I have the Louis Garneaus shorts & love 'em. The chamois in this new shorts is nothing like the AirStream. They use an insert called the AirGel, which is a soft, stretchable chamois also found in their black & white bib-short. I rode the bib-short all last season & liked it so much that I just ordered myself a second pair for this season.

But back to the new short. I got a pair for Xmas & have been using it indoors on the trainer. The chamois is very nice, it is the only one I own that truly disappears when you have it on, no diaper feel at all. The fabric of the short is strange, one of those new dimpled materials that is supposed to wick real well. I guess it does, as I don't get a heat/sweat rash. There is no leg gripper at all, they compress through numerous panel construction, with a wide horizontal band of fabric at the bottom of the leg opening. Not sure how else to describe it, as it feels very strange at first, somewhat tight, but it seems to loosed up a little after some washes & wears. Some riders might be put off at this, but it is so comfortable it might be worth a try.

I also give very high marks to the Assos. SK already said it all in terms of the short's very many attributes.

Lastly is the Castelli -- a loser in my book. I cannot stand that chamois, it is thin & the seams chafe horribly. I'm not impressed with the NASA technology either. All the good chamois regulate temperature well, they just don't try to make anything more of it than that.