Endura Women’s Xtract Lite Short

Tell us what the product is for

Endura says, "Lightweight road short with heat busting features for warmer climates

Design Philosophy

Thermoregulation is key to efficient riding in hot climates. Endura's women's Xtract Lite Shorty Short helps keep your core temperature cool by moving sweat away from your skin. The addition of a couple of hot weather beating extras is what really sets these shorts apart however, including a UPF50+ treatment for the fabric and a women's specific 500 series temperature regulating pad.

Women's 500 Series Pad

If you are riding in hot climate zones, temperature regulation is the most critical challenge. The pad is one of the key areas where heat build up can cause core body temperature to rise adversely. The new Endura women's 500 series pad used in the Xtract Lite collection tackles the problem head on, incorporating a new generation of water expelling foams. Dispersefoam™, a global exclusive for Endura, features a disruptive foam cell construction which provides superior drying and dramatically improved air permeability compared to conventional PU foams. The smooth, Continuously Variable Profile and high stretch properties reduce the risk of chafing, ensuring comfort in the saddle. it also features a silver yarn fabric with cool touch and rapid drying and permanent antibacterial properties."

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Endura lists:

Lightweight Lycra® fabric - 29% elastane/71% nylon

Fast wicking fabric with UPF50+

Women's 500 series, warm weather temperature regulating pad

Double layer with direct silicone print on inner hem for comfortable leg grip

Double layer soft waist band for comfort

Selected seams flatlocked for toughness and comfort

Reflective trims

Permanent antibacterial elements

Available in sizes XXS to XL

Machine washable at 30

Very well made and nice quality fabric.

Comfortable and effective.

Early days, but the smooth, non-snaggy fabric is lasting well so far.

The smooth broad waistband and super-stretchy fabric make for an excellent comfortable and reliable fit, with no sagging.

Pretty light. A good weight for hot weather.

Very comfortable, both in terms of fabric and pad. Even though the pad didn't quite deliver on the claimed moisture management properties, it was still very comfortable.

A bit more than most entry-level options, but with plenty of added features and technology.

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

Washed very well and dried really quickly.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Very well indeed, apart from the pad not quite living up to the ambitious moisture management promises.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

I really liked the feel and hot weather performance of the main fabric, and how dry and comfortable it stayed. The levels of stretch without bagginess were good too, and the waistband was very comfortable.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

The legs just nudged too long for me, but the shorts also come in a 'shorty' version. The pad didn't quite deliver on its moisture management promises.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

Pearl Izumi's Women's Quest Short are £49.99 and Madison's Sportive Shorts £44.99 but neither of these feature quite the level of hot weather fine-tuning that the Enduras do. There are more pricey options too, such as the Rapha Women 's Core Shorts and Pure Velo Cycling Shorts, both £75.

Use this box to explain your overall score

Even if they don't quite live up to their promises of a moisture-managing pad, these are well-designed and nicely fitting shorts, offering good levels of comfort for hot weather rides.