Gear Review: Skirt Sports Adventure Girl

[trail skirt]

This little black skirt is so comfortable and flattering, one tester wore it around town almost as much as she wore it on the trail. And even if style isn’t a high priority for your trail clothes, you may still find yourself reaching for this shorts-alternative every time the weather is warm. “The pocket system was a revelation,” says one tester, who stuffed a cell phone, lip balm, small camera, and snack in the skirt’s five clever compartments—including one on each thigh and a zippered one in back—for dayhikes in the foothills around Boulder. “I could carry more in this skirt, and more comfortably, than I ever have with a pair of hiking pants.” Other testers praised the built-in, 5-inch-long wicking undershorts, whose “skintight but stretchy fabric allowed for a wide range of motion, while preventing chafing in the inner thigh area.” Tough nylon/polyester/spandex outer fabric didn’t cling and withstood brushes against rocks and trees without snagging. At 14.5 inches long (16 in the back), the skirt is just right: It’s not cheerleader-short, but not so long that it restricts movement while scrambling or jogging. The elastic drawstring waistband helps it stay securely in place, with a small toggle that didn’t bother testers under their packs. Bummer: The built-in undershorts mean no layering over tights or changing undergarments, so the Adventure Girl is best for warm-weather dayhikes. $70; 8.2 oz. (L); XS-XL; skirtsports.com