The new 2015 Palm Horizon shorts landed a month or so ago at Unsponsored HQ. Since then they have been used several times, even when it was a little too cold for shorts.

Palm Equipment Horizon Shorts 14

First of all these are lined shorts, the inner shorts are made from soft fleece but the waist band is neoprene. This band sits nice and high and gives good lower back coverage when sitting down. I find this to be probably the most important feature in a pair of shorts that will be used for kayaking/canoeing. Sometimes board shorts don’t give the additional coverage. The shorts’ waist is fastened/adjusted by a lacing system in the same style as many board shorts. What is quite nice is that the laces cannot easily be pulled through the lace holes.

Palm Equipment Horizon Shorts 8

Palm Equipment Horizon Shorts 9

The outer short is constructed from Nylon 200d, this is very similar to the fabrics used in dry trousers and dry tops. This feels pretty tough. The shorts have a thigh pocket on the right hand leg. This is fastened with a low profile water resistant zip. This means that the pocket isn’t waterproof but I believe it is a useful feature anyway. Whilst sat in the boat the pocket and contents are well out the way of boat thigh grips/padding.

Palm Horizon Shorts

The Palm Equipment Horizon shorts have a similar fit to board shorts – pretty relaxed fit, with plenty of material where it is needed and not too much where it isn’t required. Length wise the shorts sit just below the knee which will help give a little bit of knee protection when sat in a boat.

unsponsored-palm-horizon-3

The shorts pictured here are Aqua with orange highlights, but they are also available in Jet grey with aqua highlights.

So far they have been great. I love the bright colour and the fit whilst standing or when sitting in the boat is great. It would be great if the lace was a touch longer, not that I’m a little fat or anything, just because it would make tying them just a touch easier!

Size tested: Large

Palm website – http://www.palmequipmenteurope.com
Palm size guide – http://www.palmequipmenteurope.com/content/size-guides