seams instead of the blue like mine. I'm not sure the chamois alone, though, would let me justify spending close to retail on a pair of discontinued shorts, especially since I got mine for $35!
Anyone out there with the Shebeest SSS shorts? What do you think? I saw some at a bike shop when I went to pick up my bike. (I'm never doing business with that shop again, so I'm ordering from TE!) I liked the look of the chamois--not as thick as I expected--but all my shorts have that smooth-but-fleecy chamois, instead of the kind that the SSS has.
I have 2 pairs of SSS shorts. I like 'em just fine. Good points (for me) - no annoying drawstring at the waist, and I like the length. Bad points - I think I have a mild allergic reaction to the silicone leg grippers because I get red, bumpy blotches on my thighs, right where the gripper hits me. Overall opinion of them...I like them better than any of my Pearl Izumi shorts (and I have lots). Lately, the SSS short has been the short that I grab first...especially if I know I'm doing 50+ miles.Quote:
Originally Posted by Owlie
Linda
The best shorts I've found lately have been the DeSoto 400 mile shorts. The pad is a lot less bulky than PIs. It's actually made with a channel down the middle so you don't get pressure there.
The short material is more compressive than stretchy (think Terry Bella material).
The only drawback for me is that they have a lower cut than I prefer, but I like the rest of the shorts enough that I deal it.
I have a couple of pairs of SSS.
I like the chamois reasonably well, but it doesn't seem to be as durable as other brands. It could be a little thinner for my preference, but it's not so thick that it really causes problems.
I do like the construction and the fabric. Again I'm right on the line between small and medium in SheBeest, but unlike Castelli, they're stretchy enough that that isn't a huge issue.
IMO they're too short to begin with, and having to roll up the legs because of that silicone gripper is almost a deal-breaker.
The waistband is kind of thin, and as these shorts wear, it turns out that the waistband is an elastic strip inside a fabric roll, and it doesn't stay in place well over time. Maybe if I hand-washed them it would be better, but I have a front-loader, I always use the gentle cycle, and that's my limit. :p
Another comparative plug for the LG Neo Power. The chamois in those is a very similar shape and compressed thickness to the SSS, but a bit firmer, more like an actual chamois than a sponge. Plus, they have no gripper, no waist elastic, and a better leg length. Can't speak to durability though, as I don't have that many miles on my LGs yet.
Also, I don't ride in the rain a lot, but the SSS chamois is seriously a sponge. Yuk. When I was testing shorts for the tri I did last month, I got in the shower with the Castelli Vizio Due, and although I rejected these shorts for the tri because of the fit, I literally squeezed more water out of my sports bra after the shower than I did out of the Castelli chamois. Big plus for those. Haven't had the LGs wet, but it sure seems like they would also soak up less water than the SSS.
ETA, mostly hijack: Out of curiosity I took a look at those DeSoto 400-mile shorts, and it cracked me up how it says the chamois is "buoyant." Images of being held up in the water by my @ss. :p
I really like the Scattante Women's Supra Signature Short. Big pluses for me are: No leg grippers, no waist elastic, and thin padding. Hardly any padding at all in the girl-parts zone, which I like.
They are similar to the LG Neo Power Shorts, but half the price. I ordered a pr. of Neo Power shorts but sent them back -- I just couldn't stomach the price when I liked the Scattantes just as much.
They have them at Performance: http://www.performancebike.com/bikes...egoryId=400079