I was super stoked to see the new 9in version of these come out. I liked the longer ones but always felt they were a little long for my preference. With or without knee pads I like short to be above my knee. The new shorter length found the sweet spot and quickly became my favorite pair of MTB shorts! The build quality is amazing. My old ones have been through years of abuse riding in Pisgah and through multiple crashes, yet have held up great and still look good! I expect the same from these. If you’re looking for shorts do yourself a favor and get a pair of these.