Patagonia Stand Up Short- Women's Review

The Patagonia Stand Up shorts are unique for their crescent rear pockets and overall style. Made with Fair Trade sewing practices, these cotton and spandex blended shorts have an inseam of only three inches. Durable, they do lack technicality as hiking shorts when compared to the others; still, comfort and versatility are their most notable qualities. Depending on what you're looking for, this youthful option might be all you need.

Performance Comparison

Scoring a high mark for comfort, the remaining metrics are rather average for this competitor, and in the cases of venting and versatility, below average.

The Stand Up from Patagonia is a cute pair of shorts made out of a cotton and spandex blend.

Photo: Sara Aranda

Comfort and Mobility

The Stand Up is well above average in comfort due to their soft cotton construction and ease of mobility. While the length allows for ample legroom and stride, the 3-inch inseam might be too youthful for some. The high waist isn't abrasive or cumbersome, and the fit is true to size. Trekking up an incline is relatively easy when it comes to high-stepping, and the back of the shorts is just long enough for us not to expose anything. There is only a slight bunching of material while hiking uphill. Stretching out in them or using a foam roller is also easy to do. The more we wear them, however, we find ourselves pulling the shorts down every once in a while to prevent them from riding up too far.

With a short inseam, these shorts tended to bunch up on us.

Photo: Sara Aranda

Venting and Breathability

Venting is one of the biggest drawbacks of these shorts. Non-technical, their cotton design weighs in at 8.3 ounces for the size we tested. The retention of heat and sweat is notable due to the thicker material; though they've been designed without moisture-wicking advantages, they still air out a tad. Due to their high waist, the most heat retention takes place around the lower abdomen, particularly when wearing a pack with a hip belt. Compared to the others in the review group, they are thicker, warmer, and less athletic.

Versatility

Style-wise, these shorts are cute and can be easily dressed up for a casual night out with friends. Being so short, however, they aren't ideal for anything but summer temperatures, which limits their versatility when the weather turns sour. Activity-wise, their very name seems to imply water sports; while we didn't get to use them out on the water, their comfort would provide for a day at the beach or out on a paddleboard (though getting them soaked will likely make them feel very heavy). From day-hiking to the casual outing, they are a unique alternative to traditional athletic wear, but frankly not nearly as versatile as the longer inseam options.

With no added water resistance, the cotton absorbs liquids and takes longer to dry as compared to the synthetic shorts.

Photo: Sara Aranda

Water Resistance

This metric is important when it comes to more technical and intermediate hiking adventures, as having excellent water resistance benefits us for those unpredictable summer thunderstorms. These shorts are not water-resistant, however, and being that they are mostly cotton, they absorb water easily. Similar to other cotton-based materials, the water beads initially during our test but then soaks in promptly.

The results of our water resistance test. These shorts absorbed water gradually.

Photo: Sara Aranda

Features

With four deep pockets, we enjoy the functionality of these shorts, though the front pocket openings are slanted in a direction that makes us feel like our phone, or bulkier items, might fall out. The crescent-shaped rear pockets utilize a small strip of Velcro to keep them "closed," but the velcro is abrasive against our hands. We appreciate the sturdy metal button closure and belt loops, although these features might feel cumbersome beneath a backpack. Beyond the pockets, there are no other added accessory or material perks, which gives them an average performance for this category.

A closer look at the Stand Up's crescent-shaped rear pockets with velcro closure.

Photo: Sara Aranda

Value

Made in Sri Lanka, they retail on the higher end but are backed by Patagonia's Ironclad Guarantee. For such a trendy short, this falls right in line with other brand name apparel, but for our practical needs, there are, quite frankly, better deals and blends of fashion and function out there.

Made with a sturdy metal button and zip fly closure, these shorts have a jean-like design.

Photo: Sara Aranda

Conclusion