REVIEW

Endura Hummvee 3/4 Pant

The Scottish Highlands, shrouded in mist and lore, have challenged adventurers for centuries. For those of you not familiar with the Scottish Highlands, imagine dreary overcast skies, bone chilling cold, rugged mountains, mud, rocks, and plenty of rain. These adverse conditions provide the ultimate proving ground for the latest in mountain biking technical gear. Though Scotland may be more regarded for its haggis, the Lock Ness Monster, and kilts, the Endura Clothing Company has placed itself prominently on the map. It is here, in the inclement weather, that Endura develops and refines their range of high quality technical clothing for avid cyclists. We recently had the opportunity to spend a few months putting the Endura Hummvee 3/4 pant through its paces, and we were very impressed.

At first glance, the Endura Hummvee 3/4 Pant looked like a technical, outdoor piece of clothing utilizing three types of nylon, treated to be water resistant. The panels are triple-stitched and articulated at the knees to provide extra protection against the wear and tear brought on through everyday use. While several 3/4 pants in the market like the Fox Racing Mutant 3/4 pant and the Rapha Fixed Shorts have a straight leg design, Endura goes the extra mile for performance by pleating the material at the knee to allow the pant to conform to your leg in the pedaling position. The pants appeared to have plenty of pockets for keys, maps, and energy bars. A plastic clip is located on the left hip for attaching a set of keys. The elastic waist band and nylon belt held in place by five well-spaced loops completed the picture on what appeared to be an excellent piece of gear. However, we were a little concerned that the 3/4 length might prove to be bulky and hot, limiting our use of the short to the most extreme weather conditions. But after putting the 3/4 pant through its paces, we were able to put our preconceived notions to rest.

The Endura Hummvee 3/4 pant includes a six-panel liner short, which attaches to the outer pant via Clickfast technology. The liner short was easily removed and replaceable. It has elastic at the waist and the legs to keep the shorts snugly in place. The 400-series Endura stretch chamois was shaped to fit our backside, reducing any chaffing we might have experienced on the trail. The liner was so nice that we even used them as an extra pair of shorts for riding on the road.

Out on the trail, the Endura Hummvee 3/4 pant met every expectation. In a 3/4 pant, we want a lightweight, technical piece that can handle the elements and could be used in a variety of temperatures ranging ranging from the 30's to the 70's. The Hummvee 3/4 pant length was perfect on cool mornings during the late winter and early spring. There was enough material protecting your legs to provide the warmth we needed when it was cool, but not so much material that it became hot and uncomfortable as temperatures rose during the day. Full-length tights would have been overkill on days that warmed up to the 60's and lower 70's. The water resistant nylon shed water and mud from rain soaked trails during our extremely wet spring in Central Arkansas.

Ripstop nylon reinforced the front, sides, and back of the pant. A smooth and stretchable nylon was located in the inner rear of the legs and below the ripstop material. A heavy spandex yoke was strategically placed below the waist to allow the pant to form fit as you're hunched over your off-road steed. The ventilation behind the knees and at the waist was invaluable as the temperatures rose throughout the day. We were equally impressed by the ample storage — after packing our shorts full of maps, keys, wallet, and cell phone, there was still room to spare. The Velcro at the calf was an unexpected bonus — paired with the articulated knee, it kept the pant from creeping up our legs while hammering out the off-road miles.

After countless rounds through the laundry, the pant showed no signs of fading or excessive wear. The pants actually became a little softer from use. The six-panel Clickfast liner was comfortable and easily removed for replacement or washing, due to the thoughtful design and clickfast attachments. Endura recommends that you hang the 3/4 pant up to dry out of direct sunlight, so don't absentmindedly throw them in the dryer.

We loved how lightweight and form fitting the pants were. We've found many mountain bike specific pants and shorts to often be awkward and uncomfortable for longer cross country mountain biking and riding around town — that absolutely wasn't the case here. The Endura Hummvee 3/4 pant was lightweight, form-fitting and versatile enough to kick it in the local grocery store to grab post ride food and drinks — it sure beat walking around in lycra. The 3/4 length was perfect for winter and cool weather riding, yet breathable enough to ride into the summer months. We packed the shorts with all the gear and food we desired and still had room to spare. The Endura Hummvee 3/4 pant is a rugged, functional short/pant that can handle adverse weather conditions and outlast repeated abuse over time.