You might have used cargo shorts for a comfy day at work or a relaxing fishing trip, but have you tested their mettle on a hiking trip? We packed a pair of Columbia Silver Ridge Cargo Shorts.
We took them on our hiking and backpacking trips, and we wore them in different conditions, from hot to humid and pleasant weather. We also used them in the light rain to see how they perform in various weather conditions. We were pleasantly surprised at how comfortable yet durable the shorts were.
Related: Best Hiking Shorts
The shorts flaunt features that make your summer hike a cakewalk. Two of their distinguishing features are Omni-Shade and Omni-Wick, keeping your skin protected from UVA and sweated-related irritation.
Stylistically, the shorts are tailored to boost your performance in outdoor activities. We enjoyed the freedom of movement. Its optimized length provided for an uphill journey. At the same time, the gussets made it steadfast against stretching and maneuvering around uneven surfaces. This review will help clear your doubts about sporting cargo shorts on hikes and trail runs, should you have any.
Performance Comparison and Testing Results
Features
As we hiked a trail that was hot and humid, the Columbia Silver Ridge Cargo shorts shone through with their lightweight and sturdy build.
While most sportswear flaunts a UPF of 30, these shorts proved to be a protective layer with a UPF of over 50. The Omni-shade worked well with the Omni-wick, regulating body temperature and keeping us significantly dry during a sweaty hike.
The shorts are made of 100% nylon, which is antimicrobial and is designed to ventilate through its spread of pores. The nylon of these shorts is water-resistant, so if you sweat a lot or are hiking around water, you are promised the quickest drying time.
Columbia Silver Ridge Cargo shorts are tailored to gear up your performance on hiking trails. They come in an optimized length to give your knee joint an ease of mobility. However, we were simply taken with the gusseted crotch, which adapted to our varying stride lengths.
To add to the comfort, the side-elastic waistband clings to your form, so the risks of slipping and sliding are eliminated. The mesh-bag pockets add to its lightweight. However, the zip closure keeps your valuables handy and protected so you can focus on your journey.
Comfort and Fit
Our focus was not only on the features but also on the comfort and fit of the Columbia Ridge Cargo shorts. A summer hike gets very tricky when your gear doesn’t adapt to the challenging temperatures, and the Cargo shorts cater to that aspect excellently.
The breathability of these shorts isn’t only indebted to nylon but also due to Omni-Wick. As we sweated and perspired, the omni-wick accelerated the evaporation of the accumulated moisture. Working with the pores of the nylon, the omni-wick pulled moisture away from our bodies and dried out quickly. Not to mention how elastic the cloth felt as it moulded to our posture.
These mid-rise cargo shorts allowed us to hike without fretting over restricted movement and circulation. The length of these shorts falls slightly above your knee, and the leg holes are wide enough for you to take longer strides.
These shorts accentuate the side-elastic waistband with the help of an adjustable belt. You can add a belt of your choice, but we have found the one that comes with the shorts to be lightweight and durable. Since it’s customized for the shorts, it doesn’t agitate the belt hoops into pulling them out of shape.
Performance and Durability
We tested these shorts on a summer hike, but you can take them for a spin on any of your outdoor excursions. Be it something as relaxing as a fishing trip or a backpacking trip, these shorts will give you optimized performance for the long haul.
The durability of the shorts is in their gusseted crotch, which absorbs the pressure of a high-intensity exertion. The diamond shape of the inseam gusset distributes the pressure evenly, eliminating the chances of tears.
The elasticity of nylon adds a wear-resistant quality to the shorts as the fabric is tightly knit and retains its shape against abrasions caused by friction.
We were surprised to find how well these shorts performed on a lightweight backpacking trip. It was a minimalist’s dream as the shorts only weighed 0.02 ounces in a backpack.
Regardless of their weight, they had all the pockets like any other cargo shorts. The mesh pocket bags sat easy against the legs and held theirs against the weight of the contents. The light weight of the shorts enhanced our performance as the fabric did not weigh us down when wet and dried out pretty quickly.
To add to their performance, these shorts take weather resistance to another level. Since nylon is heat resistant, not only does the Omni-Shade protect your skin from sunburns, but Omni-wicking helps to regulate body temperature if you get exposed to moisture. The increased evaporation keeps you cool and saves you from exerting extra energy on drying.
Versatility and Style
Unlike the rest of sportswear with little to no option for styling, Columbia Silver Ridge Cargo Shorts allow you to express yourself in various ways.
Columbia has a distinguishing palette of colours revolving around earthy tones. Since these cargo shorts come in striking colours like ‘raisin’ and ‘crouton’, you can pair them with casual wear and enjoy a decent outdoor activity.
However, you can spice up your adventures with the ‘camo’ variant while enjoying the same sturdy features.
These cargo shorts are versatile and can be worn to work sites that require agility and freedom of movement. The inseams of these shorts are designed to withstand great pressures and if your work demands extreme physical exertion, these shorts will go a long way with you.
Our favourite aspect of Columbia is its variation in sizes. Not only does it cater to different sizes, but it also has a separate line for its female consumers who can customize their shorts according to their colour and length preferences.
Venting and Breathability
Unlike most hiking gear, Columbia Silver Ridge Cargo shorts are manufactured with 100% nylon fibre. The nylon fabric promises increased breathability, and we experienced it firsthand on our hike.
While the sweltering sun beat upon us, we did not feel sweat pooling around our skins. The pores of the nylon fabric allow two-way ventilation, forcing the water molecules out and away from the fabric together. By the time we finished our journey uphill, no one complained of overheating. Sweat causes slipping and blistering.
Omni-wick made these cargo shorts that much ventilated. Since it is an inside layer, the joints where sweat pools remained significantly dry. While the nylon absorbed the water from within the fabric, the omni-wick repelled it, giving it up for accelerated ventilation.
So, if you decide to hike in these shorts, we guarantee that not once will you feel wet cloth bunching up around your skin, nor will you feel any abrasions.
The breathability of these shorts promises great antimicrobial factors since there won’t be a pool of sweat for bacterial multiplication.
Water Resistance and Dry Time
If your hiking trail sports streams or rainy weather, Columbia Silver Ridge Cargo shorts are your best bet. Nylon is known for its water resistance as it repels water molecules and absorbs moisture at a very slow rate. However, it’s the quick drying time that won us over.
These cargo shorts are designed to dry out quickly, so you don’t have to pack a change of clothes. Once they are exposed to moisture, the porous spread of nylon acts quickly by letting water molecules escape with as much as a breath of air.
Playing on this feature, Columbia put mesh pocket bags. Since there isn’t an added layer of lining to dry and the mesh doesn’t retain much water, the drying time for these cargo shorts is minimal to negligent.
Pros and Cons
These shorts have more pros than cons. They are a lightweight accessory which can replace heavy, movement-restricting gear conveniently. We have found these shorts to be more durable and versatile than many of the hiking pants, which are only hiking-specific.
These shorts will prove to be a good companion for summer hikes, where you need a breathable fabric that supports manoeuvring on uneven surfaces.
However, our only concern is safety against poisonous insects and plants as well as exposure to the sun. Even though these shorts have a UPF of 50, your legs from the knee down are still exposed to various elements of nature.
In case of a fall, your forelegs will not have the cushioning to alleviate the risk of injury and you will come in direct contact with the hard ground of your trail.
Final Verdict
Our final verdict on these shorts is that they are great hiking wear for trails that don’t require a long haul. This short is one of the best hiking shorts available in the market. You will be comfortable and have a free berth for movement. These shorts will keep you cool and dry by regulating your body temperature while you perform to your best capabilities.
However, if you have decided on Columbia Silver Ridge Cargo Shorts for a longer trail, you might want to keep your knees protected by wearing some form of a knee brace. While you are protected from UVA and UVB rays from your knees up, a thin layer of some sunscreen from your knees down would add to the protection against sunburns.