Our goal is to make choosing a pair of the top women's hiking shorts easy. No matter where you live, we want you to feel ready for whatever hiking adventure you're planning. This category of apparel is typically designed with function as the top priority. Style does not necessarily take center stage, yet over the years, we have noticed brands taking the initiative to combine both function and style. The basic idea is for these kinds of shorts to perform with the body and not against it. Whether the temperatures are hot or cold, or whether the trail is flat or steep, the materials used should breathe well, feel comfortable, and be durable enough to withstand use in the outdoors. Style and fit preferences will differ from person to person, so we're thankful to provide various designs for you to consider. Your personal agenda will also dictate the necessity of features and advanced material technologies, such as water resistance, odor control, and sun protection. But these added perks are nice no matter what, so make sure to keep comfort, mobility, and versatility at the top of your list when thinking about which pair to buy. Since it can be challenging to differentiate between different types of shorts, like running or fashion apparel, we help break this category down by discussing distinct differences.
Hiking Shorts vs. Running and Fashion Shorts
While it's easy enough to find designs out there that encompass all three types, what are the fundamentals that distinguish them? As modern trends ebb and flow, there are many instances where the lines become heavily blurred. Nonetheless, some aspects of each type can be easily identified. To help define a pair made for hiking, the first distinction to consider is the design intention behind the product and the language used to describe it.
Manufacturers usually have extensive descriptions and suggested uses. For the context of being outside, brands will express keywords such as “for varied conditions,” "outdoor adventure," or “technical trekking.” The materials used will often be described as “durable”, "breathable", or “quick drying.” This will extend into a list of features and qualitative measurements deemed pertinent for outdoor travel, such as sun protection (with a UPF rating), overall weight (ideally less than 10 ounces), or whether or not a fabric is “moisture-wicking” or “flexible.”
Why these keywords? As you can imagine, hiking requires repetitive movement through varying environments and conditions, and thus, manufacturers are going to sell you a pair of shorts they feel are adequate or exceptional in performing these requirements. To accomplish the demand for high-tech or high-performance apparel, they often use synthetic materials, such as nylon, polyester, and sometimes cotton-based materials with added spandex or elastane. While fashion shorts may also use such materials, there's a survival aspect that influences synthetic use over cotton in hiking apparel (as synthetic materials will dry faster, which means they have a higher likelihood of mitigating potentially hypothermic situations).
The main difference between synthetic fibers and natural fibers, like that of cotton, is that synthetics are not derived from plants or animals and are often cheaper and more stain-resistant. However, as the sustainability movement progresses, brands are all the more encouraged to participate in mitigating waste and utilizing eco-friendly processes and materials. One example of this is Patagonia's use of a DWR (Durable Water Repellant) treatment that is free from “forever chemicals,” which are shown to be harmful to both us and the environment.
Since you're moving a lot, potentially increasing your heart rate and likely sweating, the apparel tends to be thinner, stretchy, and hopefully constructed in a way to promote airflow. Common benefits of nylon and polyester are natural mold resistance, baseline durability, and greater ease of cleaning. In conjunction with these performance-minded facets, athletic apparel should also have pockets, whether for your hands or for small accessories like a car key. Being able to carry a phone is a pretty standard expectation these days. We are stoked that brands are finally giving women's apparel deep pockets!
The final elements we'd like to point out are a combination of inseam length and athletic styling. Hiking shorts will traditionally be much longer than fashion and running shorts (although there arguably are many long fashion shorts), with the prime inseam zone being somewhere between 5 and 10 inches. If we lean into stereotypes, the shorter the inseam, the more “youthful” the vibe, and the longer the inseam, the more mature and practical-based, but these are not rules! We love it when brands and their audiences challenge these tropes. Many brands are offering more elegant shorts with long inseams and also very simple, non-assuming shorts with shorter inseams. Options abound; as long as comfort, mobility, and breathability are there, you'll be set!
Running Shorts
The act of running requires a lot of flexibility and space for the legs. Because of this, running shorts are far more minimally designed and fundamentally ultralight. Many styles involve the dolphin, or split-short, design, which is the most breezy and usually the shortest type. The split refers to a tapered and triangularly shaped cut (an exaggerated scallop) between the front and rear sections of the shorts, allowing for the utmost venting at the sides of the legs. In the most extreme cases, the height of this split can meet the waistband. Another design for running shorts, which is becoming all the more popular, is the body-con spandex type that borderlines full-coverage underwear (or how about those bikini bottoms women wear in the Olympics). This is potentially the most aerodynamic and is often a standard among professional racers, but there is also a movement to allow the pros to just wear whatever they want to race in. Lastly, the more in-between and casual types of designs have no scallop or dolphin cut at all but are simply loose and airy around the thigh.
Having an inseam of 5 inches or less is what we would consider standard for running shorts. With similar use of synthetic materials as those for hiking, the differences reside in the general lack of need for certain features. Water resistance can diminish the breathability of the fabric, so it's seen as much. Having too many pockets may diminish mobility or breathability as well. There are strategic ways to incorporate a pocket, even one big enough for a phone, like a rear pocket with a zipper on the back of the waistband that holds the phone snugly to avoid bounce. As you can tell, the priority for running shorts is material that is not cumbersome (i.e., maintaining speed and mobility) and is highly breathable. Depending on how much you run, a low-mileage jaunt, even when it's raining out, won't be an issue for shorts that absorb water readily. The ultralight and synthetic nature will dry very quickly. More often than not, the only added feature is a very tiny stash pocket stitched into either the side of the hip or the inside of the waistband above a thigh. Lastly, internal drawstrings to cinch an elastic waistband are also standard, as there are no buttons, snaps, or zippers.
Fashion Shorts
With nothing but casual to semi-formal outings in mind and no expectations to perform or sweat, fashion shorts are exactly that: fashion. The vast array of materials and designs is incomprehensible, but the main and most important aspect is the aesthetic. Stitching can be thoughtful and creative. Materials are usually heavier and not meant to be very breathable, while pockets tend to be smaller and not always functional (though, perhaps this is changing, too). The use of zippers and button closures can be characteristic of jean-inspired looks. While hiking shorts also utilize a variety of similar types of waist closures, having a streamlined and lightweight nature is not always a priority for fashion.
The benefit of being trendy is, of course, relevant to your own inspiration, and nothing is stopping you from being a fashionista in the woods. From casual and functional styles to avant-garde, style in shorts is primarily dictated by the fabric, including the colors and patterns used, plus unique features in the cut or among any accessory components. Perhaps they utilize lace or are a trendy kind of treated denim. The look typically outweighs the need for long-term comfort and practicality. Fast fashion can be misleading in the durability department, which is why having apparel that won't shred apart from sitting on a rock is important for hiking.
Key Hiking Essentials
When we brainstormed what facets to test for, we knew that all of them would be performance-based. Long-term comfort, stretch, airiness, versatility, and construction quality are the recommended fundamentals of a great pair of hiking shorts. Keeping these in mind will help you determine the technicality and bottom-line value of each pair you consider.
Over the years, we've tested a range of inseam lengths from super short to knee-length coverage. We feel the prime comfort zone for length to be between 5 and 10 inches. If the material is thin and flexible, inseam length doesn't particularly matter. If the material is on the thicker side, or if the cut of the design is slim (as opposed to a relaxed fit), then this is when inseam length can become a detriment to comfort and mobility.
Comfort and Mobility
Comfort and mobility are where the deal-breaking truly resides for us. When trying on a pair of shorts, if there are concerns for comfort right away, do not ignore them. Imagine an all-day adventure or the most challenging hike you can see yourself doing. Will the shorts keep you happy and chafe-free? The waistband should not dig into you, feel bulky, or feel too warm. Wider waistbands are usually better at distributing pressure, but make sure they aren't too thick. Otherwise, they will trap heat and sweat. If you're going to carry a backpack with a waist belt, how would the waistband of the shorts feel beneath the backpack belt?
Bringing your knees up toward the abdomen or performing a squat should be a fluid motion. The material should not dig into the thighs, butt, or hips, but we understand this can be tricky to design for, given leg, hip, and waist ratios can differ for everyone. If you have to budge on flexibility, at least make sure you can sufficiently bring your knee toward your abdomen, ideally above a 90-degree angle, with relative ease. This will make all the difference on the trail, particularly if you're a hiker who loves steep and rocky terrain. If you're feeling spicy, try some yoga poses, crouch down, and scale a flight of stairs — in essence, move around as much as possible to gauge how the shorts move with your body.
From our experiences, we find that models with a relaxed fit, as opposed to a slim fit, are the most comfortable and accommodating to movement. Unless you're going for a legging/full spandex design (which is super stretchy and flexible), hiking shorts are usually better off on the more open and flowy end of the spectrum. But the best shorts for you will be well-fitting, comfy, and easy to move around in, no matter where you're going or what you're doing.
Fabric Performance
Arguably just as important as the metric above, this is where we begin to focus more on the technical performance of the shorts. Intended for the warmer months of the year, being breathable and well-ventilated will help mitigate excessive sweating and discomfort. Looser leg openings will vent more easily than shorts with a slim and next-to-the-skin cut. Having thinner and lightweight fabric also contributes to greater airflow. A note on breathability, however, is that the models that breathe the best might not be as comfortable if it's very windy or very cold out (for that, you might need hiking pants).
Even with short inseams, material that is denser and stiffer, such as those whose primary fabric is cotton, won't allow for optimal moisture-wicking and temperature regulation on muggy days. Ideal for when the sky is overcast (yet, who can predict that), thicker options may only offer average results. While added length implies more insulation in general, the knee-length styles are hopefully open enough at the hemline to allow ample air circulation. We've seen an increase in mesh-lined pockets, which helps with airflow and quick drying capabilities. Keep an eye out for added ventilation features like perforated holes or scalloped hems. A good trick to check for adequate breathability is to see if you can blow air through the fabric with your mouth or, vice versa, breathe air in. Another easy trick is to hold up the fabric to a light source. Fabric that generously allows air to pass through will typically have a more open weave, allowing light to pass through as well. If a pair has a DWR treatment and is highly water resistant, then breathability will likely be diminished, but not entirely.
Sun protection and other fabric technology features are nearly a given in the hiking apparel arena now, but you never know. If the manufacturer mentions a UPF rating of 30 or above, this is great to have. This means that UV radiation created by the sun is diminished by the fabric down to a small percentage, protecting the skin beneath the clothing that we may not think to put sunscreen over. Nearly all of the shorts we recently tested have a notable UPF rating. For any that do not, we have labeled them in our comparison chart so that you have a better understanding of which pairs offer only minimal protection. Other fabric tech you may see highlighted by brands are odor control, water resistance, use of recycled materials (always a plus in our minds), and certifications like Fair Trade or Bluesign. These certifications concern the manufacturing processes used to create the shorts, guaranteeing the process meets high environmental, economic, safety, and social standards (i.e., no sweatshops).
The last thing to consider for fabric performance is the “quick drying” nature of each short. Manufacturers love to use this keyword, but what does it actually imply? We performed a test to determine how well each pair dried after being soaked. Specifics of our testing can be read in our How we Tested article, but interpreting this data might be confusing to some. In our low-attention-span social media era, quick in hiking shorts language doesn't mean instantaneous at all. The fastest-drying competitor in our current review still took 22 minutes to air dry, and the slowest took basically an hour. In the context of being outdoors, this can mean a variety of things. If it's scorching hot out and you find a creek, soaking your apparel to cool down is a welcome reprieve. The faster the shorts dry, however, the more you have to constantly soak yourself to keep cool. Runners who participate in the very gnarly Badwater 135 race actually tend to lean on cottonbecauset cotton holds onto water far longer than synthetic materials do. But let's face it, that's a very specialized scenario.
Typically, we enjoy shorts that are quick drying because if we, for some reason, get caught in a passing thunderstorm and then get lost, and nighttime descends upon us, we need our clothes to dry quickly to keep our core temperature from dropping. Beyond the survival scenario, having apparel that dries readily is nice when you return to your car after splashing yourself on a hot day, and you don't have to worry about remaining wet for the drive home. In the end, there are many more perks to having a lightweight, breathable, and quick-drying material than otherwise.
Versatility and Style
Here, we try to wrap our heads around style and multi-sport uses. This metric is by far the most subjective and conditional. While this metric doesn't bear quite as much weight as the previous ones do in our review, it's still an important consideration. For the most practical needs, being able to hike across varied terrain during the summer is the most important thing in our review, but if you're in a fashion-oriented mindset or want athleticwear that can easily transfer between various activities and events, it's best to make a list of the types of outings you will want to extend the use for. Maybe you'd like to show up to lunch in the same outfit you hiked in, or perhaps you want a more technical advantage, like being able to hop on a bike to commute to and from the trailhead. Versatility is often a byproduct of comfort and mobility in our minds, but inseam length does come into play, especially for shoulder seasons or in environments that are colder and wetter.
This metric celebrates the cross-activity potential, multi-seasonal appeal, and modern styling. The more singularly athletic designs may not be as desirable to wear around town but are typically more useful across a broader range of sports. On the flip side, some shorts have, at first glance, a more casual fashion look to them due to the color, pattern, or specific cut. Thinking about everything you may ever possibly do in a pair of shorts is a little much, though, and we get that. So, if the look of the design is a top priority, there are thankfully many options that we feel are both super cute and useful for hiking. In summary, make that list of versatile qualities or style perks you cannot live without, and go from there.
Construction Quality
This topic is a little bit like getting into the weeds, but we find any and all information about a product to be helpful in our decision-making. In our review, this metric bears the least weight in the overall scoring. Still, the physical quality of how each pair is constructed may make you think twice. In the broad market that is hiking apparel, many models truly won't stand up to the wear and tear of bushwhacking, scrambling, or the high-use demands of thru-hiking. This warrants another look at what types of adventures you're planning to do and whether you think durability will make or break your experience.
Reading online reviews, particularly on the manufacturer's website, is very helpful in determining long-term quality and is likely the best way to do so. But new-to-the-market pairs won't likely have any reviews yet, so we did perform a paperclip snag test to better grasp the general durability, but such a test isn't as broad or as general as day-to-day wear would be. In addition, we measured how many stitching loops per inch there are, sampling various parts of each short. For reference, and for you to perhaps perform on your own as you go shopping in person, we consider 16 stitches per inch to be of exceptional quality. Around 12 is great and at leastten0 is good. We feel that a density below 10 is a cause for questioning, especially along critical seams directly tied to the long-term function and use of the product. Lastly, check for sewing reinforcement in high-stress areas like pockets, zippers, belt loops, or anywhere that is subject to being pulled or stretched extensively.
Other nuanced facets to pay attention to when it comes to quality are zippers, buttons, sewn loops (belt or accessory), and pockets. Are such features secure or sewn well? Are the zippers smooth and easy to operate, or do they catch on the fabric? Are any pull tabs or buttons too bulky and cumbersome to use? As mentioned in the comfort metric, make sure to test how each pocket feels for your hands with a phone or other items that you are highly likely to carry with you. Sometimes, designs can be deceiving, and a lack of fabric stretch can make pockets rather inaccessible. For us, having unusable pockets detracts from the overall perceived quality of each short.
Conclusion
When it comes to the competitors we've looked at, we'd like to stress that there's already a high standard of reliability, given that we take the top picks out of a list of over 70 (often already highly rated) shorts. So you can rest assured that in our review, no matter what you choose, there is an established level of performance and quality inherent that is either “rather average” or above average. Nonetheless, certain qualms may still pop up, so reading our full Women's Hiking Shorts Review or any individual reviews we've crafted will help explain all the pros and cons. With the four essentials we've listed above as a guide, deciding which shorts are the most useful for your needs should no longer be a daunting task. In summary, we prefer the most comfortable shorts we can get our hands on, with an appropriate balance of versatile features. This combination ensures a fun-filled day of activity. And so, happy shopping!
