Basic summary: A top and bottom kit from La Sportiva’s 2017 trail apparel lineup, both featuring Polygiene permanent odor control treatment. The Motion shirt is a comfortable and lightweight all-purpose shirt at an affordable price point, while the Rapid shorts are a 2-in-1 combination that is built for performance at a premium cost.
MSRP:
Motion Shirt: $39
Rapid Shorts: $129
Features:
La Sportiva Motion Shorts
Motion Shirt:
- Weight: 4.2 oz (120 g)
- Fabric: 100% polyester, 4-way stretch
- Regular fit
- Polygiene anti-bacterial and anti-odor treatment
- Underarm mesh venting inserts
- Flatlock seams
- Reflective neck trim
- bluesign® approved fabric
Rapid Shorts:
- Weight: 5.64 oz (160g)
- Shell fabric: 88% Polyamide, 12% Spandex, 4-way stretch
- Brief fabric: 60% Polyamide, 35% Polypropylene, 5% Spandex
- Inseam: 6” shell, 8” brief
- Seamless inner brief
- Zippered rear pocket
- Polygeine anti-odor and anti-bacterial treatment
- External drawcord
- Reflective details
La Sportiva Rapid Short
Deep dive:
Polygiene and La Sportiva have been partners for several years with trail running apparel, and the permanent odor control technology has been incorporated into La Sportiva’s entire 2017 trail running apparel lineup.
For the uninitiated, Polygiene is a fabric treatment made with 100% recycled silver that is sourced from photographic and industrial applications. Silver has an inherent property of preventing the growth of bacteria – it’s often used in wound care products to prevent infection – and since bacteria are the root cause of clothes odor, preventing their growth means you prevent your clothes from stinking. The treatment allows you to wear clothing for multiple uses between washes, which also prolongs the lifespan of clothing as laundering eventually causes micro-destruction of fibers over time.
We tested a top and bottom piece from the La Sportiva lineup: the Motion shirt and Rapid shorts. The Motion is a lightweight and quick-drying garment with a simple, classic look and silky feel against the skin. It is constructed with chafe-free seams for comfort, and has underarm mesh venting to increase ventilation and temperature regulation. It’s a great all-purpose shirt that is suitable for hiking or gym workouts in addition to its target use of trail running.
The Rapid shorts are designed to be suitable for racing and high performance in addition to everyday training. They are a 2-in-1 model with contrast coloring of yellow drawstring and briefs with black external shell fabric. The liner is distinctive in that it has a cottony feel, but it is highly hydrophobic and wicks moisture effectively away from the skin. It offers light compression and stays in place well, with seamless construction to minimize irritation between your legs.
On the external brief, the Rapid uses fabric with 12% Spandex for excellent stretch property, and the panels glide easily along with the inner liner brief. There is a horizontal zipper pocket across the center back to stow small items, and the same cottony material from the liner fabric is used at the waist for improved comfort. A nice design element is positioning of the drawcord closure on the outside of the shorts so it doesn’t contact your skin.
For both of these products, the Polygiene treatment worked exactly as advertised, as we wore them for repeated runs, including a day or two hanging on hooks between training sessions, all without washing them. Odor prevention was outstanding, particularly in notoriously high-funk regions of the shorts.
Conclusion
La Sportiva’s Motion short and Rapid shorts are comfortable and versatile items for training or racing, and the utilization of Polygiene treatment is an effective way of minimizing odor so that you can maximize their use.
