ArcaMax

As a year-round traveler to tropical and arid destinations, owning comfortable shorts adaptable for any adventure is an investment I take seriously. I look for comfortable fabrics and styles versatile for both water and on land that are lightweight in my luggage, quick-drying and transition well for casual dinner wear.

Whether you're packing for hot parts of the world or day-tripping locally and looking to wind down your summer in style, these shorts and skorts are my favorite go-tos. Pro tip? Now is the time to catch the end-of-summer sales for the perfect pair of shorts or skorts to end the season on a fresh note and start next summer in style.

Walker Hybrid Short, Finisterre: The fast-drying, lightweight Walker Short is a workhorse, made for both swimming and going walkabout and great if you're hiking and find a water hole for a quick dip. The pockets are designed to quickly release water, and a back zip-up pocket is perfect for essentials such as lip balm and your hotel room keycard.

Active Pursuits Skort, REI Co-op: From sightseeing jaunts and day hikes to vacation workouts and yoga, this skort combo gives you the best of both worlds -- shorts and a skirt. They're super lightweight and wick moisture for fast drying. For traditional shorts, REI Co-op's Amphib Shorts are a must-have quick-dry option, especially great for sea-sport adventures. Water literally beads and rolls off their durable water-repellent finish.

Tide Point Skort, HUK: Another favorite skort that's more of a casual skirt with built-in shorts, designed to go from boat to beach and beyond. Also light and quick to wear-dry, the Tide Point is perfectly on point to pack when you're not sure where your travel day will take you.

Switchback Ultralight Hiking Short, Title Nine: These shorts are pocket-perfect for hiking, with two drop-in pockets, two back pockets, a mesh pocket for your phone, and a secured waistband pocket for secure, quick-access to some cash or your room key. Another bonus I love? Side-cinching seams so you can hike the shorts shorter for a bit more breeze. For extra flare, Title Nine's Samba Swing Skort has comfy shorts with a full-swing skirt that's great to take you from daytime explorations to evenings out.

Trekr Pull-on Shorts, Kuhl: The soft rib-knit waistband with a draw chord makes these shorts easy to custom-fit when you need to let loose after overindulging at the lunch buffet or tighten up to hit whitewater rapids on a river trip. They're comfortable as casual wear for city sightseeing explorations too.

Fleetwith Skort, Patagonia: This multifunctional skort is a little longer (just above the knee) with a saddle-shaped hemline, making it great for biking, hiking, a game of resort tennis or volleyball at the beach. For traditional shorts, Patagonia's Outdoor Everyday Shorts are my go-to. They're ruggedly utilitarian for, well, any outdoor everyday travel adventure.

Makena 100% Hemp Short, Jungmaven: For an organic option, these light and airy linenlike hemp shorts are breezy on the beach but also classy for a casual evening when the temperatures remain high or humid.

Sandbar Swim Skort, Coolibar: This "designed-for-motion" swim skirt with undershorts keeps you covered in the pool or while hitting the waves and easily goes from water-wear to working out to casual walking-wear. A plus? The Aqua Classic fabric is saltwater- and chlorine-resistant, making this a swim skort that will last several summers instead of fading, fraying and disintegrating from well-traveled wear in the world's waters.

Bitterroot Bloom Short, Curious Creatures: These flexible, longer, knee-length shorts give a little more leg coverage and play well with knee pads for adventures such as mountain-biking. But they're also ultra-breathable and buttery soft with a wide waistband that won't budge.

Vista Camp Bermuda Shorts, L.L. Bean: My ultimate pack-and-go-anywhere shorts are these soft and comfy, classic Bermuda-length shorts made of rugged nylon. Hiking, biking, beach walks, museum strolls, taco trucks and fancy dining? These wear-anywhere Bermudas have been there and done that with me.

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WHEN YOU GO

Walker Hybrid Short, Finisterre, $80: finisterre.com

Active Pursuits Skort, REI Co-op, $59.95: rei.com

Amphib Shorts, REI Co-op, $49.95: rei.com

Tide Point Skort, HUK, $50: huk.com

Switchback Ultralight Hiking Shorts, $85: titlenine.com

Samba Swing Skort, $55-80: titlenine.com

Trekr Pull-on Shorts, Kuhl, $70: kuhl.com

Fleetwith Skort, Patagonia, $85: patagonia.com

Outdoor Everyday Shorts, $85: Patagonia.com

Makena 100% Hemp Short, Jungmaven, $124: jungmaven.com

Sandbar Swim Skort, $69: coolibar.com

Bitterroot Bloom Short, Curious Creatures, $125: wearecuriouscreatures.com

Vista Camp Bermuda Shorts, L.L. Bean, $69.96: llbean.com

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Nicola Bridges is a freelance writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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