These are the shorts I wear when one pair needs to do it all.
(Photo: Beth Smith)
Published August 19, 2026 10:09AM
I’m a runner, so most of my shorts are running shorts. I love that they are lightweight and comfortable, and have built-in liners so I can just pull them on and go. But I do a lot of other activities besides running, like paddleboarding, hiking, camping, swimming, hanging out at the beach or pool, yoga, Pilates, weight lifting, gardening, walking my dog, and coaching high school volleyball—to name a few. So I’ve been on the hunt for more versatile shorts that can do all of these, and more. I found them.
Do-anything shorts don’t have the revealing, high-cut, split side seams of running shorts. They’re also liner-less, which allows me to pull them on over a bathing suit or underwear (and makes them easier to wear on multi-day trips). To stand up to everything from jumping in a lake to doing step-ups on a picnic table to diving for a volleyball, the fabrics are durable and multipurpose, and the casual styling offers mobility while providing coverage.
Here are three of my favorite comfortable and versatile shorts that have served me well this summer—and that I plan to keep wearing until the snow starts falling.
Patagonia Hydropeak Surf Shorts
These shorts look like running shorts, but they’re unlined, made of a stretchy recycled polyester/spandex blend with a DWR finish, and dry ridiculously fast. They’ve kept me comfortable on whitewater rafting trips when I’ve been soaking wet for hours, then transitioned seamlessly to rugged hikes. The combination of four-way stretch, overlapping side seams, and a 3.5-inch inseam allowed for easy scrambling up steep rocky trails and full freedom when I spontaneously tried a rock climbing move on a boulder during a hike.
The small zippered back pocket securely holds essentials (but keeps me from wearing these for doing belly-up core work—ouch). The flat, wide waistband is seriously comfortable and secure without binding. These are designed as surf shorts, and they excel on a board or beach, but I love them for everything else, too.
Montane Jetstream 4” Trail Running Shorts
These super lightweight and quick-drying nylon/elastane blend shorts have proved soft, flexible, and breathable enough for sweaty mountain hikes and runs, and durable enough for sliding down rocky slabs on my butt or sitting on rickety, splintered, wood picnic table benches. They’ve been just as functional worn over a bathing suit on lake outings—not holding moisture for long, or sticking to wet skin. The 4-inch inseam and relaxed fit keep them modest enough for around-town wear and doing sports with teenagers, while their two-way stretch and slight notch at the side seam allow full mobility.
Reflective dots on the backside are subtle but add safety for road running and walking, and a small internal pocket holds a key when I’m not wearing a pack. The stretchy waistband with a built-in adjustment cord makes these shorts easy to pull on, and they stay put for a variety of activities. They also pack down super small, making them great for travel.
Vuori Retrograde Short 3”
I reach for these when I want a pair of shorts that can pass for casualwear while walking my dog or running to the market but are equally appropriate and functional for backyard workouts, hiking, or playing ball sports. They’re retro-stylish, with a semi-baggy fit, scalloped hem, and side pocketing—like old-school track pants. While the exterior, nylon-like shell material (recycled polyamide/polyamide) is not the most breathable, the shorts wick sweat thanks to a polyester mesh-lined interior (not a liner, just a lining). The lining holds moisture longer than the shell, but it works as a personal cooling system on a hot day of paddleboarding.
The Vuori Retrograde shorts provide enough mobility for moves like step-ups and box jumps, as well as for hikes on all kinds of trails. And the lightweight, lined material and baggy cut keep these shorts from sticking to me while allowing air to circulate within.
