Cool Winter Testing of Some Hot Gear

Wherever you are in the USA or Canada right now, conditions are probably a little chilly – if not snowed in altogether – and make training outside tougher. Personally, I lost the ability to thermoregulate after a bout with cold exposure at WTM a few years back and this guy who used to love running in the snow in New England is now treadmill-bound when the temps dip below 60 degrees in Arizona. Luckily the winter doldrums don't prevent me from a quick jog to the fitness center to get some training and treadmill miles in while I look through the windows at all the mountains I'll be climbing again when it gets warmer.

Our friends over at Mudgear sent over a pair of their new Freestyle Shorts a few months back and they have been in steady rotation ever since for running, training, soccer, basketball, or even just hanging around the house & running errands. The comfortable fit & stretchy functionality makes them perfect for anything active while the “love it or cut it out” liner allows for compression shorts underneath for cold training or racing or going without any underwear at all. In the latter experience, I found the liner to be soft, pliable, and breathable without any chafing – especially around the groin where some liners are too aggressive with tight elastic. When wearing over the top of compressions shorts, the liner is light enough that it doesn't feel like multiple layers – I actually checked to see if they were there after this morning's run to remember whether I'd cut them out or not!

The rear pocket is stretchy and has room enough for a set of keys, earbuds, or even a cell phone for walking around or at the gym (aside from exercises on a bench) and the perfect size for an energy gel, a few bucks, and possibly a Pop Tart on a run. (OK, so a Pop Tart won't make it too far on a run, that's why I eat 'em pre-run). The side pockets are great for anyone who's active as they're fully functional yet disappear into the hemline so that you'd forget they are there. I really dislike pockets that stick out on shorts, these behave perfectly.

Durability: Why I Can Have Nice Things

I'm tough on my clothes & gear, and my mom will concur that I've always been that way – trashing multiple bikes, skis, offroad vehicles from motorcycles to Jeeps. This applies especially my shoes and clothes. Growing up with a love for outdoors and a family construction business means I was either always getting my “good” clothes dirty, dusty, and ripped up. As an adult, I'm not a shirt & tie guy at all; business casual is about as dressed-up as I ever get. Most of the time, I'm in shorts and a T-shirt whether I'm working around the yard or building obstacles for our ADV.FIT events. Unfortunately, whatever I wear training in the morning will usually be the gear I'm wearing during the projects from Jeep repairs to construction, and I tend to trash just about everything that isn't well constructed.

While I can admit to having some paint on my Mudgear Freestyle Shorts, they've held up to everything from repairing a driveshaft on a Jeep Rubicon to soccer on artificial turf (as a goalie, sliding on fake grass destroys cheap shorts) and plenty of training runs. The material is stupid flexible and stretchy without being too light, and substantial enough to feel strong without being heavy, really nailing the sweet spot between protection climbing over & crawling under stuff while being light and flexible for running and breathable to stop “Monkey Butt” from excessive sweating in the nether regions.

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What Mudgear Says

No longer does racewear have to be tight, restrictive, or revealing.

This free-form fit allows guys to RUN FREE with unhindered mobility while maintaining our manly discretion. Best of all, our Men's Freestyle Shorts were built MudGear tough to deliver you comfortably through your most grueling outdoor workouts.

These shorts scream “serious athlete.”

Available in black and gray, the base color is accented with strong flatlock stitching on the seams and distressed branding on the outer right and front left legs. However, just as important as what you see is what you don’t see. FREESTYLE is especially appealing to men who prefer to keep private matters private (…at least until she buys me dinner).

COMFORT

Step up to the start line knowing nothing is going to slow you down…especially these shorts. Don’t worry about an under-layer. FREESTYLE includes the most comfortable liner you’ve ever felt. Can’t do liners? Just cut it out, and appreciate the smooth and sturdy feel to this lightweight, woven body fabric over a pair of MudGear base layer boxer briefs.  FREESTYLE’s 4-way stretch provides increased mobility and unparalleled freedom.

DURABILITY

While MudGear’s FREESTYLE shorts are soft to the touch, they are built to be extremely tough. These shorts were designed to handle your extreme outdoor training and racing. They’re thick enough to provide great surface-level protection but not to the point of collecting sweat or water.

CONVENIENCE

FREESTYLE RACE SHORTS come with netted side pockets that easily drain water and mud. There’s also an additional zip pocket in the back to store your nutrition, keys, phone, etc. securely. Finally, the FREESTYLE drawstring closure lets you lock down the perfect fit throughout your race or workout so that the only pulling up your doing is pulling yourself up AND over the obstacles.

These shorts are every modest macho’s dream come true. Whether you are an everyman, elite, or somewhere in between, run free with MUDGEAR’s NEW MEN’S FREESTYLE RACE SHORTS!

Final Word: Mudgear Freestyle Shorts

It should come as no surprise that Mudgear Freestyle Shorts hit the mark for flexibility, wearability, function, fit, comfort, and durability – their team is so focused on long-lasting products for the sport of OCR and athletes of all shapes & sizes. Mudgear 1/4 Crew and No-Show Running Socks are my favorite piece of gear in the world, and I'm very impressed with these shorts and always thrilled to be their partner to bring all of you the very best in athletic gear.

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