Fit/Style

The 7Mesh Glidepath Short has a casual and relaxed fit in the hips and seat that is ideal for enduro riding. The inseam on the size small runs 12 inches and hit testers on our team just above the knee when seated. The legs are minimally tapered that accommodate knee pads. The style is very clean with simple lines. However our tested size small felt baggy in the rear and the extra fabric tended to catch on the seat. Consider sizing down for best results.

The waist sizing of the size small was on the larger size compared to other brands’ size small. The waist adjustment tab, which is made of sturdy lightweight webbing, works well to cinch the waist comfortably for a nice, pucker-free look. The Glidepath also has belt loops to help mitigate back-gap.  

Features

The pockets, and their placement, of the 7Mesh Glidepath Short are outstanding. They have two jeans-style unsecured hand pockets that are off-seam and lay completely flat. Our testers found that the forward-facing angle of the pockets made it easier to access. Although they do not have zippers so important items like car keys should not be stashed here.

They also have two large deep diagonal side hip cargo pockets that are well-placed and secured with a glove-friendly zipper. We found that these pockets are the most functional of all the shorts in the test and easily held items like a cell phone, multi-tool and trail map. An inner stretch pocket actually secures a phone to prevent it from shifting while riding. Our testing team was impressed with this feature because not only did a phone never move, it was placed in a position that kept it from thumping against testers’ thigh or leg when pedaling. However, riders should know that loading the back pockets with cargo adds bulk to the rear and looks unsightly.  

Made with 7Mesh’s Soma two-way stretch fabric that is coated with DWR, the Glidepaths are both highly water-resistant and quick-drying. External waist adjustments tabs made of sturdy lightweight webbing and integrated belt loops mitigate back gap and gave our testing team a comfortable fit with no bunching or puckering at the waist. The inside of the waistband is lined with a soft micro-fleece that absorbs moisture and enhances comfort. Integrated belt loops also work to achieve a more refined fit when worn with a belt.

Durability

Although we did not experience any crashes, the light-weight Soma 2-way stretch fabric looks and feels to hold up to crashes, skids or contact with grabby flora as long as the contact isn’t severe. The Glidepath shorts are also treated with DWR for water-resistance. The single stitching is tight and straight with a heavy thread.

Protection

The lightweight Soma two-way stretch ripstop fabric used to make the 7Mesh Glidepath Short  is moderately durable and can protect leg skin on low-impact crashes. The 12-inch inseam on the size small hits at the knee and the legs easily accommodate knee pads.

Comfort

Although the 7Mesh Glidepath Short are excellent for all-mountain and enduro riding, our testing team did not experience any restricted mobility during cross-country or urban riding. Comfort was enhanced from the relaxed fit through the rear and hips, low-rise in front and the wide waistband. Even though the Glidepath have no vents, we found that they breathed very well on warm-weather rides thanks to the light-weight Soma two-way stretch ripstop fabric. In addition, the fabric has just enough stretch for comfort and would likely keep them from catching and tearing.

Our testing team tested the shorts in and around Minneapolis and Duluth, Minnesota; Sedona and Tucson, Arizona and Moab, Utah over a period of two months on asphalt, gravel, singletrack in temperatures ranging from the low 40’s to the mid-90’s and on distances that ranged from six miles to 56. Our testing team did not intentionally set out to test the durability of each pair of shorts in a crash. Instead, to judge the shorts’ ability to withstand impact, they scrutinized their construction materials, the weight of the fabric and the stitching. Though, there may have been some crashes anyway.