8 Best Hiking Shorts

When it comes to hiking gear, wearing the right clothing and dressing accordingly for your hiking environment is extremely important. The weather and uncomfortable clothing can take away the enjoyment of exploring the great outdoors. In the summer, it’s necessary to swap out the winter hiking pants with shorts to stay cool and comfortable. It can be hard to find the best hiking shorts when so many companies produce hiking apparel – you’re bound to get a mixed bag of the good, bad, and exceptional products.

The purpose of this article is to ensure that you find a pair of shorts that will fit your needs and ones you feel confident wearing. Not only that, we want to ensure confidence in trustworthy brands and to know which ones aren’t worth it. We found many different brands but explored each characteristic when choosing which product met our standard and which ones fell short.

The first of three key components we demand for it to be deemed admissible is ventilation. Unlike pants which are designed to maintain heat and warmth, shorts are proposed for the opposite. Shorts allow you to relieve any excess body warmth and allow the surrounding elements to help keep you at a cool and comfortable temperature as you huff and puff up the mountain. Exercise and hiking come with the inevitable quality of human sweat that can truly sabotage you if not managed correctly.  Considering this, we place good ventilation as a necessity.

Along with hiking at the right temperature, being comfortable and unrestricted in movement are just as important. Being comfortable means having the full range of motion that a good pair of hiking shorts can give you. Being able to successfully stretch your legs or even scale that upcoming boulder depend on you being able to access the coordination your body gives you. Great hiking shorts allow you to be able to use your body’s full potential without the fabric holding you back.

The third and final component we take into consideration is weight.  Wearing heavy clothing can bring you down and contribute to both overall comfortability and reasonable body temperature. Hiking shorts should weigh a maximum of ten ounces and any more than that can negatively impact your experience. With keeping all these things in mind, here are the top 9 best hiking shorts we think are the best on the market. 

The Top 8 Best Hiking Shorts

Image	Product	Details
	ExOfficio Mens Sol Cool Camino	Customer Ratings: 5 out of 5 Brand: ExOfficio	Check On Amazon
	Arcteryx Rampart Long Shorts	Customer Ratings: 5 out of 5 Brand: Arc'teryx	Check On Amazon
	The prAna Stretch Zion	Customer Ratings: 4.9 out of 5 Brand: prAna	Check On Amazon
	Columbia's Silver Ridge Stretch Shorts	Customer Ratings: 4.6 out of 5 Brand: Columbia	Check On Amazon
	Columbia Men's Silver Ridge Cargo Shorts	Customer Ratings: 4.5 out of 5 Brand: Columbia	Check On Amazon
	PrAna Mojo Shorts	Customer Ratings: 4.2 out of 5 Brand: prAna	Check On Amazon
	Mountain Hardwear Chockstone Hike Shorts	Customer Ratings: 4 out of 5 Brand: Mountain	Check On Amazon
	Columbia Men’s Smith Creek Cargo Shorts	Customer Ratings: 4 out of 5 Brand: Columbia	Check On Amazon

1. Columbia’s Silver Ridge Stretch Shorts

These Columbia Silver Ridge Stretch Shorts make the number one spot on our best hiking shorts list because of comfortability and design. These lightweight shorts wrap around your legs in a tighter than average way without limiting range of motion and chafing while also keeping you cool.

Being 88% nylon and 12% elastane, the material is gentle around your legs while also being able to stretch and extend, not preventing you from moving how you need to. The shorts also come with two deep side pockets and one zippered security pocket for more valuable items.

While extending your normal short packability capacity, they are also waterproof and include Columbia’s Omni-Shade technology, which blocks harmful UVA and UVB sun rays while still having a strong ventilation system to keep you cool. Columbia is known for its high quality clothing and this newest addition to their hiking attire selection is nothing different. When wearing these shorts, you know that you’re getting one of the best products made for hikers.

2. Columbia Silver Ridge Cargo 

The Columbia Silver Ridge Cargo shorts are a comfortable and more rugged hiking short that is tough against its environment. The shorts are made of entirely nylon except for the crotch area which replaced the nylon with mesh panels of polyester to ensure the shorts don’t restrict mobility and still have a strong ventilation system.

Like the Columbia featherweight shorts, these also have Omni-Wick and Omni-Shade technologies integrated into the fabric to protect the wearer from harmful sun rays. One of the characteristics of these shorts that set them apart is while being durable and still lightweight, is that they have 6 pockets.

Having two more than the average hiking short, they give the user more options for packability. Something that might not seem as an extremely useful implementation, but make a huge difference when thru-hiking or hiking with limited backpacking space. On top of the extra pockets, The Columbia Silver Ridge Cargo shorts come with an additional elastic waist and come with an adjustable belt. If looking for durable shorts with some unique extra features, these are definitely the shorts for you. 

3. The prAna Stretch Zion

These shorts work as an exceptional hybrid made for equal use hiking or any other causal activity. The Brion uses the renown Stretch Zion fabric which is very durable, is water resistant, and has works as a great ventilation system. The stretchy aspect of the material really helps the user move and extend like it’s supposed to, giving you complete mobility.

It has four pockets with polyester mesh materials used for the interior with button and zipper seal. They also are a great style middle ground if you aren’t a fan of the shorter or longer hiking shorts. If you need new casual shorts and hiking shorts, buying this product helps you kill two birds with one stone. 

4. Arcteryx Rampart Long Shorts

The Arcteryx Rampart Long hiking shorts are made of tightly woven softshell material consisting of 94% nylon and 6% elastane. This combination in material makes a soft comfortable texture against your skin while also being very resistant to moisture and drying at a very fast rate.

This softshell material is also so tightly woven it makes it extremely difficult to tear or damage while also providing UV protection from the sun. Two more than most, these hiking shorts actually have six pockets with secure flaps that make them able to securely hold on to anything of value. All this while also being very lightweight, makes the Arcteryx Rampart a great option, and is definitely considered one of the most durable shorts to enter our list. 

5. PrAna Mojo Shorts

Originally designed for yoga, they were being taken by climbers who saw value in their lightweight, drying, stretchy, and comfortable aspects. What’s unique about these shorts is how they can practically be used for anything from a makeshift bathing suite, to hiking or sleeping in.

The 100% polyester material makes them extremely soft and comfortable to wear, along with coming with a fully elastic waistband that creates shorts that are always going to fit. Unlike many shorts of this nature, they have great packability with having three deep pockets. Although we have some versatile shorts throughout our article, I believe it’s safe to say these take the cake when it comes to universal use. 

6. Columbia Men’s Smith Creek Cargo Shorts

Columbia Men’s Smith Creek Cargo Shorts, made our list because even though they are specifically made for hiking, they can easily be used for running in general. These 100% polyester shorts hug your legs in a comfortable and secure way that moves when you move. Also equipped with a water proof finish, great ventilation for overall airflow, and Columbia’s signature Omni-Shade sun protection technology.

The truly special aspect of these shorts lie in the inner liner that repels sweat and helps keep you and your shorts dry even when hiking in the hottest of temperatures. We would consider these some of the best hiking shorts, but also great for running and if you want the best of both worlds, it doesn’t get closer than this. 

7. Mountain Hardwear Chockstone Hike Shark Shorts

Mountain Hardware is a top tier brand for any backpacking and hiking gear and these shorts do not fall short of their reputation. They are a soft, durable, and comfortable pair that is guaranteed to keep you going during your climb. Made 88% nylon and 12% elastane the quality material is soft against your skin and like many other products on this list is waterproof and protects you from harmful sun rays.

The Mountain Hardware shorts come equipped with four deep pockets sealed with zippers to ensure secure packaging capabilities. All this on top of weighing just above 5 oz, make these a great choice that will without a doubt leave you happy with the purchase. 

8. ExOfficio Mens Sol Cool Camino

The ExOfficio Men’s Sol Cool Camino offers distinct features that make it a must have in this article even coming in at number 9. One of the biggest aspects of the shorts is the packability. They come with two security zip pockets, internal cell phone pouch inside the right leg zip pocket. While being secure, the shorts are also waterproof, odor resistant, stain resistant and extremely light.

Along with keeping your valuables safe and not having to worry about them getting dirty quickly, they also have integrated great ventilation  technology into the fabric. Using their signature Icefil technology they are guaranteed to keep you cool and comfortable in hot climates. 

The material originates from birch bark and is interwoven into every inch of the fabric interjecting a cooling sensation whenever it comes into contact with sweat. Secure packability, element proof, and automatic cooling system makes these shorts a great investment for any hiking or backpacking adventure. 

Conclusion

All 9 pairs of shorts listed in this article are great purchases that are guaranteed to meet your hiking shorts needs, whatever they might be.  With all being of high quality, it’s up to you to decide which ones really fit into your hiking endeavors. Whether you value space and packability, or staying cool on those hot summer days, I promise you there is a pair of hiking shorts here that will work for you indefinitely. I hope this article has been informative and helped you find the best hiking shorts for you. Cheers to your next hiking adventure!