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The Altura Attack waterproof shorts are a regular choice for BikeRadar testers. The three-layer Hydrolite fabric is tough and effective against everything from drizzle to a full-on cloudburst, so it rarely feels overwhelmed.Refreshingly, they neither look nor feel like waterproof shorts - which means you're likely to wear them more often. The look and fit is similar to Altura's excellent non-waterproof Attack trail shorts, with side waist adjusters and stretch panels to fine-tune the fit, and small cargo pockets on the thigh for those extra in-ride necessities.
A top choice, blending good looks with effective waterproofing
The Summit shorts are Altura's top of the range summer baggies, and they're clearly designed with warm conditions in mind. The outer shell is lightweight, with stretch panels around the inside of the legs. Altura has included distinctive mesh vent panels in the front of the legs, with extra vents at the seams on either side.The Summit shorts have an entirely adequate three pockets, two open ones at the sides and a zippered one around the back. Many shorts on the market have more, but we're not sure why. One minor niggle is that the side pockets openings are mainly horizontal and positioned a little to the front - good for preventing stuff falling out, but they're a little tricky to stick a gloved hand into and the mesh liner tends to come out with whatever you've stored in there.A standard zip and popper at the front hold the shorts up, while elastic at the back of the waistband can be tensioned with Velcro tabs at the sides to tune the fit. Leg length is fairly standard just-above-the-knee.Inside is a detachable padded liner, with a fairly thin but well-shaped pad, comfy broad waistband and leg grippers. It's full Lycra rather than mesh, but it's substantially shorter than the outer shorts so you get a cooling breeze around your legs.
The Altura Summit shorts are solid performers, with all the features you need and none of the ones you don't. And they're keenly priced too.
These are the best budget shorts we've come across. The styling is clean and unfussy, with a lightweight but durable fabric and a stretch panel giving a 'barely there' feeling once on.The mesh vents work well and the removable floating liner has a minimal but super-soft and comfy pad. Waist adjustment is via a simple tab pull at the back and the inside rear waistband is lined with wicking mesh.The fit is less finessed than higher end models so that the waistband is a tad low at the back and there's some crotch puffiness, but a baggy short with a comfy removable liner that works this well for less than £50 is a no brainer.
Great value short that sets the budget standard