REI Sahara Bermuda Women’s Hiking Shorts Review

Bottom Line

The REI Sahara Bermuda Shorts are a great value option for budget-minded hikers who don’t want to skimp on performance. Built with a sturdy nylon/spandex blend, these shorts have held up flawlessly over two months of hiking in Nevada. They offer great coverage, dry impressively fast, and come nicely equipped with features.

The fabric isn’t particularly soft or supple, but we experienced zero chafing or other comfort-related issues. The waistband is also fairly complex, which isn’t ideal for pairing with a hipbelt, but the good news is there’s plenty of adjustability to dial in the fit.

In our drying-time tests, the Sahara Bermuda Shorts outperformed the other designs we tested. They went from soaking wet to bone-dry in just over half an hour. During stream crossings and light rain, the DWR coating effectively beads droplets right off.

The Sahara Bermuda Shorts aren’t the lightest or most streamlined option available on our guide to the best women’s hiking shorts, and the single zippered pocket at the back isn’t large enough to fit our smartphone in its case. Some also won’t love the Bermuda length. We have no issues with mobility, but the style is a little polarizing (and the drab colorways don’t help).

How We Tested

We put the REI Sahara Bermuda Shorts through their paces during a warm spring in Nevada. Temperatures on our hikes ranged from the mid-60s to mid-80s Fahrenheit. We braved the sun to evaluate breathability, dunked the shorts in streams and buckets to measure drying time, and stuffed them in our pack to see how well they fit in crevices left by other gear. We high-stepped over deadfall, scrambled up and over boulders, and jumped across streams to test freedom of movement.

Comfort

When it comes to comfort, the REI Sahara Bermuda Shorts aren’t anything to write home about. Made with 96% recycled nylon and 4% spandex, the fabric don’t offer much stretch or feel particularly soft against our skin. It isn’t abrasive by any means, but it is noticeable when comparing side-by-side to other shorts we tested. It’s something as a gear analyst, we take note of, but it’s not a deal breaker by any means. 

To be fair, the fabric is more flexible than rigid, and we don’t chafe or have other comfort-related issues. The waistband is a little complex for pairing with a pack (it’s a button/fly closure, internal drawcord, and belt loops), but it is workable with both a webbing hipbelt and a more substantial, cushioned belt. 

The shorts fit us perfectly from waist to hem in our usual size. They are not restrictive or overly baggy in any area. Some won’t love the 9-inch inseam, but we don’t notice any restriction in mobility. Plus, the extra coverage is helpful on long, exposed hikes. We appreciate that REI offers women’s shorts in a wide range of sizes, including plus sizes up to 26W.

A final thing to note is that the shorts are noticeably not breathable in hot weather. Some of this is likely due to the extra length, which inhibits airflow, but the fabric itself isn’t particularly airy or effective at wicking moisture. If you hike in hot climates like the desert, it’s likely worth opting for a lighter and more breathable design.

Durability

The Sahara Bermuda Shorts are impressively well-built for the price. Right away, we could tell the fabric is built to last. This does contribute to the reduced comfort, but the upside is that the shorts should see many seasons of hiking. After a full spring of adventures both on and off trail, our pair showed no signs of wear. The fabric is free of tears, snags, and stains, and all of the zippers and drawcords are in perfect working order. 

We threw the shorts in with our normal laundry and paid no special attention to the care instructions. If you’re someone who’s intentional about making gear last, REI recommends using a cold wash cycle and tumble drying on low. Our shorts have not faded or deteriorated in any way, but time will tell how they hold up to more haphazard care.

Features

The Sahara Bermuda Shorts come decently equipped in terms of features. Starting with storage, you get four total pockets. The two hand pockets are deep enough to fit our iPhone 17 Pro in its case. The pocket angles keep the phone upright, preventing it from falling out even when we break into a jog on steep downhill sections of trail. 

There are also two pockets at the back: one zippered and one protected by a small fabric flap. The zipper runs smoothly and is easy to grab, although this pocket is a tight squeeze for our phone without its case. It is a snug enough fit that we worry about the zipper failing from stress. The flap-protected pocket didn’t prove all that useful for us, either.

For the waistband, there’s a single button closure, a zippered fly, an internal drawcord, and belt loops. Though we appreciate the ability to adjust the fit, we find the design overly complex for pairing with a hipbelt. By contrast, a wide and low-profile elasticized waistband is a much safer bet.

Dry Time

The Sahara Bermuda Shorts excelled in our drying time tests, taking just over 30 minutes to go from soaking wet to bone-dry. By this point, even the waistband was back to normal. For comparison, most other shorts we tested alongside the Sahara were still damp in this area. 

On a related note, the Sahara Bermuda Shorts are impressively water-resistant. The DWR coating does a great job repelling moisture, causing droplets to bead up and roll right off the exterior. Though other favorites are better at resisting wetting out, the Saharas dried much faster.. At the end of the day, we have no qualms about wearing either pair in light rain.

Weight & Packed Size

The Sahara Bermuda Shorts weigh 5.9 ounces on our kitchen scale, just a hair more than their listed 5.8-ounce weight. Certainly not the lightest in our lineup of our favorite shorts, and the result is that they also aren’t the most packable option. They’re a pretty substantial design, with a 9-inch inseam and sturdy construction. But they’re reasonably compressible for what they are: a hardwearing, bermuda-style design with a healthy feature set.

Should You Buy the REI Sahara Bermuda Hiking Shorts?

The REI Sahara Bermuda Shorts stand out as an excellent value with great all-around performance for the price. They’re well built, offer substantial coverage, and feature a healthy number of useful features. They even have UPF 50+ sun protection for added assurance on exposed outings. And we appreciate that REI offers the shorts in a wide size range (from 0 to 26W for women). 

Some hikers won’t love the Bermuda style. We don’t experience any mobility issues in testing, but the shorts are relatively bulky – and warm – due to all the extra fabric. The nylon/spandex construction isn’t the softest or most supple, especially when tested back-to-back with a pair of running shorts. Budget-minded hikers may be able to look past these downsides in the name of cost savings.

What Other Hiking Shorts Should You Consider?

Not ready to end your hiking shorts search just yet? Check out the three options below, or head to our women’s hiking shorts gear guide for a complete look at our favorites on the market. 

Black Diamond Pursuit Review: We tested the Pursuit alongside the Sahara Bermuda and found a lot to like about both shorts. The Pursuit has a 3-inch shorter inseam but tacks on an additional pocket and has a softer, smoother fabric. It’s less of a value than the Sahara, however, and weighs around the same.

Mountain Hardwear Dynama Bermuda Review: For another Bermuda option, we really like the Dynama. These shorts are extremely soft and comfortable with a supple nylon/elastane blend and a wide, low-profile waistband that pairs better with a hipbelt. That said, the Sahara Bermudas win out in durability with a longer-lasting construction – and they cost less, too.

Stio Vallis Review: If you’re willing to go shorter, the 4-inch Vallis was quick to stand out in our recent round of testing. The all-polyester build is soft, stretchy, and easy to move in. The shorts also look great around town, giving them the clear edge in versatility over the Sahara Bermuda.