Active Shorts

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 Showers Pass 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.

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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 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..

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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 Jeremy McDuffie

I own four pairs of these shorts. I'm a big fan.

These shorts fit true to size and have a nice built-in liner. It's nice and comfortable, unlike the liners of shorts from some other brands that I've worn. The shorts rest a couple of inches above the knee, and they are comfortable when moving. They work well in activities ranging from running to swimming. A drawstring helps keep the shorts tight in the water. The shorts dry pretty quickly—maybe 15 minutes in the sun or 30-45 outside of the sun. Also, the liner wicks some sweat away from the body, but it isn't a significant amount. The shorts are pretty thin, so they fit well underneath a pair of pants if you want to wear layers.

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Reviewed by Jimbo99

High quality running shorts at an affordable price. Durable and attractive, high visibility tangerine color to be seen in poor lighting conditions. Compare favorably to the bigger name brands that charge considerably more.

Bought at TJMaxx for $12.99. I was looking thru the racks for the usual brands, Nike, Adidas, Avia, New Balance, Asics and so on. These jumped out because of the high visibility Tangerine color. I run in Miami, so running on the sidewalk even is dangerous. I figured I'd give them a try and haven't been disappointed in them as they were a few dollars less than other name brands. These are every bit as good and perhaps even better than a lot of higher priced running shorts. Can't find anything on the internet for information.

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Reviewed by Ben Rivers

The Columbia Whidbey II shorts are a fantastic pair of shorts that are quite versatile. Whether you are hiking, swimming, or playing a sport, these shorts will keep you going and keep you cool!

I bought these shorts this past spring and have worn them A LOT this spring and summer! These shorts are a well-fitting and relaxed pair of shorts with an elastic waist and built-in belt. You can keep them comfortably fitting or cinch them down if the trail gets rugged or you need to dive into a swimming hole and not show the world everything you have!  They are great in the outdoors because they are so versatile. I enjoy knowing that they are going to be comfortable all day long on a hike and keep me cool and that I can keep these same shorts on if I want to go for a swim.

Read more: Columbia Whidbey II Water Short review (1)

Reviewed by Jennythenipper

I finally, finally found my running shorts! I've tried half a dozen pairs in all price ranges this season and I finally found a pair that feel comfortable, wick well and most importantly, don't ride up. I wore these for the first time on Saturday on a tough 9 mile interval course that had lots of uphill and back woods trail and I realized 2 miles into my run that I hadn't once had to pull the legs down out of my crotch, which is what I continuously have to do with my compression shorts. What remains to be see is how they hold up over time.

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