Are you hitting the trails in summer? If so, you’ll need some lighter and thinner clothing to make sure you don’t overheat. Wearing shorts instead of hiking pants can definitely help you stay cool. But, do you know what are the best hiking shorts for you?
One of our big goals here at The Adventure Junkies is to help you out when it comes to gearing up for hiking adventures. In this article, we’ll walk you through the features you should look for when buying new shorts for hiking and show you our selection of the best models of the year.
THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO FIND THE BEST HIKING SHORTS
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HIKING SHORTS 101
5 THINGS TO CONSIDER TO FIND THE BEST HIKING SHORTS
1. MATERIAL
The most commonly used material in hiking shorts is nylon. This material is breathable, dries quickly and is durable. Other materials such as cotton can increase your shorts’ toughness. The trade off is cotton is less breathable and water resistant.
Also, cotton dries much more slowly than nylon, which could be an important factor when deciding on the best hiking shorts for you. This is well-worth considering if you’re planning on going swimming in your hiking shorts.
2. WEIGHT
When choosing outdoor gear, including hiking boots and tents, weight is a super-important aspect. You’ll want to get the lightest shorts without giving up on pocket space and quality materials.
3. POCKETS
Pockets are an extremely useful feature of all hiking clothing, from pants to jackets. It’s great to have the things you’ll need most within easy reach. Try and choose hiking shorts with sufficient storage space. This will decrease the need to search your backpack every time you need basic things like a GPS, wallet or camera.
4. SUN PROTECTION
You’re most likely to wear your hiking shorts when it’s warm and sunny, so it’s worth considering buying a pair that offers sun protection. This is indicated by the UPF number, short for Ultraviolet Protection Factor.
Like SPF, which stands for Sun Protection Factor that is found in sunscreen, the higher the UPF number, the better it will protect your skin. This rating indicates how well the fabric offers protection against UV rays. Specifically, it shows how much radiation penetrates through the fabric. For example, UPF 50 means that 1/50th or 2% of radiation reaches your skin.
While clothing protects your skin against the sun to some degree, people who are fair-skinned may want something more. Extra sun protection is achieved by using particular dyes and fiber types. Nylon and polyester, for instance, help repel sun rays while certain dyes are engineered to protect against UV rays.
This is a useful feature if you’re hiking in equatorial, high-altitude or snowy areas where the sun rays are more intense.
5. FIT
The best hiking shorts are those that fit well but aren’t too tight or too loose. You’ll definitely want mobility when hiking uphill and scrambling over rocks. On the other hand, a pair of shorts that is too baggy, with excess material flapping around, can become a nuisance on longer hikes.
Also, loose-fitting shorts might contribute to chafing, which is something you want to avoid at all costs. Shorts that are too tight and restrictive can have the same effect.
Photo by http://ift.tt/2gf8u6E
HIKING SHORTS REVIEWS
1. BEST OVERALL HIKING SHORTS
COLUMBIA SILVER RIDGE
MATERIAL: 100% nylon
POCKETS: Two side pockets, two back pockets, one thigh pocket, one zippered thigh pocket
FEATURES: Ripstop nylon fabric, Omni-Wick anti-sweat treatment, Omni-Shade UPF 50 sun protection, integrated webbing belt and elastic, zippered security pocket
PROS: Plenty of pocket space, comfortable, easy waist adjustment
CONS: Pocket seams might eventually need stitching
WRANGLER AUTHENTIC UTILITY
Check out the latest price on:
Amazon
MATERIAL: 100% cotton
POCKETS: Two side pockets, two back pockets, two thigh pockets
FEATURES: Back elastic waistband, cargo pockets, key or knife holder
PROS: Very affordable, plenty of pocket space
CONS: Baggy
2. BEST VALUE HIKING SHORTS
MOUNTAIN KHAKIS TETON TWILL
Check out the latest price on:
Amazon
MATERIAL: 100% cotton
POCKETS: Two side pockets, two back pockets, one hidden seam pocket
FEATURES: YKK zipper, 10-inch inseam, triple-stitched seams, bar-tac reinforcements, grosgrain-lined waistband
PROS: Perfect for multi-use which makes up for the higher price, durable, though and solid
CONS: Not water resistant, heavy
BIMINI BAY OUTFITTERS OUTBACK
Check out the latest price on:
Amazon
MATERIAL: 100% cotton
POCKETS: Two side pockets, two back pockets, two gusseted thigh pockets, one rear tool pocket
FEATURES: 7-inch inseam, back elastic waistband with belt loops, tool pocket, cargo and back pockets with Velcro closures
PROS: Lots of pocket space, Velcro pocket closures
CONS: Tight fit
3. BEST SHORTS FOR HIKING AND SWIMMING
COLUMBIA BARRACUDA KILLER
Check out the latest price on:
Amazon
MATERIAL: 62% cotton/38% nylon
POCKETS: Two side pockets, two back pockets, one zippered thigh pocket
FEATURES: UPF 15 sun protection, button-closed waistband with belt loops, zippered security pocket, quick-dry fabric, 10-inch inseam, mesh in front pockets
PROS: Dries quickly, lightweight, nice design
CONS: None that we could find
EXTERUS MOISTURE WICKING QUICK DRY
Check out the latest price on:
Amazon
MATERIAL: 100% nylon with teflon
POCKETS: Two side pockets, two zippered back pockets, two zippered thigh pockets
FEATURES: UPF 30 sun protection, comes with webbed belt, quick-dry fabric
PROS: Lightweight, zippered pockets, great for all kinds of outdoor activities, comfortable, durable
CONS: A bit more expensive than other hiking shorts
4. BEST HIKING SHORTS FOR WOMEN
COLUMBIA WOMEN’S SATURDAY TRAIL
MATERIAL: 96% nylon/4% elastane
POCKETS: Two side pockets, two back pockets
FEATURES: Two-way stretch fabric, Omni-Shade UPF 50 sun protection, Omni-Shield water resistant finish, 5-inch inseam, mesh pocket bags
PROS: Stretching fabric, lightweight, comfortable
CONS: Very short cut
COLUMBIA WOMEN’S SANDY RIVER
Check out the latest price on:
Amazon
MATERIAL: 100% nylon
POCKETS: Two side pockets, one thigh pocket, one zippered thigh pocket
FEATURES: Exterior adjustable waistband, zip-closed security pocket, Omni-Shade UPF 30 sun protection, 6-inch inseam, belt
PROS: Dries quickly, multifunctional pockets, durable
CONS: Things might fall out of the large side pockets
5. BEST HIKING SHORTS FOR KIDS
COLUMBIA SPORTSWEAR BOY’S SILVER RIDGE III
MATERIAL: 100% nylon
POCKETS: Two side pockets, one thigh pocket
FEATURES: Interior adjustable waistband, Omni-Shade UPF 30 sun protection, Omni-Wick moisture management, quick-dry fabric, 9-inch inseam
PROS: Affordable, dries quickly, comfortable
CONS: None that we could find
COLUMBIA SPORTSWEAR BOY’S HALF MOON
MATERIAL: 100% cotton
POCKETS: Two side pockets, two back pockets, two thigh pockets
FEATURES: UPF 15 sun protection, elastic at waist, pockets with hook and loop closure, quick-draining mesh bellows, 6-inch inseam
PROS: Quick-drying fabric, stylish, durable
CONS: None that we could find
Now We’d Love To Hear From You! What Do You Think Are The Best Hiking Shorts?
Disclosure: The Adventure Junkies is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost for you. We also use other programs like REI, LeisurePro and others to keep our site independent. You can read more about how do we review here.
The post Top 10 Best Hiking Shorts of 2016 appeared first on The Adventure Junkies.
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