Norman Recycled Enduro Shorts – Review

Aussie clothing brand Norman make ethical apparel for mountain biking with a minimalist aesthetic and a light touch on nature. Tim and Alissa took their Recycled Enduro Shorts for a spin.

Norman have a pretty cool origin story. Founded in the Snowy Mountains of NSW by keen riders, the brand seeks to capture a different side of mountain biking.

Sure they love an all out downhill run, but the uphills, the time out in nature or the post ride pub feed all played a part. Unfortunately, most of the bright mountain bike specific clothing out there wasn’t capturing this vibe.

They’re also on an ethical mission, with a plan to become certified carbon neutral and an ongoing partnership with our friends Keep It Cool, who plant native trees in the Snowies.

So are the Norman Recycled Enduro Shorts any good? Over to Tim and Alissa.

Aesthetics and Fit

Alissa: Thanks to mountain biking I have a relatively small waist, but larger thighs, so finding pants that fit can be a bit difficult. If you’re between sizes, I’d definitely recommend sizing up, especially if you’ll be wearing padded shorts under them at any point. They fit quite snug in the thighs rather than being a bit boxy and hanging like many other brands.

The shorts are high-waisted, which I absolutely love, but the women’s ones don’t have an adjustable waist, which means you really need to dial in the fit.

The back pocket in the centre sits well and even with a bike backpack right on top I didn’t have any discomfort. The only point I will note is that I have an iPhone 11 Pro with a fairly bulky Lifeproof case on it and although it does fit, I wish the pocket was just slightly bigger to make getting my phone in and out a bit easier.

This super practical pocket is only available in the women’s version of the shorts

Tim: Woah, the fit on these is much slimmer than my normal mountain bike shorts, I actually love the profile! I quickly forgot I was wearing them, even on a long cross country ride. My padded shorts fit just fine underneath but they’re not loose. As Alissa said, size up if you’re on the fence! The cut is above the knee, so kneepads fit without trouble.

The minimalist design (one subtle logo) with two burly zipper pockets (right and back right) is great, but I did find myself wishing for a pocket on the left. It wouldn’t need a zipper, but another pocket would be useful going to and from the trailhead and at the cafe/pub and help to avoid feeling lopsided with full pockets.

The men’s shorts feature two beefy pockets, both on the right hand side of the shorts

The waist on the men’s one uses elastic and a simple drawstring you can tie, making it pretty easy to dial in the fit. It’s also a pretty chill look if your shirt’s tucked in, mountain biking’s about looking good right?

Comfort & Materials

Alissa: The Recycled Enduro Shorts are made with really flexible Repreve Recycled Polyester and 8% Spandex, allowing that tighter fit we’ve mentioned. I wore these for a 20km ride for my first ride with them and they were so comfortable. I did another ride later that day with a different pair of shorts and was immediately wishing I’d taken the Normans.

Even after sizing up, Alissa found the women’s short a bit tight, fitting more like leggings than true shorts

The material is quite stretchy, so they didn’t restrict movement at all. The padded shorts that I wear have a phone pocket on the side and with these shorts on top, I wasn’t able to pull them up and access my phone because of the fit, so having the back pocket was convenient when I wanted to take out my phone. They have a tight-ish seam, I’m thinking to help prevent them riding up while pedaling, but just something to keep in mind. The actual fabric is quite stretchy, aside from at the bottom.

Tim: My first thought was ‘damn, these are light’. The material reminds me of activewear, but as soon as you get on a bike you know they’re made for pedalling. I was super stoked to see that the shorts are nearly completely recycled too.

Comfort-wise, these shorts nailed the ‘forget you’re doing a review’ test, as I immediately forgot they were new. Big tick from me. I’ll also admit something: I’ve been wearing them around the house. Froth city.

The shorts ride high, but their stretchy material keeps them from becoming a nuisance

Durability & Performance

Alissa: On big rides and in decent heat, these shorts held up super well, wicking sweat and breathing throughout the whole ride. I luckily haven’t taken any crashes in these shorts…yet, but I can imagine they would hold up quite well even in one.

Tim: I have crashed in them, rather hard on gravel, right on my hip. The shorts are fine! I wish I could say the same for my skin and Norman Merino top, but it’s safe to say that despite their thin material, the shorts are built tough. Which is great, because I love them.

Price

Alissa: These really are such a casual short, without the big logos, which I really like. At $139.95 I’d say the fit and features are well in line with industry average. Being made from recycled materials also adds multiple points in my books. I love supporting a company that’s helping to create gear locally that fits and performs well without causing unnecessary harm to the place we’re out here to enjoy.

Tim: Given the eco friendly company, tree planting, recycled materials and high performance nature of the shorts, I’d say the price is more than fair!