Troy Lee Designs Resist Shorts

With advances in tech fabrics and construction techniques, MTB-specific rain gear has really evolved over the past couple of years. However, perhaps because of its California roots, Troy Lee Designs has paid a little less attention to its foul-weather catalogue which as a result has been left quite a bit sparser than some of its competition. The all-new Resist short is here to start to address this point, and we’ve had it out in the mud to see how it stacks up.

Troy Lee Designs Resist Highlights

• Water resistant design for wet weather conditions
• 84% nylon/16% spandex fabric construction with Teflon-coated water resistance
• 20,000mm waterproof / 10,000g/m2 24-hour breathability
• Loose, relaxed fit and longer length
• Taped seams throughout
• Two front pockets with waterproof zippers covered by storm flaps, as well as single rear waistband pocket with waterproof zipper
• Mesh ventilation openings up front opened/closed via waterproof zipper
• Button flap enclosure with adjustable integrated webbing belt and 7071-T6 aluminum buckles
• Waterproof zipper fly
• Durable second layer of reinforced fabric on interior of saddle area enhances comfort and prevents mud from seeping in
• Soft, comfortable quick-dry mesh interior waistband
• Reflective Troy Lee Designs signature on the rear waist pocket and TLD shield on lower front leg
• MSRP: $129.00 USD

Initial Impressions

Good gear can really make or break your wet weather rides, so we were pleasantly surprised to discover a proper rain short in TLD’s catalog for 2018/2019. Made from a highly waterproof yet breathable fabric that is soft to the touch, this short is a far cry from the 100% airtight, sauna-like rubber rain pants of yore. With a 20k waterproof rating and a 10k breathability rating, the Resist should be capable of keeping you dry for a whole day out in pretty miserable conditions, while breathing well enough to keep you comfortable even as you exert yourself.

A waterproof short is only as good as the quality of the workmanship, and TLD has not skimped here. All the seams are taped from the inside, and all the pockets and vents feature waterproof zippers. There is a soft waistband for extra comfort, and an adjustable buckle to fine tune the fit. There is also an extra pad of a thick, soft fabric on the inside of the saddle area to provide a little extra padding but more importantly to prevent any seepage of moisture or mud (which can often be an issue on longer rides in the wet).

On The Trail

First things first: TLD describes the cut as “loose and relaxed” which is certainly not an overstatement. We reviewed a size 34 which is usually spot on for this tester, but even when cinched down to the max it still ran a bit too big in the waist. Maybe this was done on purpose to allow you to add thicker layers underneath the short for colder days, but we’d still recommend sizing down one step from whatever you usually run.

The Resist short is soft and flexible, and the cut works well on the bike. Weather you run a liner or another short underneath, the light weight and stretchy characteristics of the fabric help it make itself forgotten in action. It is also not very noisy for a waterproof, just a gentle swishing can be heard as it brushes up against your kneepads while pedaling.

The 20k waterproof rating really helps the Resist short….well, resist. We’ve had it out for a couple of very wet rides so far, with nary a drop making it past the fabric even after several hours out on the bike. The extra padding in the saddle area also works wonders to help you feel completely at ease sitting down on a muddy and wet saddle. The waterproof zippers with their little “zipper garages” help seal up the last possible weak spots, while the breathable fabric is reasonably good at evacuating sweat and steam.

Things That Could Be Improved

It would make a lot of sense for at least one of the pockets to be made from a waterproof fabric, as opposed to open mesh. As it stands, your phone is safe from the rain but not from your sweat.

The adjustable buckle provides a decent range, but because it works on a single area it tends to bunch up the fabric if you need to really cinch it down. Two buckles on either side would provide a more useful range.

Long Term Durability

This is only a First Ride kind of review, so we will hold off final judgement on durability until we’ve put some more miles in. The quality of the fabrics and the workmanship on display are reassuring, which bodes well for the long run. The blue color we’ve been testing does seem a bit prone to staining, and since these waterproof fabrics are meant to be washed in cold or lukewarm water at most, it can be a bit tricky to keep them looking 100% fresh. For us, this is par for the course for most rain gear we've tested recently, but if you really worry about it we’d recommend going for the black version instead.

What’s The Bottom Line?

TLD’s new Resist short marks the first foray into the world of serious rain gear for the brand. Made from a highly waterproof yet breathable fabric, it will keep you dry and comfortable when the conditions take a turn for the worse. Waterproof zippers and extra padding in the saddle area deliver extra bonus points – just make sure you buy a size smaller than usual as it runs very big.

More information at: www.troyleedesigns.com.

About The Reviewer

Johan Hjord - Age: 45 // Years Riding MTB: 13 // Weight: 190-pounds (87-kg) // Height: 6'0" (1.84m)

Johan loves bikes, which strangely doesn’t make him any better at riding them. After many years spent practicing falling off cliffs with his snowboard, he took up mountain biking in 2005. Ever since, he’s mostly been riding bikes with too much suspension travel to cover up his many flaws as a rider. His 200-pound body weight coupled with unique skill for poor line choice and clumsy landings make him an expert on durability - if parts survive Johan, they’re pretty much okay for anybody. Johan rides flat pedals with a riding style that he describes as "none" (when in actuality he rips!). Having found most trail features to be not to his liking, Johan uses much of his spare time building his own. Johan’s other accomplishments include surviving this far and helping keep the Vital Media Machine’s stoke dial firmly on 11.

Photos by Nils Hjord and Johan Hjord