The Skyline Trail Shorts are the perfect balance of protection, versatility, & mobility.
Some thru-hikers have opted to use running shorts on the trail. While breathable & lightweight, many of these running shorts offer little to no utility with things like pockets and aren’t very durable. Usually they are incredibly short to offer great mobility, but leave your skin unprotected from the sun and hazards like thorns & branches.
On the flip side, no gym shorts are designed by backpackers or runners. While durable, most athletic shorts are also quite heavy & hold on to odor after just one use. They’re really not what you want to be wearing when you’ve got miles to cover.
We’ve developed a pair of shorts for extended trips in the backcountry. Introducing the Skyline Trail Shorts - perfect for the trail & ideal for all other active pursuits!
While they shine especially bright for backpacking & fastpacking, you can run, hike, swim, work out, play, or just relax with these & never feel restricted or out of place.
The Skyline Trail Shorts are ultralight, comfortable, & breathable. But despite weighing just ounces, they are impressively durable.
The 8 inch inseam of the shorts combined with a slightly lower back is enough to offer good protection from the sun and other trail hazards, while still giving you plenty of above-the-knee mobility.
With targeted placement of diamond pattern mesh, the Skyline Trail Shorts give you excellent ventilation in the crotch & hips. We’ve honed in the fit to allow airflow without being overly roomy & billowy. When you combine this level of breathability with the incredible 4-way stretch fabrics, you get shorts that dry incredibly fast!
Their quick-drying ability helps to prevent odor buildup so you can live with yourself at the end of a long day.
The Skyline Trail Shorts are built for performance, no matter where you're headed!
no liner: 4.4 oz (size Medium)
with liner: 5.4 oz (size Medium)
Features:
2 hip pockets - internal key/card pocket inside right side hip pocket
Full crotch gusset made with highly breathable jersey knit mesh
Side mesh panels for breathability
Elastic waistband with drawstring
Highly breathable jersey mesh brief lining
Angled leg opening profile - hem is slightly higher above the knee in the front, and is lower at the back of the leg
Technology:
- Main Fabric: 4 way stretch woven polyester - 96 gsm, DWR treated
- Secondary Fabric: jersey knit mesh
- Brief Liner: jersey knit mesh
- Pockets: 2
- Inseam Length: 8 inches (men's)
- Color: black/black, stellar blue/black
- Variants: no liner, brief liner
- Gender: Male
- Warranty: Outdoor Vitals Performance Promise
Cleaning: Machine wash cold
Layering Collection: Kinetic
Layering Category: Moving Set
Product Care
Your Skyline Trail Short is a high performance piece of gear. It needs some extra attention to keep it performing at the highest level.
Please read through the care instructions below to ensure that you care for it properly:
Before Washing
Never wash your Skyline Shorts in a washing machine that has an agitator.
If you cannot follow the prior instructions you should hand wash your product
The Wash & Dry Process
- Common laundry detergent is fine.
- Normal wash cycles are fine.
- Choose Cold Wash & Cold Rinse (add extra rinse if possible).
- Dry on low heat.
For more information on caring for your gear please visit https://outdoorvitals.com/pages/care-guide-faq
Skyline Shorts Features
Designing the Skyline Trail Shorts
Skyline Shorts Testing
Designed For the Trail
READY FOR EVERYTHING ELSE
No restrictions
Mobility + Utility
The perfect blend of utility & mobility with pockets, an optimized above-the-knee cut, & targeted breathability.

recommended use
Outdoor Active Performance
While the Skyline Trail Shorts were designed for fastpacking, trail running, & hiking, they also excel when used in other active pursuits such as working out, swimming, running, or playing sports.
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Recently viewed
The only reason for 4 stars and not five is the inability to store a phone while running, in my opinion only a simple zip pocket on the rear would have solved this. With very little weight penalty. The shorts are comfortable and well made but limited for use when wearing out side a daily gym shirt or casual wear. Would I recommend yes, with the understanding your limited if your a runner.
Great shorts for active pursuits
Bought a pair of these shorts and immediately put them to the test. I have not been disappointed. Used them exclusively for 3 days on the Hoh River Trail to Mt. Olympus and then again on a 4 day thru-hike bisecting the Olympic National Park following the Elwha and North Fork Quinault river trails of the Press Expedition route.
They're light, comfortable, breathable, dry quickly and move well with you. I've been up, over and under downed trees across the trial with no problem. Have been through brushy, overgrown trails with no snags. They even have some water resistance, which was nice when those overgrown trails were wet with dew.
These are now my go-to shorts for all my hiking and backpacking adventures.
They fit great, are very light and dry quickly. Headed out backpacking in the Wallowa Mountains Sunday
These are the nicest athletic shorts I have ever had. Perfect fit and stretch. Very light material and dries immediately.