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Gore's Alp-X was the first waterproof short we'd ever seen when it was launched a few years ago, and, my how we laughed at the concept. Then came the inaugural TransWales event in 2006 – yes the one that rained every day. It was then we realised the sheer genius of the Alp-X, and the joy of peeling off filthy, sodden shorts to park a dry bum on the seat of the food tent.The Alp-X remains a firm favourite because of its low weight and relatively small pack size, making it easy to stow and take along for 'just in case' days. The style is the pared-down simplicity that Gore is so good at, with clean lines, an easy draw cord waist and only one centre back pocket. The draw cord makes for some puffing up around the waist, but otherwise it's a straight forward contender made from ever-reliable Gore-Tex with fully taped seams, so there's no chance of the tiniest drop of rain finding its way through.The styling is more classic waterproof shell than the Endura Venturi fly fronted design, but our only real gripe is that the leg length could be a bit more generous (it must be said that this tester is of the tall variety).
Lightweight performance makes these a packable choice.
the idea of a waterproof short may seem a littleunusual, but they provide extra warmth when riding hard (without overheating in full trousers), protect your backside from getting soggy if you don't have mudguards or ride offroad, keep the top of the thigh dry(like Rain Legs) and are easy to slip on and off. Ive' long beena fan of the concept - in fact, i made my own three quarter length 3/4 length version in China for touring. Gore's more professional Alp-Xs are cose fitting - they slide easily over lycra - though you might want to go up a size. The cut is simple, with one rear zippered mesh pocket, an elasticated waist, reflective piping, a stretch Gore Tex panel across the back of the legs, and synch cords at the leg openings. Ventilation is obviously good, while Gore-Tex Paclite is very breathable and hardwearing. they're great for Mtb'ing, touring and commuting. But as lovely as they are, it's hard to justify the £100 price tag.
A great concept for a dry backside, but a touch pricey
The Story of mountain biking so far:-Man invents bike-Man rides bike-Man rides through puddle-Man gets wet arse-Man unhappy.Well, today there's a new chapter to the epic story of mountain biking. The Gore Alp-X Shorts. The Alp-X Shorts are made from Gore-Tex Paclite mean that as well as being waterproof, they are light and slightly stretchy. The seat is reinforced and feels much more hard-wearing, luckily, than the rest of the short.Basically they're a £95 solution to stop you getting a wet arse without looking like they're from a Cycle Tourist Club brochure. Which to be honest, is all they need to do to be a great product.
They're not cheap but they stop you getting a wet arse and you can still ear them in the pub after the ride.
At first glance the Alp X shorts look like any other baggy riding shorts. But there's a key difference. These are made from Gore Tex PacLite breatable waterproof fabric. Yes, they're waterproof shorts. It is fair to say that i was mildly sceptical about this concept. for riding off road in wet conditions, waterproof shorts are a great boon - you really don't want a Lycra-load of gritty water between your behind and the saddle. The Alp-X shorts are unlined and are intended to be worn over Lycra shorts. While they clearly fall under the baggy category, they're not all that capacious - the larger of leg may struggle. That's probably deliberate to mimimise the possibility of puddles shooting up your leg - elasticated drawcords enhance the feeling in the bottom of the legs. Compared with full length rain pants, Gore's shorts obviously provide somewhat less protection from the wet. But they're a lot cooler and they pack up smaller.
The Alp X shorts work very well but they are expensive.