The YT Industries Gravity Cordura Pants came as part of a collection of fresh shorts and trousers to bolster the bike brand’s Performance Wear clothing range. And, while it’s all too easy to palm off YT’s foray into the world of apparel as an attempt to get its customers to part with more cash upon checkout of their new bikes, these trousers represent a good option in the uber-competitive best MTB pants market. That’s thanks to an impeccable design, excellent fit and brilliant all-round performance.
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YT Industries Gravity Cordura pants – Technical details
The latest fad in the bike brand clothing business is a move towards more subtle design cues and small logos to bring in outsiders to the brand – we’ve seen this philosophy already adopted by Specialized and Cube. That’s what YT Industries has done with its fresh range of bottoms too, including the Gravity Cordura Pants we’ve got here.
From the front, you would be hard-pressed to identify these pants as YT branded but small YT motifs are present on the Velcro waist adjusters and stamped in by the ratchet closure system. The final hint of branding is found at the rear of the left ankle on the stretch insert, granted this one is far more conspicuous.
YT Industries hasn’t just taken any pair of pants off the shelf and slapped its logos all over them and that’s clear through the impressively lengthy feature list of these pants. Adding to the aforementioned bits and pieces, the trousers are constructed of a fabric that uses 88 per cent nylon and 12 per cent spandex. However, on top of that, there are Cordura Ripstop knee and side panels that have been stitched in place to add durability to these gravity-orientated bottoms. Each seam is triple-stitched, too.
They’re cut with articulated knees with plenty of space for knee pads and each knee gets neat mesh vents with a bit of overhang from the main fabric which should allow for much-needed ventilation while offering protection against the elements. There are then laser perforations at the front of the trousers for another boost of cooling.
Pockets are plentiful on the Gravity Cordura pants although their zips are well hidden. On one leg, there’s a large and a smaller pocket, on the right there’s a single pocket.
Finally, these pants are coated in a DWR C6 water-repellent coating and instead of a zip, there’s a mesh cover. There is only the pictured black colourway available and sizes span from 28 to 38 waist.
YT Industries Gravity Cordura pants – Performance
YT has built these trousers with a tapered slim fit and the 32-inch waist (tested here) fits impeccably, and true to size. The fit is slim as promised, however, the stretchy ankle panels make for plenty of space to slip feet through. Relying on a ratchet closure and Velcro waist adjusters allows for plenty of adjustment, too, which is only a benefit.
These pants fit incredibly and are perfect for the rigours of trail and gravity riding. There’s tonnes of stretch in them so they allow for loads of movement without any tightness appearing. They’re incredibly durable, too, and despite a couple of spills they still look as good as new.
The pockets are cleverly placed and they’re as well designed as the trousers themselves. They’re low profile to the point where I’ve managed to lose things in the left leg’s duo of pockets simply because I’ve forgotten there’s more than one pocket there. But whether they’re storing keys, snacks or my phone, everything stored in these pockets has remained secure, without bouncing around while riding.
They’re also very easily accessible on the fly. The zips work flawlessly using a single hand when opening and closing the pockets, so quick Insta snaps can be done one-handed while pedalling. In the grand scheme of things, this is a really small benefit but it’s one that’s seriously appreciated.
Even though the Gravity Cordura pants are burlier and more built up than others on the market, the perforations and cool behind-the-knee mesh panels do very well to get air moving through the fabric. Then, because they’re not the thinnest trousers in the world, they continue to work well going into the cooler months. And that’s where the DWR coating comes into play and it’s seriously good.
Granted, it won’t keep the worst of the weather out, and during heavy downpours and deep puddle crossings, water quickly makes it through those back-of-the-knee panels. The DWR coating makes short work of keeping water at bay remaining comfortable and dry during muddy winter rides. With those two points in mind, they’re a great choice for those looking for one pair of trousers to ride in through a range of conditions.
YT Industries Gravity Cordura pants – Verdict
At a little less than £110, the Gravity Cordura pants are right on the money and directly in the firing line of Specialized’s rather good Trail Pants. However, YT’s offering has proven to be more durable and more versatile thanks to the Cordura panels, well-placed ventilation, thicker fabric and effective DWR coating. The Specialized Trail Pants are the same price at £110.
The YT Gravity pants are comparable to Royal Racing’s Apex pants that get a similar build in terms of fabric and fit but they don’t pose much of a threat as they’re £20 more expensive at full RRP. The closest in terms of performance is Rapha’s Trail pants at £140 – but the fit is baggier, so they won’t please everyone. However, they do get more pockets with two thigh pockets, and two non-zipped hand pockets.
The YT Industries Gravity Cordura pants punch well above their weight and outperform trousers well north of the asking price. Many trousers offer a similar level of performance, durability, breathability and weather resistance but few do so at as accessible a price. YT’s subtle and tasteful branding only adds to an all-round excellent package.
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Product purpose:
Build extra:
2 – Triple stitched seams
3 – Articulated, pad-compatible knees
4 – Tapered slim fit with stretch inserts
5 – Two hidden zip pockets on the front
6 – Laser-perforation ventilation on the front
7 – Hidden zip pocket in the left leg for keys/lift ticket/snacks
8 – Ratchet-closure system (size up for a more relaxed cut or downsize for a streamlined racer-style fit)
9 – Velcro waist adjustment on both sides
10 – Stretch inserts at the ankles for comfort
11 – DWR C6 water-repellent coating
12 – Classic YT styling & unrivaled comfort
Product construction
Product construction extra:
Product performance
Product performance extra:
Product durability
Product durability extra:
Product comfort
product value
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