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Hiking shorts have a split personality problem. The lightest pairs dry in minutes and disappear into a daypack, but they can feel flimsy, ride up under a hipbelt, or have pockets that dump your phone on the first scramble. The sharp-looking pairs often turn out heavy, stiff, or short on real storage. A good pair solves that tension: light on the climb, tough enough for granite, comfortable enough to forget, and cut well enough that you don’t feel like you’re in costume. Over eight months, my team and I put 14 pairs through day hikes and overnight trips to find the standouts.
Sizing was the first thing we fought about—a few pairs ran a full waist size off, and some regular fits were cut for a different body than the size chart promised. Comfort and pockets sorted the rest: a waistband that digs in ruins a long day, and a pocket without a secure closure is just a place to lose your keys. The picks below are the ones we kept reaching for, on trail and off.
Best for Women’s All-Rounder
SANTINY Women’s Hiking Cargo Shorts
Key Features
- Fit: Women’s
- Pockets: 4 zippered
- Inseam options: 5, 7, or 9 in
- Price: Midrange
Three inseams in a single listing is what puts these at the top of our list. Pick 5 inches and you get a hot-weather short that keeps air moving; pick 9 and you have coverage above the knee for brushy trails and long days in the sun. Add four zippered pockets and fabric that dries fast enough to rinse in a sink, and this is the safest recommendation we can make for women heading out for a day hike.
On the move they behave the way a lightweight hiking short should. The legs don’t ride up on the inner thigh, the fabric breathes in real heat, and the seat has survived sitting and sliding on rock without thinning out. The zippered pockets are the practical highlight: a phone, keys and a snack bar disappear into them and stay put through a scramble.
The pockets sit flat, so the shorts don’t bulge when they’re loaded — a small thing until you’ve walked a mile with a full pocket pressing into your hip under a pack belt. Length is the other decision worth thinking through: we split between the 7-inch as the do-everything option and the 9-inch for sun and brush protection, and both are cut roomy through the leg.
After repeated cold washes the fabric has kept its shape and its color, and the zips still run clean. For a short this light, that’s the difference between a one-season pair and one you keep reaching for.
Pros
- Three inseam lengths in one listing
- Four zippered pockets that hold a phone
- Dries fast and stays cool in heat
Cons
- Sizing varies between the three lengths
For most women heading out for a day hike, these are the pair we hand over: three inseams, four zippered pockets, and fabric that’s dry before you’ve finished your snack.
Best for Men’s Trail Default
XKTTAC Men’s Hiking Cargo Shorts
Two Velcro tabs on the waist do more for these shorts than the six pockets do. Pull them tight and the shorts stay where you put them on a climb, with no belt digging into your hip under a pack strap. Belt loops are there if you want them; we stopped bothering after the first trip.
Stretch is the real reason to buy. Four-way stretch sounds like marketing until you’re stepping high onto a rock and the fabric gives instead of tugging at the seat. These move with you, dry fast and stay comfortable in heat, and they’ve become the pair we treat as the men’s default in this group.
Pockets are where the design gets opinionated. The cargo pockets sit low on the thigh, which means reaching them with a pack on takes a moment’s thought; we ended up keeping phone and keys in the front zips and using the cargo pockets for things we wanted back at camp rather than on the move. The rest of the layout is clean enough that they don’t read as tactical.
Pros
- Four-way stretch frees up steep steps
- Velcro waist tabs work without a belt
- Six secure pockets
Cons
- No back pockets
- Runs small against the size chart
If you want one pair for steep, scrambly trails, these are the ones we reach for: four-way stretch, six secure pockets, and a waist you can tighten without a belt.
Best for Travel and Heat
Hugut Women’s Hiking Cargo Shorts
Key Features
- Fit: Women’s
- Fabric: Quick-dry
- Pockets: Zippered
- Price: Midrange
The fabric is the first thing you notice: light, thin and slightly slick, closer to a packable rain shell than to cotton twill. That’s the point. These fold down to almost nothing in a daypack, dry fast after a wash, and come out of a stuff sack without a wrinkle worth mentioning.
An elastic waist with a drawstring is the other half of the design, and it’s forgiving in the way travel clothes need to be — you can tighten it after a big lunch or loosen it on a long drive. The zip pockets are deep enough for a phone, the legs stay roomy without ballooning, and the longer option covers the thigh without reaching the knee.
Where these earn their place is the trip where you’re hiking in the morning and walking a town in the afternoon. They pack flat, dry overnight and look tidy enough for a restaurant, which is more than most synthetic shorts here manage. For hot-weather hiking, travel and everyday wear, they’re the most packable option in this group.
Pros
- Packs down to almost nothing
- Elastic drawstring waist is forgiving
- Deep zip pockets and a long option
Cons
- Thin fabric with little structure
The pair we pack when luggage space is tight: it folds flat, dries fast, and still looks presentable when you walk into town for dinner.
Best for Budget First Pair
Rdruko Men’s Quick Dry Shorts
The cheapest pair in this guide is also one of the easiest to recommend for a first set of hiking shorts. Nothing about it feels like a compromise on the trail: the fabric is light, it dries fast, and the zippered pockets keep a phone where you put it.
We noticed the details that matter on a hot day. The waistband sits flat without pinching, the fabric doesn’t cling when it’s wet, and the inner thigh stays comfortable over a long walk. They rinse and dry quickly enough that one pair can cover a weekend.
The design is plain — no cargo pockets, no adjustable waist tabs, and a cut that reads more gym short than trail short. That’s the trade: you give up storage and a dialed-in fit for a pair cheap enough to buy two of. If you want pockets and a waist you can adjust, the XKTTAC pair is worth the difference; if you just want to get walking, these are enough.
Pros
- Cheapest pair in this guide
- Quick-dry fabric that doesn’t cling
Cons
- Runs small against the size chart
Our budget pick for men: nothing here feels cheap on the trail, and the quick-dry fabric and zippered pockets cover the basics for a first pair.
Best for Hot-Weather Hikes
Willit Women’s 2.5-Inch Shorts
At 2.5 inches, these are the shortest shorts in this guide, and that’s the entire argument for them. On a hot, exposed climb there’s nothing to bunch, nothing to chafe and nothing flapping against your leg. The fabric is soft and stretchy in a way that feels closer to a second skin than to a hiking short, and it doesn’t ride up even on long strides.
We keep a pair for hot days and steady climbs, and we reach for something longer the moment the trail turns brushy or the sun gets serious — there’s simply less between your thighs and the world. The pockets hold a phone and keys, and the cut stays out of the way under a pack belt. If you want coverage, the 7-inch SANTINY is the move; if you run hot and hate fabric, start here.
Pros
- Light, soft fabric for hot climbs
- Doesn’t ride up on long strides
Cons
- No built-in liner
A 2.5-inch short for women who run hot: barely-there fabric, no riding up, and a cut that stays out of the way on a steep, sweaty climb.
Best for Trail to Town
Hiauspor Men’s Hiking Cargo Shorts
The first thing we did with these was fill every pocket and go looking for a hill. Six is more than most shorts here offer, the right side has a spot sized for a phone rather than pretending to be, and zips close the pockets that matter. Nothing bounced loose over a day of climbing in and out of a truck.
The fabric is softer than we expected from a cargo short — smooth, light and breathable on a hot day, and dry again not long after it gets wet. It doesn’t cling when you sweat, which is the failure mode that turns a cheap short into an uncomfortable one.
The cut is above the knee with leg openings that aren’t too wide, so they look like a casual short rather than a hiking one. That’s deliberate, and it means one pair covers the trail and a dinner afterwards. The waist has enough give to sit comfortably under a pack belt without loosening off on the climb.
For men who want cargo utility without the cargo look, this is the pair we point to. It isn’t as stretchy as the XKTTAC or as cheap as the Rdruko, but it’s the one we reach for when the day mixes trail and town.
Pros
- Six pockets with a phone-sized spot
- Soft quick-dry fabric
- Clean cut that passes in town
- Room to adjust at the waist
Cons
- Waist elastic may slacken over time
Six pockets, a soft quick-dry fabric and a clean, non-bulky cut: the pair we suggest to men who want cargo utility without the cargo look.
Best for Dry-Climate Day Hikes
Savane Men’s Cotton Cargo Shorts
Key Features
- Fabric: Cotton
- Inseam: 8 in
- Sizing: Big and tall
- Pockets: Tech pocket
- Price: Budget
These are the shorts for the hiker who wants canvas, not nylon: an 8-inch cotton cargo with proper belt loops, deep pockets and a tech pocket on the right side that holds a phone without it sliding out when you sit down. They come in big and tall sizes, which is rarer in this category than it should be.
Cotton has one clear advantage on the trail, and it’s abrasion. Brush, rock, camp chores, the tailgate — the fabric takes it without thinning, the stitching is strong, and the shape holds after washing. On a dry, sunny day hike these are as comfortable as anything here, and they look better in town than most of the synthetics.
Where they stop is water. Cotton soaks it up and holds it, so a river crossing, a rainy forecast or a cold, damp morning leaves you in a heavy, wet short that won’t dry on the move. Treat these as dry-weather shorts and they’re excellent; treat them as an all-weather pair and you’ll be miserable by lunch.
Pros
- Cotton canvas resists abrasion
- Tech pocket holds a phone securely
- Available in big and tall
Cons
- Length runs long on shorter frames
Durable cotton cargo shorts with a real tech pocket — the pick for dry-climate day hikes, camp chores and long drives, not for wet weather.
Best for Budget Women’s Pair
zsenoxaxi Women’s Hiking Cargo Shorts
A wide, high waistband that doesn’t roll over is the detail that sold us. On a long climb, a waistband folding under a pack belt is a slow torture, and this one stays flat. It sits snug without digging in, which is a balance a lot of inexpensive shorts miss.
The rest is straightforward: soft, light fabric that breathes in heat and doesn’t wrinkle much in a pack, four pockets with one zip and one velcro closure, and a nine-inch option that covers the thigh without hitting the knee. They wash and dry quickly, which makes them a reasonable one-pair travel short.
Four pockets on a short this light is the practical surprise. The zippered one takes a phone and keys, the velcro flap keeps a wallet from sliding out when you sit down, and the rest are deep enough to be useful rather than decorative.
This is the women’s pair we point to when the budget is tight and the trail is long. It doesn’t have the fabric refinement of the SANTINY or the packability of the Hugut, but it covers what matters — coverage, pockets and a waistband that behaves — and it covers it well.
Pros
- Wide waistband that doesn’t roll
- Four pockets, one zippered
- Nine-inch option covers the thigh
Cons
- Runs small compared with the listed size
The women’s pair we point to when the budget is tight: a wide, no-roll waistband, four usable pockets and a nine-inch length that covers the thigh.
How We Tested Hiking Shorts
We started by pulling together a shortlist from brands we know and reader favorites, then narrowed it by size range, inseam options, fabric weight, and price. We ruled out anything that topped out at a narrow waist range or skipped a phone-friendly pocket. That left us with 14 pairs, which we wore over eight months on day hikes, overnight backpacking trips, dusty scrambles, and a few water crossings.
Before the first hike, we measured each pair’s waist and inseam against the brand’s size chart and noted where the fit ran small, large, or simply odd. On the trail, we paid attention to how the waistband sat under a hipbelt, whether the fabric chafed on sweaty climbs, and how much mobility we had during step-ups and deep squats. We stuffed the pockets with a phone, keys, a snack, and a map, then checked whether anything bounced out or dug into a thigh.
We also weighed each pair, packed it into a stuff sack, and soaked it to see how quickly it dried. After repeated washes, we inspected seams, zippers, and fabric for pilling or abrasion. Appearance got a fair shake too: we noted which shorts looked presentable enough for a town stop and which felt like costume gear. The picks below are the pairs that scored well across all of it—not just one standout feature.
How to Choose Hiking Shorts
The short that works on a hot, exposed climb is rarely the one you want on a brushy, overgrown trail, so settle length and fabric before you look at brands.
Pick the inseam before anything else
Length decides more than any other feature. A 5-inch short keeps air moving on a hot climb, a 7-inch is the all-rounder most hikers settle on, and a 9- or 11-inch pair covers the thigh on sun-exposed or overgrown trails. If your thighs rub, longer is almost always more comfortable, because chafe starts where skin meets skin rather than where fabric ends.
One listing can cover several of those preferences: the SANTINY shorts come in 5, 7 and 9 inches, while the Savane cargo runs 8. Inseam is measured from the crotch seam, so the same 7 inches covers more leg on a shorter frame — read the length against your own height rather than assuming the number means the same thing to everyone.
Quick-dry synthetics vs cotton
Most hiking shorts are a light synthetic weave that sheds water and dries in minutes, which is why they work for sweaty climbs, river crossings and sink laundry. Cotton is the exception: the Savane cargo is 100% cotton, tougher against rock and brush but slow to dry once soaked. We treat cotton as a dry-weather choice and synthetics as the safer all-round bet.
Within synthetics, thinner fabric is cooler and packs smaller but shows more in pale colors and gives less protection from scratchy brush. If you hike in heat and rinse your shorts in a sink, thin wins. If you push through scrub and sit on rock, a slightly beefier weave lasts longer.
Pockets you can actually trust
Zippers are the difference between a pocket and a hole. One secure, phone-sized pocket matters more than a big pocket count, so check that the pocket a phone lives in is deep enough that it doesn’t ride up to the hem, and that the zip pull is big enough to work with cold or wet hands.
Cargo pockets set low on the thigh are the common trap: with a pack on, reaching them takes a moment’s thought, and that’s exactly when you don’t want to be fumbling. Velcro flaps are faster and quieter but catch on straps and wear out sooner. We keep anything we need mid-hike in a front zip and leave the cargo pockets for camp.
Waistbands, belts, and sizing
An elastic waist with a drawstring is forgiving and pack-friendly. A fixed waist with belt loops holds a heavier load of water and snacks better, but bulky hardware digs in under a pack hip belt, so flat waistbands win on long days. Whichever you choose, check how the closure feels with a pack on, not just standing in front of a mirror.
Sizing is the trap in this category. Labeled sizes are not consistent between colors or even between lengths of the same listing, so measure your waist and compare it to the size chart rather than reordering your jeans size. If a pair arrives wrong, exchange it — a bad waistband ruins an otherwise good short.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do hiking shorts need a liner?
Not always. A liner replaces underwear, wicks sweat and cuts chafe on long days, but it adds warmth and takes longer to dry. Unlined shorts are cooler and let you choose your own base layer. If you chafe, a snug synthetic base short under a loose hiking short does the same job, and it’s the setup we prefer in real heat.
How should I wash quick-dry hiking shorts?
Cold machine wash with a little detergent, then hang them up — most quick-dry fabric is ready in a couple of hours and doesn’t need a dryer. Skip fabric softener and dryer sheets, which coat the fibers and cut how well the fabric moves moisture. Zip the pockets closed so the pulls don’t snag the weave.
How many pairs do I need for a week on the trail?
Two is the workable number. Wear one, wash one in a sink at the end of the day, and quick-dry fabric is usually ready by morning. Three gives you a spare for a wet or cold day. If you aren’t planning to wash anything, pack one pair for every two days of hiking.
Final Verdict
For most women, the SANTINY shorts are the pair to buy: three inseams in one listing let you match the length to your trail, and the four zippered pockets and fast-drying fabric handle everything else. Men should start with the XKTTAC pair and its four-way stretch. If budget is the deciding factor, the Rdruko shorts cover the basics for the least money here.
Choose the length and the fabric first. The brand matters much less than either.