If you’ve ever tried to shop American, you know that selection is limited and prices can be high. Gravity Anomaly, a Colorado-based startup that’s rocking the MTB world, sent us two of their new shorts to review; the Teamster all-mountain short, and the big-mountain Longhaul. Slickrock, chain lube and blood have all had their fair shot at Gravity Anomaly’s new products but in all cases the shorts have come out shining.
Gravity Anomaly Shorts Feature:
- 4-ply military grade, 4.2 oz nylon shell.
- 1/4? double needle stitching though-out and machine bar tacks at all stress points
- Military trapunto stitching on waistband and pockets to increase strength and durability
- Double snap front
- Seamless construction on the seat area for better cockpit maneuverability
- Low profile lateral side pockets offer convenient storage
- D-ring velcro adjustment on the waist allows a customized fit
- 100% Polyester vented micro-mesh inner (Longhaul)
- Rear stretch yoke panel for extra flex in rear (Teamster)
- Bring your own chamois
- American Made. Imported fabric
- MSRP: Longhaul $79; Teamster $64
My Experience
We’ve chosen to cover both shorts in the same review because both models have a fair bit of overlap. Starting off very generally, both of the baggies have long outseams, rugged 4-ply nylon weaves and highly adjustable, redundant closures. Gravity Anomaly put a stretch waistband into both pairs and supplemented the shorts with D-ring and Velcro closures that allow the user to get a really customized fit. It adds some weight, but it’s really a brilliant feature; for people like me who tend to start the season bigger and end a bit smaller, it gets rid of the awkward sizing extremes at each end. Beyond that, it means that you can buy the shorts without trying them in-store and be completely confident that they’ll fit you like a glove. Gravity Anomaly also included two snap closures and a zippered fly, so you triathletes out there have no excuse not to get off the bike and pee.
The shorts are superficially similar, but they’re really two task-specific designs. We’ll jump into the Longhaul’s thoughtful construction first, and then move on to the Teamster.
The Longhauls are aimed at the All-Mountain/Enduro scene and they have some very specific design features that any rider who’s familiar with big-hit stuff will appreciate. The inside of the shorts is completely covered in a polyester micromesh that feels smooth next-to-skin and promotes air circulation; it’s also done up in a gnarly orange color that looks pretty sick in contrast to the olive drab nylon fabric. My local hill has a rickety, ancient chair lift that runs directly on raw dinosaur bones and moves slightly slower than a Piedmont Glacier. As the sun beat down on my dark clothes and protective equipment, a slight breeze wafted up my shorts and the mesh went to work. Definitely a great feature to have on warm days.
The Longhauls also have roomy cargo pockets that secure with a single snap. The pockets are more than fine for holding energy bars and gel packs, but I would be careful of entrusting anything very valuable to these pockets with their single snap closure. The shorts also have nice, roomy front pockets and Velcro’d back pockets, so there are plenty of options for storage. Gravity Anomaly nailed the balance between deep(ish) pockets and keeping your belongings from banging against your legs.
Some of the real big-hit features include a longer outseam, roomy leg openings and strategically placed reinforcement on the crotch and knees. The outseam is 24.5 inches long and sits below the knee on me; this longer outseam is coupled with a wide leg opening so that knee and shinguards won’t have anything to fuss about. My Fox Launch knee/shinguards worked well with the Longhauls – they didn’t catch irritatingly on the fabric while pedaling and that’s really my biggest concern. The strategic reinforced areas are found on the crotch and the tops of the knees and these, coupled with a full-length gusset and a lack of seams on the seat area mean that you’ll be riding comfortably for a long, long time. Durability and comfort are really the hallmarks of the Longhaul.
The Teamster enjoyed many miles astride my beloved Gary Fisher Hifi and I really enjoyed the shorts. They aren’t terribly lightweight, partly because the closure systems are a little chunky. That aside, though, I loved them for their comfort and classic styling. The shorts have very secure cargo pockets that have a single snap closure but are sewed down on the opposite side to keep contents in their place. There’s also the typical rear yolk stretch panel for a boost of maneuverability and flex, and hey, it worked just fine! On the whole, there’s not as much to say about these shorts but that’s really a testament to a simple truth: they’re great shorts that look sharp, perform well and wear comfortably. The seat area was intentionally made devoid of seams to maximize ride comfort, and the full-length gussets mean that your quads will never feel restricted. The 4-ply Nylon weave deserves a little cred, too – it’s more durable than most weaves nowadays, but anyone who’s familiar with the fabric knows how reassuring that trademark texture is next-to-skin.
I’d really like to highlight the fantastic level of craftsmanship that these products exhibit. I’ve used high-end gear from high-end names that manufacture in the Asian continent but even those big-name, established brands are somewhat shamed by what Gravity Anomaly has achieved. The rugged trapunto stitching is beautiful and straight and you’d be hard pressed to find loose threads on these babies.
Gravity Anomaly also deserves some credit for delivering these shorts at such a reasonable price. $70 and $69 respectively is extremely competitive in the market for high-end baggies, which is especially noteworthy considering the Made-in-America pedigree of the shorts.
The Good:
- Made to last, in the good old USA
- High degree of craftstmanship, especially apparent in stitching
- Both designs are comfortable and excel in their fields
- Closure system works well for any body type
- Full-length gusset and seamless seat area maximize comfort
- Reinforcements and mesh on the Longhaul are much-appreciated features
The Bad:
- Perhaps a little heavy
- Cargo pockets on the Longhauls are more stylish than secure
The Bottom Line
We love the shorts – simple as that. They’re American-made (of imported fabrics, admittedly) and they’re actually pretty darn competitive in their fields – it’s rare to see a new company come out with a product that’s on-par or better than some of the industry’s best gear. We love the attention to detail, plethora of features and sturdy comfort that characterize Gravity Anomaly’s line; this is the type of product that I’d recommend to all of my buddies. Everyone should ride Gravity Anomaly.
Buy now: Available at GravityAnomaly.com
