When I first got this short on test it didn’t come with a liner, which  is fine because some of the best mountain bike shorts we’ve reviewed don’t either. Besides, Nukeproof is now including that as standard, while the price has increased slightly to reflect that.

It’s difficult to see from the pictures, but the Nukeproof Blackline uses a 3D 135gsm fabric. What this means is it has a four-way stretch, so it moves with your body, but it’s also lightweight, breathable and wicks moisture very well. The added benefit of the fabric is that it dries quickly should you get caught in a shower or have to do any river crossings. The fabric is soft to the touch, but according to Nukeproof it’s also abrasion resistant, and so far that claim has rung true. There are no splits or pulls in the material and the short does feel really nice to ride in.

It also has some cool features like the lightweight Velcro tags on the waistband. A lot of baggy shorts dig in here, but these don’t. You don’t really need a fly on a women’s short but at least it has a zip tag. There’s also a silicone strip on the back to stop the short slipping down, which I think is a good feature for riders in between sizes. I also like the length, it doesn’t feel like wearing a ¾ short, and there’s minimal flapping.

The side pockets are in a handy position and there’s a cloth for cleaning your glasses on one side and a detachable key fob on the other but the pockets would be better if they were a touch bigger..

According to Nukeproof, the included liner has a 3D dual-density foam chamois design. Unpackaging that means the liner is shaped in three directions, rather than being flat, so it fits better and uses two density foam pads over the sit bones. It doesn’t quite have the all-day comfort of my favourite Scott liner, but it’s good for short rides.

Review by Alice Burwell.