Meet the reviewer
Montane Men’s Slipstream 5-inch Trail Running Shorts: first impressions
With a big running event looming on my calendar, I was in search of some lightweight, versatile trail running shorts when I got the chance to test out these Slipstream 5-inch shorts from Montane, and at first glance they seemed just right for the challenge. But were they?
• List price: $80 (US) / £55 (UK)
• Gender specification: Men’s (women’s 4-inch version also available)
• Sizes: XS-XXL
• Inseam: 5in / 12.5cm
• Materials: Aeroflyte QD stretch polyester main, with a Carvico Econyl waistband
• Weight: 105g / 3.7oz
• Colors: Black / Oak Green
• Compatibility: Trail running
As I had a significant amount of preparation to do, and a 50-mile ultra marathon on the horizon, I felt well-placed to give the Slipstreams a thorough test, to see how they compare to the best running shorts on the market.
I began wearing them on training runs straight away, and they proved immediately comfortable. Although they’re extremely lightweight (tipping the scales at just 105g / 3.7oz) the Slipstreams are very robustly made, with a substantial inner, and they boast a range of features to give you everything you need on short and long runs.
Montane Men’s Slipstream 5-inch Trail Running Shorts: design and materials
The 5in (12.5cm) legs on these shorts are comparatively short, and this style makes them particularly good for summer trail running. But really, I think the Slipstreams can be worn all year round, while running on pretty much all terrain types.
The Slipstreams have a dual construction. The outer is made with Aeroflyte QD stretch polyester material, which is exceptionally lightweight and very quick drying. Beneath this is an inner brief made from Apex Dry mesh, which provides good support. Although described as a mesh, this inner has a dense weave that’s both comfortable and durable, while still allowing your body to breathe. It wicks sweat away effectively and – importantly – the inner has been treated with Polygiene to provide permanent bacteria control, which helps with odor management.
There’s a good-length pull cord, allowing you to tighten the shorts up properly, but they also have a gently elasticated waistband, which keeps the Slipstreams in place even if the cord comes undone and provides support to your lower core. This waistband is made with Carvico Econyl, which is constructed from recycled waste products. (While this is great, I’d love to see some more recycled content used in the outer short too.)
The Slipstreams are only available in black and dark oak green for some reason, but I love the fact that there are reflective details on both the front and back of these shorts, which made me feel more confident and safer when I was running at night and sharing country lanes with vehicles after dark.
Montane Men’s Slipstream 5-inch Trail Running Shorts: on the trails
During trail runs and training sessions in the buildup to the Lakeland 50 ultra I was preparing for, these Montane Slipstream shorts seemed to offer me everything I was looking for, starting with total comfort. The inner short keeps everything in place nicely and the outer is so light it’s easy to forget it’s even there. The 5in (12.5cm) legs with a split on the thigh allowed me plenty of freedom of movement, even when leaping over logs, rocks and other obstacles. I found the waistband supportive, without being restrictive, and the shorts always stayed perfectly in place.
There are two easy access pouches for carrying running gels, plus a fairly small zipped pocket on the rear, which is big enough to take an energy bar and also for carrying essentials such as emergency money and/or a credit card, and car keys. This pocket has a really good YKK zip (much better than the zips used on the pockets of most other running shorts I’ve tested in the past) and while it’s not really large enough for carrying a phone (mine fits, at a push, but it’s very tight), I generally wear a hydration pack, for longer runs, which is a much more sensible place to stash heavier stuff.
When it came race day the Montane Slipstreams didn’t let me down. They remained ultra comfortable over the entire distance (and it was a long day, with 14 hours spent on the trails). The weather chucked a bit of everything at us, including high humidity and several downpours, but the shorts let me breathe and they dried out super fast after every drenching. The support provided by the inner shorts was exceptional, and happily I didn’t suffer any chaffing or race-ruining discomfort at all.
