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We love mountain bike gear and apparel of all kinds and for all seasons, but padded bike shorts (also called chamois) may be the most universally important item of clothing to get right if you want to enjoy long, comfortable rides that don’t leave your sit bones so sore you can’t sit on a park bench without wincing for three days. So we tested a handful of more sustainable options of padded cycling shorts for women to help you decide where to invest your gear dollars.
Here we’ll break down how comfy each option is, whether it stays put like it should, what types of rides each is best for, and how much squish you can expect from the padding. And yes, we tested them all, so you can be confident in our review. Find our fave men’s padded cycling shorts here.
Looking for more MTB content? Check out our favorite sustainable MTB gear of the summer here and a review of our fave MTB helmets here.
The Best Padded Cycling Shorts for Women
Shredly Biker Cham
Shredly makes mountain bike clothing for women, by women, so you know it’s gonna rock. In fact, we love their All-Time Shorts to the moon and back. But this Biker Cham is pretty baller, too (find alt color options here).
The padding is the densest of any of the shorts on this list while still being uber comfy. Meaning if you like your rides long and challenging, these shorts are your best bet when it comes to preventing your nether region from aching. They come in a crazy wide variety of colors and patterns, including a new Shimmer series (“Stardust” pictured above) that’s delightfully iridescent. That shimmer does seem to have worn off a bit on high-friction areas like on either side of the crotch where the saddle rubs, but no one sees that area anyway, so we’re OK with it. These shorts are a bit less stretchy and more compressive, so use the brand’s size chart when ordering (or go try some on at REI).
As for how they perform, the fabric is thick enough for me to feel comfortable wearing them without baggies over top but still breathable, the scalloped and laser-cut edges stay put on your thighs, and two drop pockets on the legs are plenty big enough for your phone and a snack. Frankly, I don’t think a pair of cycling shorts has ever been more flattering. There’s also a thinner, lighter, less padded Hipster Cham if you prefer less coverage and extra light protection.
How it’s sustainable: Fabric is OEKO-TEX 100 Certified and PFAS-free.
Sizing: XS to XXXL
Pros
- Two large drop-in pockets on the sides
- They stay put
- Variety of colors and patterns
- Dense padding
- Extra thick fabric means extra protection
Cons
- Can feel a bit snug at first
Wild Rye Eleanor Chammy
Wild Rye makes bike apparel exclusively for women, by women. And we dig it. Every year they release a small collection of new colors and patterns for things like shorts, sports bras, and chamois to keep things fresh and funky. And while we’re not suggesting you go buy new shorts every single season just because you like the new print, chamois can be a fun way to refresh your wardrobe when you’ve worn out a pair.
We dig the Eleanor Chammy (especially the above witch desert motif) for a few reasons: The fabric is super light, soft, breathable, and impressively stretchy, meaning there’s more wiggle room when it comes to sizing. They’re not terribly compressive, which kicks the comfort level up a notch, and the padding is thick enough to keep your sit bones comfy for at least a few hours in the saddle. We also dig the sizing inclusivity and the slightly shorter (but still long enough) 6.5″ inseam for extra hot rides.
How it’s sustainable: These shorts are made of 79% recycled polyester and are PFAS-free.
Sizing: 0 to 24
Pros
- Super stretchy
- Not as long
- Two drop-in pockets on the sides
- Fun prints
- The most breathable and comfy on hot rides
Cons
- Polyester doesn’t feel *quite* as durable as nylon options
Pearl Izumi Quest Shorts
Pearl Izumi has a number of more sustainable bike chamois shorts in their lineup, but we like the Quest Shorts, even if they’re not designed specifically for mountain biking. What they are is one of the more affordable options on this list, meaning if you’re on a budget, they’re a decent option.
The soft edges of the padding extend far enough past the joint of your legs and pelvis to offer additional protection, which we appreciated, but since the padding itself isn’t quite as dense, we liked these shorts better for shorter rides (and less bulky packing jobs when traveling to bike). That extended material might also be an issue for small riders like me as it tended to bunch a bit near the joints on the sides of my saddle.
Overall they are comfy, though, and the stretchy nylon tolerably breathable. The yoga-style waistband sits at a comfortable place on the waist and they hit a sweet spot in the compression department: not too tight but still keep everything in place.
How it’s sustainable: These shorts are made of 80% recycled nylon. The brand also has a Pedal to Zero™ initiative where they share how many miles you need to ride instead of drive to offset the carbon footprint of each product (it’s 12.58 miles for these shorts). This obviously puts the responsibility on the consumer to take action, but we like that it adds a layer of mindfulness when considering buying new products and how it encourages you to get on your bike more often.
Sizing: Available in XS to XXXL.
Pros
- Legs stay put
- Nice and stretchy
Cons
- Only lightly padded
- No pockets
Patagonia Dirt Roamer Bike Liner Shorts
Patagonia has made a name for themselves making high quality, sustainable clothing for the outdoors, and these padded cycling shorts for women are no exception. But there are things I liked and disliked about the Dirt Roamer Bike Liner Shorts, which is why they’re on the bottom of the list.
For starters, padding is medium-dense but thin, offering moderate protection for rides of moderate lengths. And there’s far less padding on the front of the crotch than near the sit bones, which could be welcome or despised depending on what you’re looking for. That said, the sides of the padding don’t extend far from the pad edges, so you may end up with a seam on a high-friction area. That sometimes bothered me on longer rides and I would feel the need to constantly pull the legs down to get the seams away from my joints, but as shorts comfort is highly based on individual body type, your results may vary.
That said, the side panels are made of mesh, which makes these MTB chamois breathable on hot rides. Plus, there’s a drop-in pocket on both legs, so you can wear them on their own or with a pair of baggies like the Dirt Roamer Bike Shorts, which actually have multi-use side pockets that function as secure zipper pockets, vents, or access to your chamois pockets. Now that’s some clever apparel engineering if you ask me. They also feel durable and not too compressive, but seem to run a bit smaller than other options. The inseam is 8″.
How it’s sustainable: These are made of mostly recycled nylon (79% in the body and 77% in the mesh panels) and are made in a Fair Trade Certified™ factory.
Sizing: XXS to XXL
Pros
- Breathable
- Two drop-in pockets
- Legs stay put
Cons
- Padding doesn’t extend as far to the sides
- Not as much padding in the front
Padded Cycling Shorts for Women: Bottom Line
If it’s more sustainable mountain bike chamois you’re after, these will do the job nicely (if “the job” is protecting your sit bones and being a little kinder to the planet). Every type of rider should find one that suits their body and type of riding, so dive in, discover the padded bike shorts that are right for you, then hit the trail and wander on!
Alisha is a freelance outdoor journalist and photographer based in Ogden, UT. She loves backpacking, hiking, mountain biking, kayaking and snowboarding (even though she’s terrible at it). She’s also pretty sure she’s addicted to coffee. alishamcdarris.com