Shredly Basic Short & Yogacham Chamois Liner Review
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The days of “pink it and shrink it” in women’s outdoor gear are long over and more and more women’s specific companies, like Shredly, are popping up with gear that finds the middle ground of fit, functionality, and style. After testing the Shredly Basic Short and YOGACHAM chamois liner, the fact that Shredly’s products are designed for a women by a woman comes across loud and clear.
Shredly Basic Short
The Basic Shorts are a versatile stylish mountain bike short that can easily crossover from mountain biking, to hiking, climbing and water sports. The material is lightweight and has a bit of stretch allowing the shorts to fit well and move with you during whatever activity you choose for the day. I found the material to dry quickly when it was just damp from sweat or light rain, but when it was soaked completely it after a day on the SUP, it took an hour or two to dry even in hot sun. The material feels durable and didn’t rip or tear, but it wasn’t abrasion resistant. After only a few days on the mountain bike, there were definite pulls and rub marks around the waist where my CamelBaks sat and during washing the velcro had come undone and stuck to another section of the shorts causing the material to pull a bit.
The flattering cut of the Shredly Basic Shorts was a welcomed change after so many shorts that just don’t fit right. They are designed with a low-rise waist, a wide waistband and gusseted crotch. As an avid cyclist, I have a hard time finding shorts that fit both my quads and waist and these did the trick. The Shredly Basic Shorts didn’t suction to my quads and yap at the back of the waist like most shorts tend to do. The wide waistband offered a flattering fit and didn’t pinch or dig anywhere. While the waist was lower rise, they offer plenty of coverage on the bike and no matter how I moved during other activities.
The flattering cut was complemented by a unique pattern (I tested STEVI, but they’re all very unique) and stylish details like the gems on the waist and pocket snaps. Shedly’s Basic Short not only has stylish details, but also some functional details like deep mesh hip pockets to stow small items and a snap-close cargo pocket. The cargo pocket was perfect for a key, a small snack, and chapstick during a trail ride, hike, or kicking around camp.
Shredly YOGACHAM Chamois Liner
I was primarily testing Shredly’s Basic Shorts as mountain biking shorts, so I slid them over Shredly’s YOGACHAM chamois liner. From the minute I pulled the YOGACHAM out of the box, I was impressed with the quality and level of detail that they had. They have an articulated 8-panel design which even from first glance was unlike anything I have seen in even the highest quality chamois and looked like it was designed to fit well, not bunch, and be comfortable.
Upon putting Shedly’s YOGACHAM on, I was immediately sold. The padding was perfectly sized and placed, only covering what it needed to, none of the seams were noticeable, the wide elastic waistband hit around the hips, was soft, and didn’t dig. With the Basic Shorts slid over-top, the fit was still flattering and streamlined, not bulky.
Shredly’s YOGACHAM did not disappoint on even long days in the saddle. The padding was dense and protective, but still breathable due to the small holes strategically placed throughout the padding to allow airflow – a feature I hadn’t seen in any other chamois. The mesh material added plenty of breathability, but wasn’t flimsy which has kept the shorts shaped well and from stretching out over several wearings and washings. The YOGACHAM chamois liner hit me mid thigh (probably 4-6 inch inseam) and have a wide hem at the leg opening rather than elastic. The hem didn’t feature any sort of rubber to stick, but surprisingly, they stayed perfectly in place. The combination of outstanding fit and breathability make the YOGACHAM my go-to chamois no matter the length of the ride and by the end of the ride, I’m still enjoying my well-earned descent rather than thinking about how excited I’ll be to de-chamois when it’s over.
Regardless of what activity I’m heading out for – mountain biking, downhilling, SUP, hiking, camping – the Shredly Basic Shorts are the first thing I grab and if it’s singletrack I’m heading for the YOGACHAM chamois liner is definitely coming with as well. If I could, I would replace my whole fleet of mountain biking shorts with Shredly’s.
The Shredly Basic Short retails for $80 and the YOGACHAM Chamois Liner retails for $40 and both are available for women in sizes 00-16. For more information on these shorts and other Shredly products, please visit www.backcountry.com/shredly.
