We’re normally wary of armoured undershorts, but these Alpinestars ones looked the business. The fit is similar to conventional padded shorts, but there’s no undercarriage padding – they will go on pretty well over a normal liner should you want to layer up.
As for padding, it’s about 10mm thick and made from dense foam, which will help take the sting out of any solid smash. We like that the padding isn’t too thick, and the shape of the shorts means that they articulate well without the pads slipping or moving around when you pedal.
We wouldn’t wear them to ride in for too long though – they’re effectively an extra layer and don’t vent particularly well, making for sweaty times down below on a warm day. But if you’re looking to add some protection to a particularly easily injured area, these are certainly worth a look.
This article was originally published in Mountain Biking UK magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.
