As the hot season arrived, I thought I’d try some of the extremely lightweight hiking apparel available now. I’ve had a Patagonia sweater for 30 years that works and fits as good as new, so I thought I’d look at their offerings. Patagonia marked down a lot of their summer stuff for end-of-season, so I purchased their Trail Maker Shorts and Capilene 1 SW Stretch T-Shirt. It’s fair to say I loved them both the first time I put them on, and using them has done nothing to change my mind.
The Trail Maker Shorts [pictured above] are made of very lightweight microfiber polyester that is recycled from used soda bottles, unusable second quality fabrics and worn out garments, and 9% spandex. The inner liner is moisture-wicking and formfitting, using a soft and stretchy tricot fabric that is very comfortable and supportive. It is then coated with Patagonia’s proprietary Deluge® DWR, a water repellent finish. Add all that together and you have a remarkably comfortable and airy pair of shorts.
I’m a little guy. I am 5’9″ and weigh about 138 pounds, with a 30″ waist. So I wear size small clothing. It’s getting harder and harder to find size small these days. It seems like the scale keeps getting larger and larger too. What is a medium now is what used to be XL 20 years ago, or so it seems to me. Patagonia offers size small, and even x-small in some items. The liner layer fit nicely snug like I like, a fit I have trouble finding in other lined shorts. The first time I wore them was during my daily exercise walk and core workout. Unlike with cotton underwear, the liner kept me dry, with no chafing or other irritating friction. There was no bunching or riding up; the shorts liner stayed snug around my thighs and butt. I have since found the same comfort when out on the trail for hours at a time.
The outer layer is so light and breathable, it’s like having next to nothing on. The length is just above my knees, an 11″ inseam. The waistband is elasticized, with a drawstring, but the sizing was perfect for me without having to adjust the string. There are plenty of pockets for hiking, but because of the lightweight nature of the material, it is easy for small items to fall out of the pockets when seated. There are two front drop-in pockets that are plenty big enough for my point-and-shoot camera. The two back pockets are also large, with one being zippered. There is an elasticized key fob in the zippered pocket to help with that all-important car key security. That’s one of my hiking nightmares — losing my keys out in the wilderness. There is also a side pocket down the right leg that is perfect for my iPhone. It has a velcro closure that holds the phone securely in place.
The small, subtle Patagonia logo on the front and back of the shorts is reflective, if you happen to be out after dark. Have to pee? Pull them down, there is no fly in these shorts. For some reason they’ve sewn a faux fly into the shorts for appearance — kinda hokey and unnecessary in my view.
Natural fibers like cotton, and the wool your mother made you wear growing up, tend to hold moisture. Through exertion, like climbing a mountain, I sweat, even when it’s cold. Likely you do too. A cotton t-shirt next to my skin would simply soak up the perspiration, and hold it in the shirt. This can cause chafing, but worse, it adds unnecessary weight to the garment, and you run the risk of overheating. For the past decade or so, apparel manufacturers have gotten much better at creating “wicking” baselayer products to keep us dry. Microfibers and polyesters have been good choices for this. Wicking occurs because of capillary action, the ability of water to flow through porous materials. If the base layer wicks moisture away from your skin, you stay cooler in summer, and warmer when it’s cold out.
The Capilene 1 SW Stretch T-Shirt has also been delightful for me. Capilene® is Patagonia’s proprietary microfiber fabric. This is their lightest weight Capilene tee, the SW stands for silk weight. Capilene baselayers feature a moisture-wicking polyester fabric that dries quickly. I found that even after a strenuous climb, or session of exercise, the shirt would totally air dry within 20 minutes, or less. Like the shorts, Capilene polyester is also recycled, recyclable and features Gladiodor® garment odor control.
The shirt does have 15 UPF sun protection rating, not a lot compared to other microfibers, but remember this is their lightest weight Capilene. The heavier Capilene also has a higher UPF level. Like the shorts, the tee was sized just right for me. It has a snug, but not overly restrictive fit. The length is good — it can be worn out, or is long enough to tuck in and show your fabulous abs. This particular shirt is a crew neck with a ribbed collar.
I’ve worn the shorts and shirt hiking a couple times now and they maintain their shape well. Despite sweating considerably, neither item holds my body odor, unlike some other microfibers I’ve tried that smell horrible from perspiration. I’ve laundered each and there was no shrinkage, or stretching, no snags in the material. They both maintained the same snug, comfortable fit they had when new. Patagonia advertises that their garments with the Deluge® DWR finish have like-new water repellency after years of extensive use. We shall see.
This is good stuff. I am very happy with my Patagonia shorts and shirt purchases, but I’m not surprised because Patagonia has built a solid reputation for quality, durable products for decades. They are a bit pricey, but don’t let the sticker shock dissuade you. If my thirty year old sweater is any indicator you definitely get your money’s worth. Do like I did and wait for their end-of-season markdowns or holiday sales.
I have not received compensation for the endorsement of this product. The product was not given to me by the manufacturer or any of their representatives. I paid for the product myself.
I am Jeff Clark, founder of Internet Brothers, publisher of Meanderthals, and a passionate hiker. I live in western NC near the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains. Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests are just out my doorstep, so the content will focus on these areas, but let me know what you would like to see on the site. 
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