Travel shorts

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What do I need to know before buying a pair of shorts for travelling?

Travel shorts are an essential item to have in your bag when you hit the road, and we Brits love them. Given our relatively wet and cool climate, we spend much of the year wrapped-up in warm trousers, jumpers and coats. Travel shorts are not only incredibly comfortable to wear, with unbeatable freedom of movement, they also signify waving goodbye to our normal routines and habits – personifying adventure itself.

When you put on your travel shorts, you’re dressed and ready for new places and experiences: all the more important then, that you’ve chosen the best pair. So what should you be looking for? Ultimately it’s pretty simple – if your travel shorts are light, comfortable, durable and stretchable, you won’t go too far wrong. Once you’ve ticked those boxes, look at the following details to help make your final choice.

Pockets: shorts may be a relatively humble clothing item on account of their diminutive size, but pockets can give them superpowers. How many of these, their capacity, whether they’re ventilated, where they are located and whether they have zip closures or security features are all worth considering.

Weight and packability: it’s tempting to buy incredibly light travel shorts that take up no space at all in your luggage. Lightweight often means quick drying too, which can be a real bonus on your travels. This may come at the cost of other factors such as pockets and durability though, so think this through before you commit.

Material and features: the material your travel shorts are built with will have a huge bearing on their performance. Some technical fabrics offer multi-directional stretch, enabling shorts with a stylish cut to perform really well across a variety of activities – hiking, cycling, and even swimming. If you’re expecting hot weather, make sure your shorts offer good breathability and protection from UV, and you’ll also find materials with treatments that resist insects, odours and stains. Lastly, don’t forget to look for wrinkle resistance, so they look great even when they’ve been crammed in a small space.

Follow these tips and you’re sure to bag yourself a top pair of travel shorts.