Mountain Hardwear Wildlands Short : Lightweight, Airy, All-Purpose

I spent last weekend hiking around California's Channel Islands National Park in my new Mountain Hardwear Wildlands Short from Mountain Hardwear, and came home impressed. These shorts rock.

On the first day I wore a heavy camera waist bag all day, but I almost didn't notice it. The Wildlands have an incredibly low profile construction, so there's almost no way fabric can bunch up and chafe underneath a pack. The inside of the waist is lined in Mountain Hardwear's proprietary Micro-Chamois(TM) fabric, a polyester knit designed to wick away sweat, which is super soft even when it's buried under my camera bag. Good stuff. I also loved the integrated belt; it provides a perfect fit with minimal bulk. It also keeps the shorts from sagging when I'm wearing a pack, and it's one more feature that minimizes the potential to chafe.

During my weekend trip I traded packs with my wife every so often, so she'd take the waist bag and I'd take a regular backpack and a point-n-shoot camera. The miniature camera fit perfectly into the pocket on the Wildlands short, which is a rarity. I didn't have to shove it in, and every time I wanted to snap a picture I didn't have to wrestle it back out. Lots of shorts have pockets so small that I have an epic trying to get anything out.

Toward the end of our first day, we went for a quick, cold dip in the ocean. Again, the Wildlands Short performed admirably. I emerged with empty pockets because the drain holes let out all the water. I also absolutely loved the Micro-Chamois(TM) lining used in the inside of the crotch area - it's a feature I've never seen before in a pair of shorts. I was able to hike without underwear, in anticipation of a swim, and everything felt soft and fuzzy. Enough said. Kudos to Mountain Hardwear for such attention to detail.

Available in tan, gray and green, sizes S-XXL. Mountain Hardwear also makes a women's version of this short, called the Ramesa Short.

Bottom Line :  Fast drying, all-purpose outdoor short for any adventure. --N.W. (May '10)

Price : $55, click to shop at Moosejaw , click to shop at Altrec , click to shop for women's short .

Manufacturer's Site: www.mountainhardwear.com

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