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 3 inches. Durable, they do lack technicality as a hiking short, unfortunately. 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

A cute pair of shorts made out of a cotton and spandex blend.

Comfort and Mobility

The Stand Up was a top performer in comfort due to their soft cotton construction and ease of mobility. While the length allows for ample leg room and stride, the 3-inch inseam might be too youthful for some. We found that the high waist isn't abrasive or cumbersome, and the fit was true to size. Trekking up an incline was relatively easy when it came to high-stepping, and the back of the shorts are just long enough so we didn't expose anything. There was only a slight bunching of material while hiking uphill, and stretching or using a foam roller was also easy to do. The more we wore them, however, we found ourselves pulling the shorts down every once in a while to prevent them from riding up.

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

Venting and Breathability

Venting was the biggest drawback for these shorts. Made out of cotton, the retention of heat and sweat was notable due to the thicker material. Though they've been designed without moisture wicking advantages, they still aired out well enough for our standards. Due do their high waist, the most heat retention took place around the lower abdomen, particularly when wearing a pack with a hip belt. Compared to the Patagonia Baggies, 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. From day hiking to the casual outing, they are a unique alternative to traditional athletic wear.

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

Water Resistance

This metric is important when it comes to more technical and intermediate hiking adventures, as having excellent water resistance would benefit us for those unpredictable summer thunderstorms. These shorts are not water resistant, however, and being mostly cotton, they absorb water rather easily. Similar to the OR Wadi Rum, the water beaded initially during our test but then began to soak in.

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

Features

With four deep pockets, we enjoyed the practicality of these shorts, though the front pocket openings are slanted in a direction that made 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," which were a tad abrasive against our hands. We appreciated 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 make them a fairly average scorer for this category.

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

Best Applications

The Stand Up is best suited for warm, summer temperatures and casual day hikes. Non-technical, their cotton design weighs in 8.3 ounces for the size we tested. Easily dressed up, these shorts are a great, albeit youthful, balance between the urban and outdoor world.

Value

Made in Sri Lanka, they retail for $60 and 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 better deals out there.

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

Conclusion

Overall these shorts have their unique design but perform rather average when compared to the others we tested. Comfort and mobility were their best feature. Still, they are a fun, modern-inspired option with all the basics of a hiking short.