Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I am female, middle-aged, and have just gotten back into biking after about 15 years sitting on my backside in a comfy chair in front of a computer. I could well remember the pain experienced even with a padded seat in my younger years so I bought myself a ladies 26" comfort cruiser that advertised a deluxe "Schwinn wide, padded cruiser saddle". Well, this stock seat is wider at 10" than most stock seats, but it certainly did not prevent pain. I began looking here on Amazon for something to relieve my aching posterior region. I bought myself a new padded 10" wide saddle and these shorts. The shorts arrived very quickly and about two weeks ahead of the new saddle for some reason but I was very glad that something arrived to help me as I just couldn't face another day riding my bike as it was. The shorts did not disappoint me at all - they were exactly what I had hoped for and needed! I generally ride an average of about 5-6 miles and I could tell a huge difference for the first ride wearing these. Please note that the pain was not completely gone, but much better. I was able to patiently wait for the new saddle. These shorts are not a cure all for discomfort when you are unaccustomed to riding, but they do help. I am very pleased with my purchase. I have now received my new saddle for the bike and I continue to wear these shorts. The new saddle is much better than my stock seat but even with the combination of these shorts I still feel it after a ride but I can't exactly say it is painful but that I am aware of the experience for some hours. The next day, I am more than ready to ride again! Sizing/Quality - I am 5' 6" and currently weigh about 175 pounds. Yes I am overweight, which is the reason for the new commitment to bicycling. By reviewing the sizing chart, to place my order, I was dismayed to discover that the sizes jumped from a Large (12-14) to an Extra Large (16-18). I needed a size 14-16. I knew the Large would be just too tight - even with the stretch but I really feared the Extra Large would be too big but I felt that I didn't have a choice. I ordered the Extra Large and when it arrived - the tag on the shorts proclaimed that an Extra Large was indeed a 14-16! Yay! They did indeed fit perfectly and appear to run true to size. Yes, there is some give around the waist (and I have a paunch in that area) but to me that makes them comfortable. I feel confident that I will not go down in-size for at least another 15 pounds. The material is lightweight, breathable, and stretchy but not "thin" as one reviewer remarked. I would have to guess that anything that thin is just stretched too tight. I feel these are excellent quality for the price. This is my first pair of biking shorts ever so I cannot compare them to the ridiculously expensive ones available. Perhaps, there are differences in padding that I have not experienced but for the price difference I am very content with my purchase and plan to buy at least one more pair soon and more when I lose more weight. These shorts also wash very well. I prefer to line-dry to preserve their fit and shape; they do dry very quickly. I also like the fact that this company is family owned and operated right here in the USA!