Waterproof shorts are a real boon when mountain biking in foul weather. They keep the rain and wind out, the heat in and legs functioning that might otherwise complain about the constant soaking and chill. They can be hot and sweaty however, so if not strictly necessary you just don't wear them.
But for those days the rain isn't falling but the ground is wet, step up the MT500 Spray - an excellent hybrid solution to the problem of trail spray off the tyres.
The rear half is waterproof and taped 3 layer fabric to keep tyre-thrown water at bay, while the front is a much lighter, stretch fabric treated with a DWR coating. While not waterproof, we found it did bead up and happily kept showers out when needed. It also breathed better, and felt less cumbersome, so the whole effect was not far off a normal pair of baggies. Except of course, our legs stayed more dry.
Other than this headline feature, they are also heavily detailed with plenty of extras like the long zipped thigh vents, deep zipped hip pockets and velcro waist adjustment. Belt loops, a smattering of laser cut vents and clips to retain Endura liners extend that list further, making them into a truly feature rich pair of shorts.
At the end of the day they did feel almost as light on the bike as a standard pair of baggy shorts, so they are a great addition to any wardrobe - especially in our fickle UK climate.
