Patagonia Strider Pro Running Shorts (5″) Review

The Patagonia Strider Pro Shorts are a lightweight pair of polyester shorts with a built-in liner, 5 in / 12.7 cm inseam, four stretchy side pockets, and one back zippered pocket.

It took me a long time to finally convert to a pair of shorts with a liner, but now that I’ve made the switch, I don’t know that I’ll ever go back to the shorts and underwear combo – the Strider Pro has convinced me otherwise.

Testing Conditions

I used the Strider Pro Shorts for thousands of miles worth of hiking – from my Japan Alps Traverse to hiking 1,000 mi / 1,600 km in them on the Pacific Crest Trail. So long as I’m not somewhere with temperatures far below freezing or with the most horrible of insects, these are (probably) the shorts I’m wearing.

Notes on the Strider Pro Shorts

• I am 5’10” / 178 cm tall and weigh 185 lbs / 84 kg. I have the Strider Pro Shorts in a medium.
• I’ve owned three different pairs of these shorts. I replaced one pair after tearing a hole in them falling and sliding down a rocky hillside and purchased an additional pair because I liked the new Mango color.
• This review is for the 5″ version of the shorts. They are also available in a 7″ version.
• I have used these shorts primarily for hiking, but have also used them for running and cycling.

The Good

The Pockets: The pockets on the Strider Pro Shorts are truly incredible. They’re probably what has made these my favorite shorts for so long. Not only are there five of them, but they’re huge – especially when you consider the fact that these are relatively short shorts with a 5 in / 12.7 cm inseam. They’re large enough for an oversized cell phone, a pair of wind pants, a wind jacket, or like four granola bars (each). The front side pockets are slightly larger than the rear side pockets and the zippered pocket in the back is the largest of them all (and it has a loop sewn inside where you could attach a clip/carabiner for keys).

The Comfort: The Patagonia Strider Pro Shorts are comfortable. I was worried that liners would not be comfortable which is why I resisted them for so long, but these shorts proved to me that liners were in fact a viable option.

The Drying: The Strider Pro Shorts dry quickly. I’ve waded through plenty of bodies of water with these shorts and hiked through plenty of rainstorms in them and have never gone to sleep in wet shorts (unless the aforementioned rain continued into the night). If they’re wet when I fall asleep (I sleep in them), they’re generally dry by the time I wake up (unless I have an accident).

The Okay

The Drawstring: The waistline of the Patagonia Strider Pro Shorts has a drawstring but I feel like it’s kind of useless – or maybe I should just be wearing a large? I don’t have much excess to tie in a knot and don’t really feel one is necessary, but maybe if I had a lot of stuff in all the many pockets weighing the shorts down, I would be more grateful for the drawstring.

The Bad

The Zippered Pocket: The back zippered pocket on the Strider Pro is great but for one thing – the zipper’s pull tab (you know, that little piece of string you pull to open/close the zipper). The pull tab has fallen off two of the three pairs I’ve owned (the third pair is brand new). It’s easy enough to replace (my replacements have held up well), but I hoped this detail would be better-taken care of by Patagonia.

The Side Pocket Hem: The side pocket on the Strider Pros I use the most is the front-right pocket. After extended use, on every pair of these I’ve had, the top elastic bit has detached from the pocket. I can still use the pocket with this defect, but the pocket is looser and the extra elastic band (detached from the top of the pocket) gets in the way sometimes.

Who are they for?

Whether you’re a runner, hiker, or just want to show a little more leg, the Strider Pro Shorts are a great option. You have to be okay with a liner (you will be eventually if you’re not there, I promise) and you get one of the most excellent pocket selections I’ve ever seen on a pair of shorts (it’s almost like these shorts are 50% pocket). They also don’t stink (at least not that I’ve noticed after literally days of nonstop use), so if you want a one-shorts solution, these are probably it.

Most-popular Alternatives

SHORTS	PRICE	WEIGHT	MATERIAL	POCKETS	INSEAM	LINER
Salomon Sense Pro	$100	3 oz / 85 g	73% nylon, 27% elastane	4	5.5″	Yes
ON Running Lightweight Short	$80	2.84 oz / 81 g	85% nylon, 15% elastane	1	7″	Yes
The North Face Flight Better Than Naked Short	$60	8.8 oz / 250 g	90% polyester, 10% elastane	4	5″	Yes
Black Diamond Sprint Short	$79	3.88 oz / 110 g	88% nylon, 12% elastane	5	5″	Yes
La Sportiva Auster Short	$55	4.9 oz / 139 g	86% polyester, 14% elastane	3	3″	Yes

Conclusion

The Patagonia Strider Pro Shorts are one of my favorite pieces of gear. I have been curious about other shorts, but I just don’t really see a reason to switch (unless they’ve got a 3″ inseam – perhaps).

The only issue with using a pair of shorts with a liner is that I need to get completely naked from the waist down when putting on or taking off a base layer. I guess this doesn’t necessarily have to be an issue, but I can see scenarios where not having to get naked would be preferable.

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