REVIEWS: Women's Kenny Racing Shorts

Words and photos: Georgina von Marburg

The Charger short is currently the only women's offering from Kenny Racing in their shorts collection. Designed as an all-rounder, the Charger is tall enough for enduro use, but light enough for everyday use. Complete with a unique chamois liner, the Charger short is already a great value at $159.95.

This was my first experience with a French brand, and they lived up to their cultural reputation by measuring on the small side. But after scaling from normal to large (34), the fit was very good. These are very short, slim in the thighs and open slightly towards the knees to allow for knee guards. To my disappointment, there was only one pocket on the left side, but it was big enough to hold a phone and snacks.

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The waistband is adjustable and has two Velcro straps that are reinforced with a clean suede handle so they don't scratch your sweater. Elastic Velcro straps always seem like a quick and easy way to adjust size, although this pair needed a little adjustment.

On the track Kenny Racing Women's Charger Short

These were some of the lightest shorts I've ever worn, with luxuriously soft material – a perfect match for the comfortable Proflex knee guards from Kenny Racing. And despite being almost next to the skin, the shorts were so stretchy that I didn't notice them while walking. So they got an A+ for comfort from the first ride on.

I suspected the pocket shape would be better, with the left pocket placing the contents over the thigh rather than to the side or behind it. But because the shorts were so close to the skin, the insides didn't have a chance to move around and stayed well below the waist. There was little disruption to my pedaling, and the zipper tag made accessing my phone on the bangers quick and easy.

The integrated liner was a breathable mesh material, and the grippers prevented the leg opening from sliding up. Many riders choose to buy their favorite chamois separately from their shorts, and I am one of them. The actual chamois on the Kenny liner provided a little support, fine for short rides but not enough for anything over an hour. While it's always handy to have spare liners, I'm not saying this liner adds much value to the charger shorts.

If you want a big and short light, the Kenny Chargers are an excellent choice. There have been no loose threads so far, and the single zipper holds up well. There are obvious downsides to this short, but comfort and quality are not one of them.

From: kwtimports.com.au
RRP $159.95

Hits
– Super comfortable
– Expandable
– Tapered fit

You miss it
– Only one package
– One button closure
– Chamois on the liner is wrong