Software is all the stuff that doesn’t go on your bike – it goes on you. It probably keeps you warm, or dry, or safe, or sweat-free. Maybe it carries your stuff, or keeps your stuff dry. Whatever it is, you’re likely to cover it in mud and grit, and if it’s lucky you might wash it when it smells. Here are the items that have (possibly crawled by themselves, alive and stinking) to the top of the pile:
The Finalists – Best Software
7Mesh Revo Shorts
Whether it’s rain falling from the sky or ex-rain splashing up from puddles, waterproof shorts are a year round piece of kit for any British mountain biker. The 7Mesh Revo shorts manage to be breathable in all seasons, yet actually waterproof. When you really want your behind to stay dry, you need these. They even come in separate men’s and women’s cuts – dry bums for all!
Learn more
Camelbak Repack LR
The hip pack that Camelbak got just right, it holds enough stuff to be useful and stays where you want it. Whether you stick a bladder in it or save the space for more layers, the new Repack hit the spot, and the design of the internals is sure to keep you organised.
Learn more
Nukeproof Blackline Women’s Shorts
These might be the holy grail of women’s mountain bike shorts. They’re long enough to prevent any gap between pads and shorts, they’re baggy enough to fit over said pads, yet tailored enough to be flattering and not to flap around or catch on anything. The lightweight fabric is deceptively tough, coming up fresh as new wash after wash and crash after crash. Seemingly first on the list to any ‘what shorts…?’ questions, the blokes’ ones are good too, but it’s the women’s ones that stand out for being streets ahead of the rest of the shorts-for-women market.
