Shorts - Light on Fabric, Long on Price

[glovepuppet]

To cut a long story short, I thought I'd treat myself to some smart new shorts. You know the kind - decent enough to go to the pub / restaurant in the evening, tough enough for hiking in the day. Ideally, with a bit of stretch to aid steep climbs and stomach-busting meals. 


Then I saw the prices. 


I'm sure the last pairs I bought 4-5 years ago, which were decent enough, were about £15-20. Now it seems they range from £45-60 and that includes "discount"! 


Put me right off the idea ......


So if you see someone out there sporting some slightly battered summer legwear, it might be me.     

 
   

[alewife]

Save your money. We've had summer, it was a Thursday this year I think.

[glovepuppet]

Save your money. We've had summer, it was a Thursday this year I think.

Yeah, but if I got somewhere sunny and warm, like not-Britain, I might need them. 


Probably just make do a bit longer. 

[wobblyknees]

Keep an eye on Aldi / Lidl promotions. I've got some great walking / trekking shorts there for usually about £10 or less. I've got short shorts, knee length shorts and ¾ length shorts with an abundance of pockets, cargo pockets, etc.

[wobblyknees]

Purely by coincidence, I got a promotional email from Go Outdoors just after my last post.  

 
http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/walking/clothing/trousers-and-shorts/shorts?utm_source=SilverpopMailing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=22_07_17-TRADING-holiday-essentials%20(1)%20remainder&utm_content=&spMailingID=17697420&spUserID=MjM2NzQ2ODMzS0&spJobID=1061522281&spReportId=MTA2MTUyMjI4MQS2

 
I see what you mean. Some of those prices are obscene for a pair of shorts - and  Go Outdoors are one of the cheaper outdoor outlets.  

[Liz S]

Look at the sales at Regatta and Blacks, you dont need to pay loads. Here theres loads of cheap ones https://www.regatta.com/sale/shop-by/gender/mens/product_types/shorts/ [nofollow].


You just have to have a proper look about.

[nesty]

I was just thinking this to myself the other day. How much shorts are same price as trousers, yet there is less material!

Yet, I have also noticed also how much more pricey men's stuff is then Womens.

I questioned a company about this pricing. They replied saying Mens stuff is larger and requires more fabric. I knew they would say this.
So I replied with the question. So if that is the case why are shorts the same price as trousers?
Funny enough they didn't reply!   

[quixoticgeek]

Whilst the amount of fabric is reduced, the actual amount of labour relative to a pair of trousers isn't that different.


Why not get a pair of craghopper kiwi pro stretch trousers for about 25 quid on your favourite online market place, and hem them as shorts the length you want?


J

[Kukkudrill]

Check out Mountain Warehouse shorts on Amazon. Prices in the region of £15.

[glovepuppet]

Thanks for all you helpful suggestions, most of which have been checked. I now have a nice-looking pair on the way to me - more of which when they arrive.


It was just the general absurdity of shorts prices that set me off with this in the first place. I'm not kidding, I saw a pair of nice-looking but fairly standard stretch shorts from a well-known (and reassuringly expensive) Scandiwegian manufacturer selling (or not, maybe) for £90 a pair! Can that ever be a justifiable price?     

[bricam2096]

I just buy the zip off convertible trousers from Mountain Warehouse, nice and cheap and quick to convert back to trousers after the 5 minutes of sunshine have passed.

[kinkyboots]

It was just the general absurdity of shorts prices that set me off with this in the first place. I'm not kidding, I saw a pair of nice-looking but fairly standard stretch shorts from a well-known (and reassuringly expensive) Scandiwegian manufacturer selling (or not, maybe) for £90 a pair! Can that ever be a justifiable price? 

They can only sell the stuff when demand is at it's highest and people are prepared to pay the ludicrous asking prices. Retailers will never miss an opportunity to take advantage of gullible customers.

I know it's difficult but the golden rule for buying most outdoor gear is to always buy the stuff out of season when demand is at it's lowest i.e. buy your summer stuff in the sales at the end of the season or in winter before they start to fill  the shelves the new season stuff. Granted it may not be the latest super duper new improved next season model but you can guarantee the prices will be at their lowest.

[fernman]

I know it's difficult but the golden rule for buying most outdoor gear is to always buy the stuff out of season when demand is at it's lowest i.e. buy your summer stuff in the sales at the end of the season or in winter before they start to fill  the shelves the new season stuff. Granted it may not be the latest super duper new improved next season model but you can guarantee the prices will be at their lowest.

That's good advice but it also means the item you want is more likely to be out of stock, even more so if you need a partcular size or want a certain colour. There have been a few times when I've been unable to get what I want because they're all gone.

[nesty]

That's good advice but it also means the item you want is more likely to be out of stock, even more so if you need a partcular size or want a certain colour. There have been a few times when I've been unable to get what I want because they're all gone.

This doesn't apply to walking clothing, but all clothing.
Always just getting a pair of jeans or a usual tops. Nothing is ever in stock.
I remember once going to Tenerife in June once. A friend said to me in April better by the shorts now as come June be all sold out. Anyway I did buy early. Come May, she was right couldn't get nothing in my size! 

[Dyffryn Ardudwy]

By far the best shorts for walking, are ones made by Salomon.
Their more designed for the distance trail runners, but are manufactured to very high standards, and are fairly long as well, so will provide good leg protection.
If you want high quality fully waterproof shorts, OMM manufacture some using their Gellanots fabric.
Their a bit on the pricey side, but like the Salomons, are high quality items, and both shorts are lightweight.