Black Diamond Pursuit Women’s Hiking Shorts Review

Bottom Line

The women’s Black Diamond Pursuit Shorts are purpose-built for warm weather, with soft, breathable fabrics that wick moisture well. We tested the shorts throughout a very warm spring in and around Reno, Nevada. The shorts are airy, quick-drying, and well-equipped for long days on the trail.

These shorts are made with a nylon/elastane blend that’s smooth, stretchy, and easy to move in. We experience zero issues with mobility, whether we are high-stepping over deadfall, jumping across rocks to cross a creek, or scrambling up and over boulders. The shorts can ride up, but it doesn’t detract too much from overall comfort. 

Storage is another highlight of the design. There are two deep hand pockets, two rear pockets (one zippered and one open), and a final hidden zippered pocket at the right thigh. This last pocket is a great place for small items like a gel or keys, but it’s too snug for a smartphone.

The Pursuit Shorts are on the pricier end compared to our other tested and reviewed women’s hiking shorts favorites, but their high-quality construction and thoughtful feature set justify that, in our opinion. Our only real complaint is that the waistband is snug and lacks give, which belies the otherwise comfortable and easy-to-wear design.

How We Tested

We put the Pursuit Shorts through their paces during a warm spring in Nevada. We hit trails in and around Reno and Lake Tahoe in temperatures ranging from 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. We dunked the shorts in trailside creeks to gauge water resistance and drying time, scrambled up and over boulders to test durability, and filled the pockets with a phone, snacks, and other trail essentials. 

Comfort

From a comfort perspective, the Pursuit Shorts have a lot going for them. Starting with the fabric, the nylon/elastane blend is noticeably smooth and pliable, offering great next-to-skin comfort. There’s a decent amount of stretch in the legs, which makes it easy to high-step over deadfall and scramble up boulders. In testing, we were immediately struck by the shorts’ airy but protective feel. The Pursuit shorts are a great technical option that doesn’t feel overly complicated.

However, we do have a couple of gripes, with the caveat that sizing might have been the culprit. First, the shorts are noticeably snug at the waist, verging on restrictive. It doesn’t help that the waistband lacks stretch, which feels like an odd design choice. The leg openings are also a little smaller than expected. They loosen up a bit with time, but the shorts continued to ride up throughout testing.

The waistband is a final area of concern. It features two small snaps and a zippered fly, along with belt loops for those who need them. We wore the shorts with a couple of different packs to gauge how the waistband felt with different styles of hipbelts. It caused some discomfort under a minimalist wedding belt, digging into our stomach a bit, but it works fine with a wider, cushioned hipbelt.

Durability

The Black Diamond Pursuit Shorts offer a nice balance between breathability and durability. Though not the thickest design we tested, the mostly nylon construction is reasonably hardwearing and snag-resistant. The shorts easily shrug off encounters with sharp granite, pokey brush, and other rough surfaces with no wear to show for it. 

We haven’t taken any special care when washing and drying the Pursuit Shorts. We just throw it in with our other laundry like most humans and they are in great shape with no fading, staining, or deterioration. The snaps and zippers all work flawlessly, and not a stitch is out of place after two full months of testing.

Features

The Pursuit Shorts come well-equipped in the features department. Zippered pockets are usually lacking on women’s pants and shorts, but the Pursuit comes with two: one at the back right and one on the right thigh. The back zippered pocket just barely fits our iPhone 17 Pro in its case. It is a tight enough squeeze that we are worried about stressing the zipper, so we opt to put our phone in one of the hand pockets instead.

The zippered pocket at the right thigh is much smaller. It can swallow keys, a credit card/ID, or a pair of AirPods, but it’s too small for a smartphone. And we should note that this pocket is quite hidden. We actually didn’t even know it existed until our third outing with the shorts. 

Though they lack zippered closures, the hand pockets are deep and easily swallow a phone. The vertical angle offers great security; we aren’t worried about our phone falling out, even when breaking into a jog on downhill sections of trail.

Dry Time

Among the hiking shorts we tested this year, the Pursuit Shorts are the second-fastest to dry. After dunking them in a bucket of water, wringing them out, and laying them in the sun on an 80-degree day, they took just 45 minutes to go from fully saturated to bone-dry. The waistband takes the longest, leaving that piece out, the shorts took around 25 minutes to dry.

We replicated this test in the field by dunking the shorts in a trailside stream while hiking. By the time we got back to the trailhead about three miles later, they were completely dry except for the waistband, which was still damp. Despite this, the shorts remain comfortable and never feel weighted down with moisture. 

A final component worth covering here is the DWR coating. Made without harmful “forever chemicals” known as PFAS, the Pursuit’s DWR finish does a great job repelling moisture. In fact, we have to hold the shorts underwater for several seconds before they start to wet out. If we simply dipped them, they emerged with beaded droplets that rolled right off the fabric.

Weight & Packed Size

The Pursuit Shorts weigh in at 6.1 ounces on our scale (Black Diamond listed 5.9 ounces on their site). That makes them on the heavier side of our favorites we reviewed, but not by much.

In terms of packed size, the Pursuit Shorts compress down to a reasonably small size. The fabric has a relatively lightweight, flexible feel, allowing the shorts to roll up neatly and fit in a pack or duffel.

Should You Buy the Black Diamond Pursuit Hiking Shorts?

The Pursuit is a great option for hikers looking for a modern, easy-to-wear hiking short. They are soft, comfortable, and breathable in hot weather. Storage is adequate for stashing items like a snack and a phone, and the shorts dry impressively fast, should you misjudge a water crossing or get caught in a bout of rain.

That said, the waistband is relatively snug and lacking in stretch, which detracted from the otherwise comfortable design. And the waist closure is a little complex for pairing with a hipbelt or harness, featuring two snaps, a zippered fly, and belt loops. Finally, these aren’t the lightest shorts available, although we rarely notice them on the trail and like all shorts, they don’t take up much pack space.

What Other Hiking Shorts Should You Consider?

If you like the Pursuit Shorts but want to explore other options, our women’s hiking shorts gear guide covers the full gamut. Here are a few alternatives that stood out in testing:

REI Sahara Bermuda Review: We tested the Sahara Bermuda alongside the Pursuit and found a lot of similarities. Both shorts dried quickly and weighed around the same. However, the Sahara shorts ran warmer due to their added coverage, making them less appealing for hot, exposed adventures in the heart of summer.

Stio Vallis Review: For trail-to-town versatility, we really like the Stio Vallis shorts. The 4-inch inseam offers less coverage than the 6-inch Pursuit shorts, but they are supremely soft and easy to wear. The waistband is more streamlined, offering better comfort underneath a hipbelt, and the all-polyester build has even more of a barely there feel.

Outdoor Research Ferrosi Review: If durability is a priority for you, the Ferrosi shorts are tough to beat. Made with a thicker mix of nylon and spandex, the Ferrosi shorts are hardwearing, quick to dry, and fully featured. They’re not as soft as the Pursuit shorts, but they will hold up to season after season of hard use.