How to Buy Men's Shorts?

Answer 1

Men’s shorts are a little easier to buy than men’s pants, because inseam and height don’t come into play.

The main determining factor for getting the proper size in a man’s short is to buy the appropriate waist size. Waist size is measured by keeping the tape measure somewhat loose or by putting your finger between the tape measure and your body and then measuring around the area where you normally wear your pants. This area should be the smallest part of the natural waist. For men, pants sizes are equal to their waist sizes.

Height doesn’t come into play when buying men’s shorts, but there are options in terms of length and flare.

- Board shorts used to refer to men’s swim trunks which have an elastic waistband, but now they are used to reflect a certain length of the shorts and have a rigid waistband. However, the fly on the pants is usually Velcro instead of a zipper. Board shorts are longer than regular shorts, usually hitting somewhere below the knee.

- Hiking shorts are made out of a heavier cotton material and feature cargo pockets large enough for you to carry important things you need while hiking. Hiking shorts are shorter than regular shorts, ending somewhere above the knee.

- Cargo shorts are usually made out of nylon and are good for travel, because they dry quickly, are lightweight and don’t wrinkle badly. Cargo shorts are longer than regular shorts, also hitting below the knee.

- Walking shorts are longer than regular shorts, usually going down to just above the knee, and are available in many different materials and weights.

One of the big factors men consider when buying shorts is the length of the zipper. Shorts with shorter zippers ride differently than shorts with longer zippers. The shorter the zipper, the sorter the stride, which means that the pants are going to ride higher than shorts with longer zippers. Tall men need to look for shorts (and pants) with longer zippers; at least 9” long for a more comfortable stride and fit.