Cargo shorts are nice with those large thigh pockets allowing you to stash a good load of stuff. Problem is, they’re hardly in style nowadays, making you look like a holdout straight out of the early 2000s when you spend the day gallivanting in a pair. While it won’t quite replace the utility of those large pockets, the 686 Everywhere Hybrid Shorts does offer plenty of storage while sticking to more contemporary aesthetics.
Billed as a pair of shorts “for the go-everywhere, do-everything traveler,” this erstwhile slim-looking garment actually integrates a whopping 10 pockets. Yes, none of those pockets are as wide or as deep as those cargo shorts you rocked back in the old days, but it does let you stash a good amount of gear – way more than you could find on most shorts with a similar cut. Pair it with one of those travel hoodies and you will get more pockets than you probably know what to do with.
The 686 Everywhere Hybrid Shorts gets the standard shorts pockets – two in the front (one left, one right), two in the back (one left, one right), and even a coin pocket, albeit on the left side instead of its traditional location on the right. In place of the right side coin pocket is a wider RFID pocket that can fit credit cards, bank cards, and other similar cards you want to protect from RFID skimmers, while a pair of smaller card pockets are integrated in the back pockets (one inside the left back pocket and one outside the right). There’s also a small stash pocket in the belt loop in the back for any valuables you may want to hide discreetly.
For larger items, there’s a zippered vent pocket on the left side that leads to a generously-sized mesh pouch that should accommodate stuff that won’t fit in any of the other pockets. Oh yeah, that mesh pouch can also be used to pack the entire shorts, in case you dirty up during a trip and want to pack it down into a compact bundle.
The 686 Everywhere Hybrid Shorts are made from a blend of 94 percent nylon and 6 percent spandex, so it’s durable enough for all the roughhousing you’re bound to encounter during travel while being stretchy enough to facilitate freedom of movement. For even better movement, they integrated a crotch gusset, allowing you to do splits like you’re wearing a spandex straight out of a music video from the 1980s. It also gets a DWR coating for water and stain resistance, ensuring you can keep it clean and dry, no matter what you encounter throughout the day.
While it has belt loops, it also integrates a draw cord at the waist, so you can loosen or tighten the shorts even without a belt on, complete with a two-way design that lets you wear the cord inside or outside, according to your liking. Other features include reinforced pocket openings, a reinforced buttonhole, durable Duracore thread for seam stitching, and two inseam options (9 inches or 8 inches).
The 686 Everywhere Hybrid Shorts are available in six colors, priced at $79.95.