Arc'teryx Rampart Long Short

A comfortable, roomy pair of shorts, for long days in the mountains.

Sometimes you have a piece of hiking clothing that you take for granted. That piece that is always there and you don't have to worry about them. For me, this is the Arc'teryx Rampart Long Shorts. I bought these ten years ago, and they are still going strong.

(photo: Hamilton Gorge in the High Sierra Trail)

The fit is true to size, and the 12.5" inseam reaches just to the (my) knees. They are roomy for those big steps up or when scrambling, and I never worry that I'm going to push the seams beyond their limits.

The Terra-Tex fabric is a nylon/spandex blend. It breathes super well, and the shorts are light as a feather, and if you get them wet, they dry in a flash. Though the fabric is light, it wears like iron. I have had this pair since 2010, and they still look great, with no wear marks, and hardly a loose thread anywhere.

There is an unusual double snap at the waist. Not sure if that's for extra security, or in case you start pushing the size and need to expand the waist a little bit. The belt loops are nice and wide, to accommodate any size of belt. 

The shorts have six pockets: two in the back, and two on each thigh. My only quibble is that the lower thigh pockets aren't very useful for anything weighing more than an ounce or two. Your car keys will bounce and jingle around like crazy when hiking... and I think it's because that lower pocket is very low. I would have preferred that the main pocket was less deep, and the lower pocket was a little higher up.

I have hiked everywhere in these shorts. From thru-hiking the High Sierra Trail, to section hikes of the JMT, and casual hikes on the coast. But they still look and perform like new. They also stay looking great after-hike, when hanging out at the brewery or winery, and enjoying food that didn't get cooked in a bag. 

(photo: post-hike, enjoying some fine Sierra foothill vino)

All in all, the best forty dollar outdoor clothing purchase I've ever made. Super comfortable, and I expect to get more trail years out of them in the future.

Background

These are the hardest wearing and longest lasting shorts I have ever owned. I have tramped all over the High Sierra in them, and they have outlasted any other pair of hiking shorts I have ever owned.