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Reviews > Clothing > Pants and Shorts > Adidas LiteFlex Shorts > Test Report by Morgan Lypka


adidas Lite Flex Short
TEST SERIES BY MORGAN LYPKA

Initial Report - August 10, 2019
Field Report - October 7, 2019
Long Term Report - November 23, 2019

TESTER INFORMATION
NAME: Morgan Lypka
AGE: 27
GENDER: Female
HEIGHT: 5’4” (1.6 m)
WEIGHT: 110 lb (50 kg)
EMAIL: m DOT lypka AT yahoo.com
City, Province, Country: East Kootenays, British Columbia (B.C.), Canada

Backpacking Background: I started backpacking 3 years ago, when I moved to the Rocky Mountains. Most of my backpacking ventures are 1 to 3 days long, typically around Western Canada. I get cold quickly, and handle heat well. My backcountry trips involve hiking, trail running, ski touring and cross-country skiing. I am getting into kayaking, rock climbing and fly fishing. I camp with a lightweight 3-person, 3-season tent and am starting to hammock and winter camp. Decreasing my packed weight in the backcountry is a developing focus of mine (fitting everything was the first).

Initial Report

PRODUCT INFORMATION AND SPECS
Manufacturer: adidas outdoor
Year of Manufacture: 2019
Manufacturer’s Website: https://www.adidasoutdoor.com

MSRP: $59 USD
Colour Testing: Legend Ink
Other Available Colour: Black
Listed Weight: 4.4 oz (125 g)
Measured Weight: 5.0 oz (141 g)
Material: 69% polyamide, 19% polyester and 12% elastic with a durable water-repellent coating
Measure Inseam Length: 8.7 in (22 cm)
Size testing: XS


DESCRIPTION
These mid length shorts designed for hiking, scrambling and running, are built with a water-repellent coating and are made to shed moisture. The shorts are designed to be a looser slim fit.

Features:
  • two side mesh pockets with no zipper, and one zippered back right side mesh pocket
  • elastic waist band with silicone strip on the front
  • v-notch slits on the outside bottom of either leg
OBSERVATIONS

The website did not provide lengths for the shorts, nor a sizing chart readily on the product page - so I did an internet search for a general adidas sizing chart. Going off of the generalized chart, I would've typically ordered an XXS - my hips and inseam measurements fit into this category, but my waist fit into the XS category. However, the shorts only came in an XS - I phoned customer service, who was very helpful, to confirm this. The XS are indeed too large, and sit quite loosely on my hips if not sort of falling below. There is nothing to cinch them tighter, so I can not have them up above my hips. I can slightly counteract the looseness by tucking in my shirt, and I suspect when wearing them I will often be wearing a backpack with a hip belt which should help them stay in place. I will see how they fare with physical activity. The quality of the product seems good so far - the stitching is tidy. The material is of the sort that it crinkles when moving. There is an adidas TERREX logo above the back right side zippered pocket. The pockets seem to be of substantial depth - the back zippered pocket can fit my 14 in (36 cm) long cell phone, and the front pockets fit my full hand inside. Washing instructions came on a tag inside the shorts, and they are very straightforward to follow.



Front


Back


Pros
  • Comfortable and lightweight
 
Cons
  • Wish they were made in a smaller size, particularly to fit around the hips and waist better

Please check back in 2 months for my field report. Thank you adidas and BackpackGearTest.org for the opportunity to test these shorts.

Field Report

Trail Running - Yellowknife, NT, Canada
Trail Conditions: Rock and dirt
Length and Elevation Gain: 10 km (6.3 mi) with 200 m (660 ft) gain
Temperature and Weather: 8 C (46 F) and overcast

Canoeing - Great Slave Lake, NT, Canada
Time: 2 hrs
Temperature and Weather: 5 C (41 F) and windy

Backpacking - Waskesieu National Park, SK, Canada
Length and Elevation Gain: 2 days, 1 night; 54 km (34 mi)
Temperature and Weather: 8 C (46 F) and rainy

Mountain Biking in East Kootenays, BC
Trail Conditions: Dirt, rocks, roots
Length and Elevation Gain: 19 km (12 mi) and 400 m (1300 ft)
Temperature and Weather: 15 C (59 F) and overcast

Hiking in East Kootenays, BC (Fisher Peak)
Trail Conditions: Dirt and shale and involved some scrambling and minor rock climbing
Length and Elevation Gain: 10 km (6.3 mi) and 1900 m (6200 ft)

Temperature and Weather: 15 C (59 F) and windy and sunny

Other shorter actitivies included two day hikes in the East Kootenays, including berry picking, and trail running and day hiking in Jasper and Banff National Parks, AB, Canada.

These shorts have endured a lot, and are holding up relatively well - they have one small nick in them, which is a tiny hole through the shorts. The nick came while hiking Fisher Peak, as I was sliding along rocks for some of the steep portions before stepping down. The shorts worked great protecting my leggings when I sat and slid along the rock, as well as sitting on and climbing over many downed trees on my hike in Saskatchewan (~15 logs one way). The shorts didn't catch or snag on the logs at all, and I felt confident passing over and sitting on the logs unlike I do when I wear just my cotton or wool leggings. There were also no restrictions in my movements when climbing over or under the logs and climbing up large rocks.




For my backpacking trip, it rained the entire hike.  The shorts seemed to shed most water, but they were definitely wet at the end of the hike, although not soaked like my leggings. The portion of my leggings underneath the shorts were relatively dry. The shorts dried quickly by the fire (quicker than my thin mitts and wool socks). Even after the rainy backcountry trip, when the shorts looked quite worn (see photo below), the shorts came out of the wash looking almost new again. On this trip I was also able to secure the waist of the shorts under my backpack hip belt. The waist of the shorts did not seem to bother me too much even though it was bunched up under my hip belt and I was carrying a decent amount of weight - probably 50 lbs (23 kg).



Pre Wash (after backcountry)          Post Wash (also see small nick)

On one of my day hikes, I put a couple large handfuls of huckleberries in my back pocket. I was nervous about them being crushed on my jog down the mountain, but they didn't mush together too much, and any stain from the berries did not stay on my shorts after I washed them. On one of the day hikes I also had a number of items in one of the front pockets (car keys, cellphone, small battery charger). I had the shorts over leggings once again, but had to hold them up while jogging to prevent them from falling down because the weight of the items.

Canoeing with the shorts worked great - I wore them over my leggings (my typical set up because the waist is large, although this time was for the colder weather too). It was so nice having a layer that shed water readily, as I splashed myself a number of times taking out and putting my paddle in the water. Mountain biking with the shorts was not fun. The shorts kept sliding down, and would actually restrict my cycling rotations. I would have to stop to pull them higher. When the shorts were in place, there were no restrictions, and I enjoyed biking in them, but the necessary adjustments did not make it worth it for me.
In general, for all of the activities, I was often embarrassed by the look of the shorts, as they would sit so low on me, so I would pull them up higher before any photos.

I have flown with these shorts, and the weight is almost negligible. They don't take up much space in my suitcase at all as they can be scrunched into a pocket or stuffed into a corner of one of my bags - they have been great to travel with.

Pros - Generally not restrictive, relatively durable, quick drying, light weight and very packable
Con - Too loose, particularly around waist, causing the shorts to become restrictive for some activities and not look flattering

I would love these shorts if they fit me better, they are very practical.

Please check back in 2 months for my long term report. Thank you adidas and BackpackGearTest.org for the opportunity to test these shorts.


Long Term Report

Trail Running - Val d'Or, QC, Canada
Trail Conditions: Dirt and frost, forested and undulating
Length and Elevation Gain: 10 km (6.3 mi) with 200 m (660 ft) gain
Temperature and Weather: 0-5 C (32-41 F) and overcast

I did not get too many more tests with the shorts for my long term report. Trail running, I wore the shorts over my running leggings again. As I was only wearing a running vest and not a day pack, I didn't have a waist strap to help keep them in place, so I had to pull them up more frequently. Aside from that, I noticed simliar performance as the other trials. They performed well with the colder temperates and weren't movement restricting.

I have no new pros or cons but would really like it if these could be made in a smaller size, or better suited to people of my size.

Thank you adidas and BackpackGearTest.org for the opportunity to test these shorts!



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