Customer Reviews L.L.Bean Vista Trekking Shorts 9"

Bought these for hiking. They fit great in the waist and hips. The leg openings were too wide for my thighs. Too much extra material made the shorts look more like a skirt. If you carry a lot of weight in your thighs then they are perfect.

These are very comfortable shorts. They dry quickly, the front pockets are deep enough so things don't fall out. The other pockets are positioned well, I purchased dusty olive. The waistband is soft and won't dig in from a heavy pack. They run big. I usually wear a 6. After one hike, these were so big that I didn't need to open the fly to take them on or off. The gap at the waist is so big a belt won't take care of it. I probably will need a 4, if not a 2. Planning to exchange them for a smaller size. I appreciate LLBean's generous return policy. Nice shorts, just order at least a size smaller.

Very good fit after exchanging for a smaller size. The sizing is a little off. I usually wear a 12 but had to exchange for a 10

Sizing is close to their jeans. However you may want to size down. The 8 jeans are snug on me so I tend to wear a 10 for comfort. The 8 here fit better. They sit higher on the waist than a lot of shorts, which I like (helps tuck things in). They are shaped for non-curvy people, like myself at 5'9" and 158lbs, slightly athletic build. I have 33" inseam legs and they are about 4" above the knee, but still stylish for a casual dinner out. Took on a trip and washed/hung to dry mid way and they dried quickly. They do stretch a bit after wearing, but shrink back after washing. They are VERY thin and wont likely hold up to activities that scrape the fabric. The gray and black are flattering. The gray is pretty much black, I almost couldn't tell the difference while wearing. The khaki are awful unless you wear a thong and have the prefect butt. The fabric is so thin that everything shows and the strange color is hard to pair with. I'm buying a few more of the black and gray, just wish there were other colors. They are incredibly light for travel and look great!

I BOUGHT THESE SHORTS TO REPLACE A SIMILAR PAIR THAT I'VE OWNED FOR AT LEAST 20 YEARS--STILL GOOD! THE ONLY PROBLEM IS I NEED A PETITE SIZE AND HAD TO GET THEM SHORTENED ABOUT AN INCH--ADDS TO OVERALL COST! I'D LIKE TO GET ANOTHER PAIR IN A DIFFERENT COLOR, BUT NEXT TIME I'LL BUY A SMALLER SIZE SINCE BEING NON-PETITE THEY ARE A LITTLE BIG AND I NEED TO WEAR A BELT WITH THEM! I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THESE SHORTS...COLOR, LIGHT WEIGHTNESS?, ALL THE POCKETS,...AND CERTAINLY RECOMMEND THEM FOR BIKING, WALKING, HANGING OUT...

These are very well made and comfortable shorts, but the length was problematic for me, hitting above the knee. If I were 30 years younger, or perhaps more self-confident, I would have kept them. As it is, I sent them back - but would recommend them to anyone who doesn't mind showing quite a bit of leg.

Shorts fit perfect to size. Exactly what I was looking for, great for hiking and for everyday wear. Problem is both pair I bought in May are pilling. Truly upset these are not going to work. I'm very easy on all my clothes, can't believe these pilled. If Bean makes these again, hopefully doing something about fabric, will no doubt buy again.

The shorts fit well and are comfortable. My wife did manage to get a small pull in them so I can't give a two thumbs up for durability. But I am confident we have many years of service left in these shorts, as with many LLBean products.

I'm 5'10 and 140. I have a problem with most pants and shorts not having a long enough rise. I love how soft and stretchy these shorts feel. I love them. I did order the 8 and the 10 but I think I need to try the 6. They do still go up in the backside on me but they were much better than the comfort trail short. That one didn't have much give and really crept in my backside. I love the graphite color of these shorts and all the pockets.

I am 63, have a stickish figure (small butt), am 5' 1" and weigh 112 pounds. I'm an outdoor enthusiast and am always looking for the "perfect" shorts. That being said, these shorts came very close. The overall fit was great and the pockets accommodate my iPhone X in addition to other small items. My only problem was the size of the leg opening (my legs are average, not thin, not big) and I found the leg openings on these shorts to be too baggy. I would recommend these shorts if you have a bit larger thighs or if you don't mind a really roomy leg opening.

I just ordered 2 more pairs of these shorts. They are comfortable and fit well. The problem is that I wear them too often and they stretch out with wear. I am wearing a size 4 and think that a 2 would be too small. I just throw them in the dryer on the steam cycle to get them back to size.

First, I have to say that I'm not quite ready to say that I'm finished with formulating my opinion on these shorts just yet. I'm pretty sure I'm just getting started, but figured I'd give a review on my experience(s) along the way. This is for the benefit of both L.L.Bean (to hopefully improve the customer's experience while shopping) and the customer who is looking into purchasing a pair of these shorts. A short bit of background for you: I'm a disabled veteran who lives with chronic pain and discomfort daily. I purchase my clothing based on comfort and its ability to allow me the most amount of flexibility to move as my body needs me to according to the pain. If the clothing happens to be fashionable, its only a bonus. I'm also a mommy who chases my children from one learning adventure to the next. My husband is still Active Duty and we are currently living in South Korea. The photos of me in these shorts are from the first (and only) day I wore them; we went to the Korean Folk Village. 1. ORDER PROCESSING/SHIPPING: I'm quite disappointed in how long it took for my order to process. I placed this order on May 8th, and it didn't even ship until May 15th. What happened here? We aren't used to processing taking any longer than maybe three days (and that's during the week before Christmas, when everybody is in last-minute mode). To be clear, we did not order anything that was on backorder. Once the order was shipped, it arrived to our APO pretty quickly. 2. ITEM DESCRIPTION: The item description on the website is spot-on. These shorts are very lightweight, and the stretch in the fabric is a very nice touch! I cannot attest to the quick-drying or moisture wicking just yet since we had a dry day when I wore them but I do hope to own a pair that I'm happy with and can re-review on those points. 3. ADDITIONAL FEATURES: The front pockets are not very deep. When I put my hand in the pocket, I still have about 1.25" of my hand still outside of the pocket. As a mom, I deeply appreciate sturdy pockets that can haul high-quantity/mass loads. You never know what dirt covered treasure my angels are bound to request I lug home for them. These pockets aren't going to get me far. The zippered front and back pockets are nice backups, however. I'm not sure what I would store in those back pockets, but I loved having the front zippered pockets for our cash won, train cards, etc. For sizing reference, my iPhone 7+ is just barely too tall to fit in those pockets. 4. SIZING: This is the most frustrating detail for me. To be fair, this frustration is not an exclusive failure with L.L.Bean, or these shorts in particular. But I do think L.L.Bean could spend a little more time putting better sizing details on their website for their customers. While I appreciate that these shorts are the "Favorite Fit" (they sit lower on the waist), I wasn't sure if that meant I still should have measured my natural waist when determining my size (as the size chart photo shows), or measured the area where the "Favorite Fit" should sit on my waist. Either way, here are some reference points for you: I am 5'10" and weigh in at 192 pounds. I'd love to tell you my typical size, but that depends on the cut of the item, the fabric's stretch/thickness/pattern, and the manufacturer's idea of what a particular size should measure in at. I can range anywhere between a 14 and an 18 at any given time. My natural waist measures in at 36", and my hips/seat measures in at 44". According to those measurements, I should order either a 16 or 18. I prefer my britches to fit loose and not cut into my belly/hips, so I even considered ordering the 20. I'm glad I didn't... the 18 came in pretty loose! I was very excited to try out my new shorts so I washed and dried them, then wore them to an all-day outing the next day. At first, I didn't realize exactly how loose these shorts were. It wasn't until after we were in the folk village for over an hour, and I decided to put my iPhone in the non-zippered pockets really quick that I figured it out. When walking with my iPhone in the pocket, my shorts were falling off. Not falling down... they were falling OFF! When we got home, I measured the waist of my size 18 shorts. The website says that a person with a 35" waist and a 45" hips/seat should order a size 18. The waist for the size 18 shorts I got was 42". But remember, these shorts have STRETCH! Stretch is a good thing, unless you're wearing shorts that have items in the pockets and are too big for you. Stretch quickly moves from the "Glorious Details Offered" column to the "Ingredients For Public Humiliation" column. L.L.Bean: Can you please hire somebody whose specific job is to go through your website and change the size chart specifications to reflect the items' relevant measurements? In the instance of these shorts (and any britches that are "Favorite Fit"), measuring the natural waistline is clearly not relevant. Also, what is up with your super slow processing time?

These are lighter in weight/feel than the Comfort Trail Short. These feel a bit "silkier" and the Comfort trail short feels more durable. I DO HAVE A SUGGESTION. Please add on the tag that these have a UPF of 40. I have several hiking shorts but do not know which ones have built in sunscreen. On hot, sunny, summer days it would be helpful to have this information on the tag to ensure that I grab the shorts with UPF in them.

The Vista Trekking shorts are great for travel - light weight, secure pockets, and they don't shrink in the dryer. But the sizing is inconsistent. A 4 fits me in sandstone and olive, but the granite size 4 was too small in the waist. I had to send it back for a 6.

These will be great in the hot weather.

These would be great for a woman with a bit smaller waist, but because I carry more weight in my mid section, these were a snug in the belly. I did like all the pockets, the length, the material, and sure wished they had worked out for me.

This is the second pair of Vista Trekking shorts I have bought. They are lightweight, very comfortable and wear very well. I like the zippered pockets for keeping my phone and ID safe when I am active. Their "quick-dry" fabric also makes them great for boating and kayaking. My only negative is that they fit slightly differently than the first pair I bought (quality control?). Other than that I would recommend.

Comfortable. Size chart was way off for me, indicating I should buy a12, when in fact the 10 was a tiny bit big. And they seem to stretch out with wear, which is my only complaint. Good, roomy pockets.

Sizing - shorts seem to stretch out of original size wearing them all day. They get larger. Maybe I need to go down a size. I normally wear size 10 and was happy when this size 10 fit. They fit when I put them on but they stretched out after wearing for an hour or so, so I was constantly adjusting them the rest of the day. Maybe need to go to smaller size? Fabric is very lightweight and stretchy providing for freedom of movement. Careful, the fabric does snag. Lots of great pockets for carrying needed items. Nice design, love the style and length.

light weight material and light to pack, size seems true. Tried them already on 8 mile, 2300 feet hike and very comfortable. Hit mid thigh. Has pockets. Worth the price.

Love the fit and the style - hides that stomach pooch. Easy to move, sweat, be active.....unfortunately, I have already "picked" the fabric after wearing 6x. Will try to take better care, but may reorder same next year.

The material is comfortable, lightweight, and no doubt would dry very quickly. I'm returning them because they are not flattering. I wish the material was a tad sturdier.

While the material & construction quality are nice, these are cut very wide in the leg openings & it results in a baggy seat area. Am going to return them for a smaller size & see if it works out.

I saw these in a store and tried them on. The fabric is featherweight, which makes them both great for hot weather and comfortable for walking and hiking. But they also look nice enough for running errands. Slim legs are just the right length and flattering. I think they run a little big--I bought a size smaller than normal. I gave them four stars because I just bought them and am not sure how the fabric will wear (although I suspect it will last a long time).

This is five stars, but program will not let me add last star. Interesting! Fortunately, shorts and clam diggers work just fine! These are comfortable in every way. Bought them in three colors.