Finding a pair of shorts that can power through the rigors of long distance rides as well as daily commutes is something as cyclist we want to find and snatch up every color. We need a durable, everyday short that can blast through the elements while not forfeiting style. Stretch is essential when looking for an all-rounder pair of shorts, constant movement on regular shorts will tear them like tissue paper, but also finding a pair that can withstand all conditions can be a task unless they zip off from a pair of pants or cargo shorts which should be not be done ever.
The Stahl by Mission Workshop is the first pair of shorts I've tested that feel like they are up for any kind of biking, from gravel, dirt, to pavement and whatever else you can think of in that menacing head of yours. The 4-way stretch flows well especially on long rides, as your thighs fill with lactic acid, the shorts don't feel like there's any sort of limitations as far as elasticity goes.
My Stahls have been through almost every terrain over the past year, gravel, some muddy times, light/heavy rains, and a trip to Egypt. Let's start with the riding, I've put at least 1000 miles in these shorts and and they have yet to show any sort of wear. They've also maintained their form, so don't think they'll give out after months of wear, get your standard size.
Since unsuspected downpours happen, these guys have seen the heaviest of southern rains, but they've never taken more than 15 minutes to be completely dry, dirt and stains are easily wiped clean. However, I did get a couple of grease stains on them that have yet to come out since I got to them too late, but for the one I caught in time, I just rubbed some dish soap and baking soda and let that marinate for a few hours and was completely clean, that's a little homemaking Spindlero tip for ya, don't worry, it's free....this time.
For travel, these pack really well, roll em up and throw em in whatever bag you got; they take up no room and don't come out all wrinkled, so they're easy to pop on right out of the pack to go out adventurin'. If you're accident prone and gotta carry extra gear, these shorts will definitely fit in your frame bag with room to spare.
Feature wise, the fifth pocket is clutch, it's deeper than your standard fifth, which at times can be troubling if you got some change in there, but it fits a pocket knife and pens securely, making you forget they're on you. In Addition, a very well-built zip utility pocket can hold your tools, phone, or whatever without worrying about any fallout destruction happening, and when I say phone, I mean most phones will fit in there, now maybe you have one of those laptops people are passing for phones these days, those could be a stretch, also, throw that phone away, it's too damn big!
For me, the MW Stahl's the perfect everyday riding short, ready for the dirty, the streets, the tsunamis, the long rides, and whatever else you can thing of doing on a bike or off, I started off with the Foliage color, then after 6 months bought the Black and Crocodile Brown, as I said before, you find a pair you dig, and buy em all! Some may be deterred by the $139 price tag, but you shouldn't, you won't be spending any money on shorts again..at least I won't be.
