Best Hiking Shorts for Women of 2026

Eight inches and a water-resistant finish make these the pair we take when the forecast is doubtful. That extra length covers more thigh than the SANTINY at its shortest, the fabric is treated to shed drizzle and wet grass, and they're the least expensive way on this list to get both.

Three zippered pockets do more than the number suggests. A large phone drops into one and stays put on a descent, which is more than we can say for the open hand pockets on most shorts in this bracket. The drawstring waist cinches down flat under a hip belt, and the cord can twist into a knot in the wash; tie the ends before they go in the machine and it stays manageable.

The nylon is thin, and that's the trade: they're cool in real heat, they dry in the time it takes to eat lunch, and we kept them off the granite slabs and saved them for dirt, grass, and airport carpets. Where they earn a place is travel. They pack to nothing, the 8-inch leg looks tidy with a shirt that isn't technical, and a sink wash at night has them ready by morning. The fit runs true to size, which makes them an easy first pair to buy online.

An elastic waist with a drawstring is the detail that makes these worth a look if you're tired of guessing at sizes. You cinch to fit instead of hoping the number on the label is honest, and the waistband stays soft under a loaded hip belt. Add a leg that runs long, down toward the knee, and you have a pair that covers the thigh without feeling like a walking short.

The pockets are the practical win: several of them, zippered, deep enough that a phone stays where you put it on a scramble. What struck us is how little the fabric weighs — closer to a packable shell than a structured short — so it packs small, comes out of a duffel without a crease, and dries fast enough that a sink wash at the end of the day is all the care it needs.

Length is the thing to think about. The long leg that keeps the inner thigh covered will land at the knee on a shorter frame, which is a coverage win and a style compromise at once. If you're petite and want something clearly above the knee, the MAGCOMSEN's 8 inches or the CRZ YOGA's 4 will suit you better; if you're tall, or you chafe, this is the one to start with.

Four inches with a notch at the side seam is a particular kind of hiking short: less coverage than anything else here, more freedom of movement than most of it. The split does real work — it opens as you lift a knee, so the hem never fights you on a high step — and the stretch fabric moves with it instead of pulling across the thigh. On a hot, steep climb we stopped thinking about the shorts entirely, which is the nicest thing we can say about a piece of kit.

The waistband is wide and sits mid-rise, and it lay flat under a hip belt through a long day rather than rolling at the top. Both hand pockets zip, and they're set far enough forward that the belt doesn't press on the pull — a small thing that makes a difference over eight hours.

What this pair doesn't do is cover much thigh. On a shadeless ridge or a faint trail through scrub, the Hugut and the MAGCOMSEN are better company, and on a cool morning you'll want something longer. For hot, technical ground where you'd rather not think about your hem, it's the best of these.

Two and a half inches is the whole story, and it's worth saying plainly: this is the shortest short here, and it isn't the pair for a sun-blasted ridge or a faint trail through scrub. What it does well is everything around the hike. The fabric has a soft, almost swimsuit-like hand, it stretches in every direction without bagging out, and it looks tidy enough that we walked from the trailhead into town without changing.

The waistband sits at a mid-rise and holds without digging in, and the pockets take a phone and keys — useful when you're carrying a small pack or nothing at all. Softness is the thing we kept coming back to; it's the pair we reached for on days when the plan was loose and the shorts might be doing four jobs: a short hike, a swim, lunch, another short hike.

Against the CRZ YOGA, the other short option here, this one is softer and less structured — closer to a running short that happens to hike well. That's the trade: all-day comfort in exchange for coverage. Buy it as a second pair for hot trips and mixed days, not as your only hiking short.

The budget end of this list has two entries, and this is the softer of them. The fabric feels closer to a cotton short than the slick nylon on the MAGCOMSEN — breathable, with a little give — and the wide waistband stayed put without rolling over. That last part is the detail we noticed first, because a waistband that curls is what usually ruins a cheap pair.

Four pockets take a phone, keys, and a snack, the leg dries fast enough after a wash, and it packs flat enough to live in a duffel without complaint. Nothing about it feels precious, which is the point: it's the pair you wear to the trailhead, to the grocery store after, and to the beach if the day goes that way.

Set against the MAGCOMSEN, the other budget pick, this one is softer and better looking while the MAGCOMSEN is longer and water-resistant — a real choice rather than a tie. Neither is built for a decade of rock, and both know it. As a first pair, a travel pair, or the one that lives in the car, it's an easy call.