TESTED: Kenny Racing Women’s Charger Short

Words and photos: Georgina von Marburg

The Kenny Racing Women’s Charger Short is currently the sole women’s offering from Kenny Racing in their shorts collection. Designed as an all-rounder, the Charger is long enough for enduro use, but light enough for everyday trail use. Complete with a separate liner chamois, the Charger short is already good value at $159.95.

This was my first experience with the French brand, and they lived up to their cultural reputation with sizing on the small side. But after sizing up from my usual Medium to a Large (34), the fit was excellent. These are a very tapered short, slim around 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 large enough to store a phone and snack.

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The waistband is adjustable with two Velcro straps reinforced with a clean suede handle so they don’t scratch against your jersey. Elastic Velcro straps always prove to be a quick and easy way to adjust the size, though this pair needed minimal adjusting.

On the trail in the Kenny Racing Women’s Charger Short

These were some of the lightest shorts I’ve worn, with luxuriously soft materials – an excellent match for the super comfortable Proflex knee guards from Kenny Racing. And despite being nearly next-to-skin, the shorts were so stretchy I barely noticed them while pedalling. So they received an A+ for comfort from the first ride onwards.

I suspected the pocket situation would be a letdown, with the sole left pocket placing contents on top of the thigh rather than beside or behind it. But because the shorts were so close to the skin, the contents didn’t have the chance to move around and stayed put well below the waist. There was little interference with my pedal stroke, and the zipper tag made accessing my phone for bangers fast and easy.

The included liner was a meshy breathable material, and the grippers prevented the leg openings from sliding up. Most riders prefer to purchase their own favourite chamois separately to their shorts, and I’m one of them. The actual chamois on the Kenny liner provided minimal support, fine for short rides but not enough for anything over an hour. While it’s always handy to have spare liners, I wouldn’t say this liner adds much more value to the Charger shorts.

If you want a super light and tapered short, the Kenny Racing Women’s Charger Short are an excellent option. There have been no loose threads thus far, and the single zipper has held up well. There are some evident downsides to this short, but comfort and quality aren’t one of them.

From: kwtimports.com.au
RRP $159.95

Hits
– Super comfortable
– Stretchy
– Tapered fit

Misses
– Only one pocket
– Single button closure
– Chamois in liner isn’t great