When I play video games, I sometimes get sweaty hands.

To be exact, when I play fighting games I get sweaty hands. It isn’t a major issue, but there have been times where slippery fingers have made executing precise combos and maneuvers more difficult.  Most gamers with this problem solve it in the same way:  they wipe their hands on whatever clothes they are wearing and get back in the game.

Turns out basketball players encounter a similar problem and their solution is as practical as you can get. Why not just wear moisture-wicking apparel designed to absorb whatever you wipe against them? This is was the question first posed by Point3, a performance apparel company that has recently entered the esports scene with a new line of gaming-inspired products.

Their slogan explains the product simply: “shorts + towel = genius”. That sounds good on paper, so I decided to put the DRYV All Day Gamer Shorts to the test and wear them during a week's worth of competitive gaming. 

This was my experience:

The Review

To begin, the shorts look and feel great to wear. The difference between a low-quality pair of basketball shorts and high-quality ones is felt immediately upon wearing and I appreciate that. Sometimes, brands looking to enter the gaming market buy into the belief that gamers don't care about how they dress and that simply isn't true.

The shorts also do precisely as advertised. It really does feel like you are sitting with a towel in your lap and, after a couple of hours of gameplay, wiping my hands on my shorts didn’t feel like a gimmick or a temporary solution. It was simply the fastest and most efficient way to dry off my hands during gameplay. 

There are other qualities of life perks to the shorts that gamers will appreciate as well. Extra deep pockets work well to hold controllers and cellphones plus there is an extra pocket in the back with a hidden zipper compartment.  These small details don't seem like much but, compared to standard athletic shorts you might already own, they make all the difference. 

To be fair, wiping sweat on your clothes isn't something that everyone wants to do and one could just as easily carry around a normal towel.  However,  the annoyance of sweaty hands isn't serious enough to make me carry a towel with me in public, so the subtle solution of moisture wicking shorts is much more appealing to me. I was impressed with Point3's DRYV 2.0 fabric and its ability to absorb moisture quickly.

The shorts are easy to wash as well, which is a must considering their intended use.

The Verdict

Available at point3basketball.com the DRYV All Day Gamer Shorts ($50) is an earnest and successful entrance into the world of gaming apparel. They make an excellent gift for any competitive gamer, especially one that cares about nice clothing, but not enough to place clothes shopping a priority. I was expecting a gimmick but discovered a practical piece of apparel that will likely be useful to any competitive gamer.

If you're interested in a flashier version of these shorts,  I suggest checking out the collaboration between Point3 and Fade2Karma Pictured above.  These special DRYV All Day Gamer Shorts come in a white and black version, available at shopf2k.gg