Patagonia Baggies Don’t Work for Me, But These Hiking Shorts Do
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Lots of people love Patagonia’sBaggies, but I’ve never found them particularly flattering. So after watching Quin Gable’sReelabout her favorite alternative pairs of nylon hiking and swimming shorts, I called her up to learn more about why she likes them better — Katherine Gillespie
I’ve been anoutdoor travel and adventure influencerfor the past seven years, but I often just can’t find clothes that fit my body type. I’m tall and athletic but curvy. In stores like REI, the outdoor-clothing options for women are often limited to the same four colors and a few sizes. And basically, they’re often targeting a more narrow body shape.
Patagonia’s popular Baggies shorts are a good example. They look so cute on other people but never work for me. They’re not for girls with a little bit of ass or hips. So over the past few months, I went on a mission to find lightweight shorts that actually fit but have similarly fun colors, can be worn hiking or in the water, and are a bit retro and high-waisted. After receiving dozens of shorts from various brands, I’ve got six favorite pairs I’d recommend to anyone who finds that Baggies flatten their butt.
Patagonia’sotherhiking shorts
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These shorts are a bit like Baggies but with a longer and more customizable fit. I reach for them a lot. You can adjust them using the belt, and they have bigger pockets as well as a snap button. They still have a retro look, but they show your curves. They do a really good green and a fun pink. Hot pink is having a bit of a comeback in the outdoor community, and I love that. I wear a large in these.
Retro shorts with perfect sizing
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Notice the Reckless is a small brand out of Canada that is doing a good job at bringing back the fun retro hiking look — these are the kind of hiking shorts our parents wore. Of all the shorts I tried, these are the closest to Baggies in terms of the look and the fact that they don’t have a zipper or button closure. In fact, they’re almost identical but with a much better fit around the waist (thanks to the tie) and an overall more flattering cut that shows everything off. You can also really trust the sizing; take your true size. I’m a large.
Shorts with a cheeky inseam length
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Stio Goodwin Shorts
What’s nice about these Stio shorts is, as with Baggies, you have multiple inseam options. The three-inch ones are for surecheeky.I especially like them for swimming or a cheekier hiking outfit. But they also come in a five-inch option in case you want more coverage. These have scalloping on each side, which makes them a bit different from Baggies, but I think it looks adorable. They’ve got a full belt and a button so they stay up. And they’ve also got mesh pockets, which is great. I’m a large in these, too.
Cool-girl-approved shorts
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I actually hate Free People’s hiking pants, though they’re quite popular. They always bunch up and look more like scrubs on me. But the hiking shorts are fun and fit well with a nice cinched waist. They’ve got a good drawstring and mesh pockets you can stuff things in. Size down for a more figure-flattering fit, or size up if you want a cool-girl loose fit. They work well as swim trunks, too. I’m a medium in these.
Ideal shorts for water sports
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Nani makes a great, really fun short. These are ideal for women’s bodies that are a little bit curvy and a little bit athletic. And it’s a swimwear company, so they’re most ideal for people who are doing a lot of water sports, though you can definitely hike in them, too. I wore these every day when I went packrafting and they were perfect. They’re really waterproof.
The shorts I reach for most days
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Although they’re not an exact Baggies dupe due to the belt, I’ve been wearing those nonstop all summer. The lilac color is the best ever. They look so cute, are a bit retro, and have a zipper pocket for your phone as well as more pockets for other items. The waist is high and cinched, and they have an excellent belt. A lot of belted hiking shorts cinch only to one side, which can look odd if you’re pulling them really tight, but this belt goes all the way around the waist and cinches evenly. I wear a large, and they fit great on me. They are a bit more snug around the thighs, so size up if you’re between sizes. But the long belt does make them super-adjustable, so they should fit people in lots of different sizes.
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