I like posting reviews of gear I’ve used for a year or better yet a few years. You don’t really get to know the ins and outs of something in a handful of uses. The downside of course is that given the short product cycles in the bike world if I tell you item X is amazing after 2yrs of use you probably can’t buy it any more.
I am a connoisseur of mountain bike shorts since I spend a lot of time in them and figure that time might as well be spent in the best shorts I can find. Recently I tried some Race Face Stage Shorts and love them. Race Face nailed most of my shorts wishlist when they designed these bad boys.
- Light durable material that dries quick
- No vents [particularly ones you can’t close]
- Long inseam so they cover the tops of my knee pads
- Baggy fit without getting ridiculous
- Belt loops
- High waist at rear
- Reinforced at high wear areas
- Easy to pee
- Looks good
- Colours don’t suck
In fact the only criticism I have of these shorts is I prefer deep front pockets without a zip, but that’s not a deal breaker at all.
On Vancouver Island we go from hot and dusty to moist and cool in a few weeks each year and it’s nice to have shorts that can transition between seasons. The key to that is no vents that you can’t close, light/breathable material and an inseam that’s long enough to reach your knee pads. Give me these design features and I can wear the same shorts in December as I do in July.
A bonus with the Stage shorts is they look nice off the bike and sufficiently normal in a couple of the colours that you can wear them around town without screaming “Enduro Bro!”
I liked them enough I bought a second pair because if history has taught me anything as soon as I find something I like it must be discontinued and a new and “improved” version released that I like far less. I’m taking no chances! I may even buy a third pair. 😉
The material and construction of the Stage shorts gives me some hope for long-term durability, but I’ll report back after a year or more use to confirm that.
vikapproved MK2 
Vik,
I enjoyed your earlier review of the TLD Skyline shorts. How do these compare? Thanks!
Scott
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Hi Scott I like the material of the Race Face shorts better, they have belt loops, zippered fly vs. velcro and the fact they are longer. The RF shorts also fit me better, but that’s just a sizing thing. If I was buying the TL shorts again I’d size up. I like the pockets on the TL shorts better.
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