Xplosiv Fight Shorts

I had been struggling with my one pair of fight shorts - the HCK ones I reviewed a while back. Trying to get them clean for my next training session was always a drama, since I train pretty much daily. Plus, with the weather getting warmer here on the bottom part of the world, I was going to be needing them a lot more. So, I was very pleased when I was sent a pair of XPlosiv fight shorts to review.

These shorts have been around my waist for a while, now and they don't look like going any time soon. They are made from a light but strong nylon material with a brushed feel on the outside. This makes them a little more comfortable than I've come to expect from fight shorts. They have all the mod-cons. There's a double closing velcro front and a conventional drawstring, along with a flex panel crotch and split seams at the thighs.

I received the XXL pants and they fit well. I guess this means XXL will fit a 40" or so waist. At the moment, I'm down to 38" and the pants still fit great - thanks to the conventional drawstring and fully elasticised waist. The drawstring is a very thin nylon cord. This makes it very easy to untie and manipulate and is useful for most people. Personally, I prefer a more substantial boot-lace style drawstring, but to each his own. The elasticised waist is a little bit of a novelty in this market. I guess other manufacturers believe elasticised waists to be bulky. I have had no issues with freedom of movement with these shorts, though an am certainly happy with the fit.

As mentioned above, the pants are made from a single layer of brushed nylon. This makes them lighter than other shorts on the market, but also more comfortable, in my opinion. I'm unsure whether this will have an effect on the life of the shorts, but they seem to be wearing well enough. The flex panel in the crotch is also a single layer, as well. This is certainly very different to Sprawl Flex Fighter, which have a double layer in the flex panel. Certainly, I feel the double layer is a better idea. However, the single layer is doing a good job and showing no real signs of wear.

The shorts have some large decals on them, as well. These seem to be well attached and don't peel as I've seen with some clothing. Although decals aren't really my scene, these ones are tasteful and inoffensive.

Ultimately, these are a pretty good pair of shorts. They're more comfortable in general than most grappling shorts I've worn and fit better by virtue of the elasticised waist and drawstring. Of course, Sprawl's adjustment method has it's merits, as well. The shorts are as comfortable as board shorts. They are also functional grappling shorts. Perhaps the manufacturer will consider a model with a double shell and double layer crotch for the hardcore grappler. Nonetheless, if you want a pair of shorts you can train in but wear off the mat, as well, I've not seen better, yet.

Xplosiv Fightwear