Endura Men’s Loop Waist Shorts – Hunter

The Endura Loop Waist Shorts – Hunter is a pair of padded shorts from the well-respected Scottish company. They have a pair of cargo pockets, but unlike the majority of shorts – these are a bib-less, strap-free design. They do have a superbly comfortable chamois, but I found they had a tendency to slip down when I was riding, which isn’t what you want from a pair of shorts.

> Buy now: Endura Loop Waist Shorts – Hunter for £55 from Endura

When it comes to men’s kit, cycling shorts tend to come with bibs. But not Endura’s Loop Waist Shorts (there’s a clue in the name).

As with most shorts these days the legs are pretty long, finishing just above the knee, and with a wide gripper section on each leg.

There is also a wide waist section, albeit without a gripper – though there is a drawstring you can tighten to try to keep them up throughout your ride.

While we haven’t tested many pairs of strapless shorts, there are similar products out there – so there must still be a market for them. The advantage of a bib-free design is that it definitely makes toilet breaks that much easier.

I’ve found these shorts very comfortable, with a thicker, more luscious-feeling material compared to that used in a lot of other shorts. The fabric feels good against your skin, which makes them feel very much like a premium product.

The chamois certainly has a premium feel to it – it’s quite thick and plush, providing a very comfortable riding experience. Endura says it’s a three-hour-plus pad and I’d agree with that, as it’s very supportive and provides great cushioning.

As for the rest, well, I have to say that I struggled a little with the concept of the shorts. The waistband is pretty thick and provides some of the support required to hold them up – but it ends up feeling quite compressive on your stomach area.

But even with the waist being quite tight and thick, I still found that the shorts slipped down over time when I was riding. This meant I found myself readjusting them multiple times throughout the ride as the waistband, which starts above my belly button, ended up sat on my hips, leaving no support in the right areas.

The medium-size cargo pockets proved a very welcome addition, taking energy bars and gels without issue, and as they sit tight to your leg there’s little chance of the pockets’ contents bouncing out.

Our shorts came in a green colour that Endura calls ‘Hunter’, with coloured lower-leg highlights, and initially I really liked the colour, which has a natural look to it and feels at home in the woods. But once I was wearing them, I became a bit less of a fan.

The green against your legs can make your skin look an odd colour in comparison, and the colour also shows up any liquids. This becomes very evident if you’re a sweaty rider, but worse still, if you stop for a nature break and you rush a little, well, everyone will know. Which isn’t what you want…

That said, these are also offered in a more anonymous black, which will get around those issues and potentially complement other cycling kit more easily too.

Value

At £55 these are well priced, with a good chamois and an excellent construction quality.

The Boardman 9 Series Bib Shorts I reviewed recently cost just a fiver more and are an excellent option, competing with options at triple the price.

Strapless shorts out there include the likes of the £110 Le Col Cargo waist shorts, which also have pockets.

Altura’s pocket-free Progel shorts cost £60, and the black-only design is available in six sizes.

Spend a little more and the Alé Clothing Corsa Pragma shorts cost £75.99. These compressive summer-weight shorts are also any-colour-you-like-as-long-as-it’s-black and feature Ale’s Body-Mapping technology.

Check out our best bib shorts and best baggy cycling shorts buyer’s guides for other options.

Conclusion

If you’re used to shorts without straps, and are in the market for another pair, these could be a good option. With their comfortable chamois and usable cargo pockets they have a lot going for them. But if like me you’re used to bib shorts, I imagine you might well struggle without the straps, and get fed up with continually pulling them up when you’re riding.

Verdict

Comfortable chamois and good cargo pockets, but without bibs I found the shorts slipped down over time

> Buy now: Endura Loop Waist Shorts – Hunter for £55 from Endura

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