Shorts and Skirts

Featured review by Twig

A Purple Rain Adventure Dress is a nearly perfect hiking garment, especially for hot, muggy, and shaded conditions such as those found on the Appalachian Trail. I wore mine continuously for my AT thru-hike. I prized it for its supreme ventilation, simplicity, functionality, durability, comfort, and quick-drying materials. The side-pockets were perfect for carrying my phone, snacks, toiletries, and a myriad of other things. I never thought I'd find a more comfortable piece of clothing than a Purple Rain Adventure Skirt, but the dress design is my new favorite.

  The most classic of AT scenes atop McAfee Knob The Purple Rain Adventure Dress in Shenandoah National Park My Background & Experience with hiking skirts and dresses: In 2017, I began a series of adventures that would eventually lead to a career, of sorts, in thru-hiking. I started with several section hikes of the Appalachian Trail, as well as a thru-hike of the Colorado Trail. These were my first trails wearing a Purple Rain Adventure Skirt, for which I published a review of my very positive experiences at the time.  Southern Terminus of the CDT, in my favorite Purple Rain Adventure Skirt (worn on the PCT, CDT, and AZT)  and a merino T-shirt.

Read more: Purple Rain Adventure Dress reviews (2)

Reviewed by Andrew F.

The gravel shorts are made for mountain biking and double as a good pair of hiking shorts. Some cycling-related features and adjustments make these a good choice for biking. The shorts have no padding, so I liked these better with a padded undershort for longer and rougher rides. For hiking and cycling, these shorts are a winner.

BASIC INFORMATION The gravel shorts are made for mountain biking. They are made from a 95% nylon/5% spandex fabric that has a nice bit of stretchiness that cyclists will appreciate. They have two big front pockets and one smaller, rear pocket, all with mesh liner material that helps with ventilation. The rear pocket is actually a dual pocket - it’s an open pocket, but within that, there’s a section that’s secured by a zipper.    The shorts have a number of design elements that make them particularly good for their mountain-biking purpose.

Read more: Showers Pass Gravel 10" Shorts review (1)

Featured review by Ashleigh

Patagonia's Baggies are my go-to, do it all shorts. They are lightweight, breathable, packable, abrasion-resistant, water-resistant, quick drying nylon shorts. The DWR treated Baggies sport a 5" inseam, two quick drain pockets with mesh in the bottom, and a stretchy elastic waistband with tie. I hike, kayak, wakeboard, play tennis, jog, work out and do just about everything in these shorts! If I had only one pair of shorts, these would be the ones. Patagonia has been making these for years and are made for babies on up to men's and women's.

My Patagonia Baggies have been through it all. I love these shorts! I would literally wear them every day if I could. I bought them primarily for hiking because I had heard so many great things about them. They are perfect for hiking because they have pockets (but they are not big baggy cargo pockets), they resist abrasion and water, they are breathable and comfortable, and they do not chafe. Nowadays, ladies' shorts tend to be rather short (3" inseam), but the 5" inseam in these is the perfect length for me.

Read more: Patagonia Baggies Shorts 5" reviews (5)

Featured review by T.J.

Outdoor Research's updated Ferrosi fabric delivers big on comfort, stretch, and durability, but sizing and features should be considered with the Ferrosi Short.

Having previously reviewed an older version of the Outdoor Research 10-inch Ferrosi Shorts, that had a strong but not particularly long life, I was excited to try their latest fabric update in the newest 7-inch model they’re offering (see my original Ferrosi Shorts review below). After a season of very frequent California trail use, including moist Redwood forests, High-Sierra backpacking trips, desert overnights, and frequent use near my home next to a national forest, I’d say there’s a whole lot of good with these shorts, but a couple of things to consider if you’re thinking about pulling the trigger.

Read more: Outdoor Research Ferrosi Shorts reviews (3)

Featured review by Jakuchu

Light but protective short that gets out of the way, yet lets you carry tons of stuff.

Fit I will say it up front, I love the Strider Pro shorts. When trail running or hiking up steep hills I love the fit of them. The 5" inseam means they do not pull on your quads when going up steep terrain. They have a split on the side to give you extra freedom of movement while covering you up well enough. For me a 5" inseam is perfect. The waistband is a good elastic, but also has a lace that you can tie in case they would sag on you. I can't speak for everybody of course, but the fit on me is great, and the adjustability makes me think it would fit most people very well..

Read more: Patagonia Strider Pro Short reviews (3)

Reviewed by OutdoorKelly

The Patagonia women's Dirt Roamer Bike Shorts pack a host of straightforward, well thought out features into a simple pair of shorts. The material and seams stretch together, offering an unrestricted range of motion, and the lightweight fabric wicks moisture, repels water, and dries rapidly. They were hands down my favorite shorts to ride in this past season.

Testing Conditions: I tested the Patagonia women’s Dirt Roamer Bike Shorts as a member of the Trailspace Review Corps. I wore the shorts mountain biking in and around the White Mountains of northern New Hampshire from June through October 2018. I also brought them with me on an October road trip, mountain biking in Bentonville, Arkansas, and around Asheville, North Carolina. Temperatures during testing ranged from about 50 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit.                                                       Out for a spin Fit and Comfort: I’m 5'4" with a fairly curvy lower body (35" hip, 27" waist).

Read more: Patagonia Dirt Roamer Bike Shorts review (1)

Reviewed by LoneStranger

This simple, kilt style, silnylon wrap is great for those who hate wearing rain pants because they need more ventilation. Light to carry and easy to put on, especially compared to rain pants, the wrap works best on open trails and paired with a jacket or short poncho.

So often I find that getting raingear out and on before I'm soaked is a pipedream. Combined with the steamy interior I often opted to just get wet from the rain rather than bother unless it was really cold. I'd just hike faster to keep warm and dry out in camp. The EE Rain Wrap has changed that and given me something that works on family trips where fast hiking isn't an option and goes on fast. Several inches fell in just a few hours on this Baxter State Park trip. Real world testing indeed! Fit & Comfort: The EE Rain Wrap is basically a rectangular, silnylon tarp that has snap closures and a gathered elastic waist.

Read more: Enlightened Equipment Rain Wrap review (1)

Reviewed by David Link

A super comfortable hiking short for hot and dry conditions. Excellent fit and breathability, when you’re just trying to stay cool. A good-looking pair of shorts which transition from trail to town with ease. I wear them most every day during the summer.

We’ve all had it hammered into us: “Cotton kills on the backcountry.” When it gets wet, it lacks few insulating properties, and can lead to hypothermia. But I would like to propose the idea, that in certain hot and dry conditions, where there is no chance of precipitation, cotton can be just right. I originally bought these because I was looking for a cool pair of casual shorts for wine tasting, hanging out on the patio, you get the idea. But one very warm summer’s day, I had planned a long day hike in the Sierra Foothills near my home, and I decided to give these a try (the decision was also aided by the zipper blowing out on my nylon Arc’teryx shorts).

Read more: Mountain Hardwear J Tree Short review (1)

Featured review by Lester M

Comfiest shorts I've owned. Probably too good to waste on everyday wear—but here in the frozen north, how will I ever know?

I bought my first G pants in 2005 and picked up a pair of shorts, in the sale at REI, in 2008. $22 for a pair of shorts? When there were perfectly serviceable and hardy ones, at Target, for three bucks? Gramicci design good stuff. The shorts are made of soft touch, burly cotton, with generous and careful stitching, three roomy pockets, a diamond panel crotch insert, and simple waist adjustment, via some elastic and a webbing belt. They don't look baggy but are roomy where it counts for climbing and other strenuous activities.

Read more: Gramicci Original G-Shorts reviews (3)

Reviewed by SCHiker

A cheap, comfortable, basic short that looks good in town and performs acceptably, but not great, on trail. These shorts are breathable, light, and comfortable but not durable or water resistant.

Fit and Comfort: Fit well without issues. This is one of these products that you just don't notice. It is roomy, has a good waist size, and the measurements seem right (If it helps, I bought the 30x10, regular fit). nice, loose fit Shorts are generally easier to get right than pants, but good job to Columbia anyway. The fabric is pretty soft for shorts. Columbia tends to have nice soft fabrics that rival those from higher end brands. In fact, these are softer than my $70 PrAna shorts. One way that Columbia keeps cost down is the lack of stretch.

Read more: Columbia Iron Mountain Trail Shorts review (1)