Padded skating shorts

Claim 2

Padded skating shorts comprising: a padded core shell including waist and leg portions, the waist portion completely encircling a waist of a wearer when worn and each of the leg portions terminating in a lower extremity; an outside shell adapted to be worn over the core shell to prevent the core shell from damage and wear and tear and also including waist and leg portions, the waist portion of the outside shell being adapted to completely encircle the waist of the wearer, and each of the leg portions of the outside shell also terminating in a lower extremity; and a fastening mechanism secured to the outside shell and the core shell for releasably fastening the core shell to the outside shell when the outside shell is worn over the core shell, wherein the fastening mechanism includes a first pair of fastening members secured to the lower extremities of the leg portions of the outside shell and a second pair of complementarily-formed fastening members secured to the lower extremities of the leg portions of the core shell wherein the first pair of fastening members are disposed in apposing relationship to the second pair of fastening members when the outside shell is worn over the core shell.

Claim 3

The shorts as claimed in claim 1 wherein the outside shell includes at least one pocket.

Claim 4

The shorts as claimed in claim 2 wherein the at least one pocket has mesh strips to allow water to drain from the at least one pocket.

Claim 5

The shorts as claimed in claim 1 wherein the outside shell includes an outer layer made from a fabric material.

Claim 6

The shorts as claimed in claim 4 wherein the outer layer of the outside shell includes front and back panels joined together about their periphery by a taped seam to seal the outer layer.

Claim 7

The shorts as claimed in claim 1 wherein the waist portion of the outside shell includes a belt sewn therein to secure the outside shell to a wearer thereof.

Claim 8

The shorts as claimed in claim 4 wherein the outer shell includes an inner layer secured to the outer layer of the outside shell.

Claim 9

The shorts as claimed in claim 7 wherein the inner layer of the outside shell is preferably a mesh-type inner layer.

Claim 10

The shorts as claimed in claim 1 wherein the core shell includes an outer layer and an inner layer secured to the outer layer of the core shell.

Claim 11

The shorts as claimed in claim 9 wherein the inner layer of the core shell is a fabric layer.

Claim 12

The shorts as claimed in claim 1 wherein the core shell includes a pair of curved, reinforced ball joint pads.

Claim 13

The shorts as claimed in claim 1 wherein the waist portion of the core shell includes a belt sewn therein to secure the core shell to a wearer thereof.

Claim 14

The shorts as claimed in claim 1 wherein the core shell includes a pair of thigh pads.

Claim 15

The shorts as claimed in claim 1 wherein the core shell includes a stretchable crotch portion interconnecting the leg portions of the core shell to permit greater range of movement to a wearer thereof.

Claim 16

The shorts as claimed in claim 1 wherein the core shell includes a pair of curved, reinforced hip pads.

Claim 17

The shorts as claimed in claim 1 wherein the core shell includes a reinforced tailbone pad.

Claim 18

The shorts as claimed in claim 1 wherein the core shell includes a pair of curved, reinforced kidney pads.

Claim 19

The shorts as claimed in claim 1 wherein the core shell including a pair of buttock pads.

Claim 20

Padded skating shorts comprising: a padded core shell including waist and leg portions wherein the waist portion is adapted to completely encircle a waist of a wearer and each of the leg portions terminating in a lower extremity, wherein the core shell includes a belt sewn therein to secure the core shell to the wearer thereof; an outside shell adapted to be worn over the core shell and also including waist and leg portions wherein the outside shell includes at least one pocket and wherein the waist portion of the outside shell is adapted to completely encircle the waist of the wearer and includes a belt sewn therein to secure the outside shell to the wearer thereof and wherein each of the leg portions of the outside shell also terminating in a lower extremity; and a first pair of fastening members secured to the lower extremities of the leg portions of the outside shell and a second pair of complementarily-formed fastening members secured to the lower extremities of the leg portions of the core shell wherein the first pair of fastening members are disposed in apposing relationship to the second pair of fastening members to releasably fasten the core shell to the outside shell when the outside shell is worn over the core shell.

Claim 21

Padded skating shorts comprising: a padded core shell including waist and leg portions wherein the waist portion is adapted to completely encircle a waist of a wearer and each of the leg portions terminating in a lower extremity, wherein the core shell includes a belt sewn therein to secure the core shell to the wearer thereof; an outside shell adapted to be worn over the core shell and also including waist and leg portions wherein the outside shell includes at least one pocket and wherein the waist portion of the outside shell is adapted to completely encircle the waist of the wearer and includes a belt sewn therein to secure the outside shell to the wearer thereof and wherein each of the leg portions of the outside shell also terminating in a lower extremity; and a first pair of fastening members secured to the lower extremities of the leg portions of the outside shell and a second pair of complementarily-formed fastening members secured to the lower extremities of the leg portions of the core shell wherein the first pair of fastening members are disposed in apposing relationship to the second pair of fastening members to releasably fasten the core shell to the outside shell when the outside shell is worn over the core shell.