Whether you prefer pants, shorts, or skorts, picking the right bottoms for a 2,000-mile hike is a tough choice. Here’s how five thru-hikers handled it.
Yi Ting on the trail (Photo: Yi Ting)
Published July 31, 2026 06:05AM
Like every piece of gear on a thru-hike, choosing your bottoms is a commitment. They need to protect you from sun, wind, and cold, but be airy enough for sweltering days on-trail. Every thru-hiker has their own style. I, for example, am a lifelong convertible pants fan. For almost a decade I hiked exclusively in REI Sahara Convertible pants (until they became completely threadbare and tore in multiple places on the PCT.)
We surveyed five thru-hikers to find out what they’re wearing on long trails and why.
Grace
Grace, a JMT ’24 finisher and currently on the Colorado Trail, loves her Savanna Trail Pants by REI. They are UPF 50, and come in petite and short sizes, which was a big plus for Grace. (The newest version is called the Trailmade Pant.)
“I bought them not expecting much, because usually you get what you pay for,” says Grace. “I figured I’ll just upgrade to the fancy brands when they fall apart. To my pleasant surprise they’ve actually survived hundreds of trail miles over the past few years including the JMT.”
“I love them for their simplicity and they’re more durable than I expected. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve slipped and scraped my butt on rocks and gravel and not gotten a hole on my bottom. There was even one time I tripped and fell really hard on my knee. My skin suffered some scrapes and burns and a little blood, but my pants? Not a scratch.”
Strodo
Strodo, BMT ‘19, STT ‘21, AT ‘23, PCT ‘25, swears by hiking in running shorts: “Hiking in shorts is always a must for me. I hike in Chicken Legs shorts and they hold up and give you plenty of room for movement.”
The small, whimsical running brand makes shorts with tiny inseams, fun designs, pockets to stash essentials, and a nylon-spandex inner lining.
“Shorts are better for me because I chafe more, feel restricted in pants, and run hot, says Strodo. “So the less the better for me. Plus, I like seeing hikers in shorts to see them hiker legs on people! Especially calves!”
Yi Ting
Yi Ting, CDT ’23 and PCT ’25, is a thru hiker based in Taiwan and has hiked multiple long trails in the Hong Kong-brand Typhoon No. 8’s Sherpa running shorts. Designed for running, the shorts have four hyper-stretch (nylon and lycra) mesh pockets in the waist belt, which comes in handy for thru hiking.
Says Yi Ting: “These shorts are so light. As someone who carries an ultralight pack without a ton of hip belt pockets, the pockets on this waist belt come in handy. I put my phone in the front pocket, which is super convenient when I need to look at my map. The other pockets are also convenient: if it’s about to rain, I can keep my rain poncho there. Plus, there are loops on the hip belt (designed for pinning racing bibs) where I can hang things like my bathroom kit, including things such as a Kula cloth.”
Like Strodo, Yi Ting prefers to hike in shorts: “It’s breezier, you can hike quicker, and the heat disperses off of my body quickly,” she says. “I don’t mind getting a cut or two on my legs, because even if I do, those scars are a mark of what I have experienced and memories I have made.”
Sam
Sam, JMT ’24 and currently on the Colorado Trail, hikes exclusively in budget, big box store long pants. Sam is a proponent for getting creative without spending much money: his warm weather pants of choice are drawstring scrub pants from Walmart. They’re lightweight, practical and come in at $16.
“The stretchy lightweight fabric doesn’t feel too hot or itchy for me,” he says. “They’re durable and easy to clean. They dry quickly and are wrinkle-free. Wearing long pants saves me from having to slather sunscreen on my legs. And if you find a bell-bottom version of these pants, you can add a hook at the front and velcro at the back to make a built-in gaiter.”
Cinderella
Cinderella, AT ’21 and PCT ’25, is a proponent of the skort. While hiking skirts are popular for their breathability, the skort is the best of both worlds.
“I’ve found I prefer a skort or shorts most of the time,” she says. “I do sometimes feel like I’m missing out on the bug/ sun protection from a long pant but I feel so trapped if my legs aren’t free. I’ve tried a few brands but have found the Smartwool Skort to be my favorite so far. It’s cute and functional. The built-in shorts are merino-based so they dry super fast and aren’t constricting. I haven’t had any issues with them riding up or chafing. The outside skirt material is also light and flowy.”
