With this lovely spell of sunny weather at the beginning of April I decided to treat myself to a new pair of shorts. I wanted something not too technical that I could potter about in and maybe use for some rock climbing and bouldering so the Patagonia Stand Up shorts seemed a good choice.
I’ve had a few items items of Patagonia clothing over the years. Every item has been exceedingly well made and functional. It was only when I began to be supported by Rab that I stopped using Patagonia and foolishly sold and gave away all my Patagonia kit as I had to be exclusively Rab.
I now am no longer obliged to one brand and I’ve started to use some clothing from Patagonia again. I’m very much attracted to their environmental polices and use of recycled and organic fabrics.
The first thing I noticed about these shorts is how burly they are. The material is a reassuringly tough looking organic 9.5oz cotton canvas. They are well put together as well as looking like they will last a long time and the fabric looks very reparable.
The legend is that when Yvon Chouinard had the original pair made the canvas fabric was so burly that the seamstress presented the finished shorts by standing them up on the table, hence the name. There is a nice short video here with Yvon telling the tale https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVV7MD7QJHk.
There are two front pockets with a nice soft cotton lining and three pockets on the back, two large pockets which also act as an extra layer of fabric for durability. The two large back pockets have velcro closures and are big enough to hold a large paperback book or a map. There is also a small wallet pocket also with velcro closure.
The fit is good with large leg openings for plenty of movement. The fabric feels quite stiff initially but soon softens up and the cotton starts to mould to your shape. There is definitely a period of breaking in which is quite unusual for a pair of shorts, a testament to their toughness. I’ve been wearing these most days since they arrived and to conclude I really like these shorts and they are so well made I know I’ll be wearing them for many years.
Alex
https://eu.patagonia.com/gb/en/shop/mens-shorts
Beyond the Edge Ltd is based in Sheffield: two hours by train from London and within easy travelling distance from Manchester, Leeds, Nottingham and other Northern towns and cities.
We are one of the UKs most experienced providers of climbing, walking, scrambling, mountaineering and navigation training courses.
Most of our courses are run in the nearby Peak District National Park which has some of the finest climbing, bouldering, walking and hiking in the world.
