Deep Dive: Meet the lululemon Hike to Swim Shorts

lululemon is a brand many associate with premium yoga wear. Over the years, they’ve delved into other sportswear and have created some amazing garments! Which is why it is very exciting that their newest line is for hiking!

One of the most exciting pieces lululemon has created in their hiking line is the Hike to Swim Shorts. These shorts are made for long miles on the trail with the reward of a swim at the end. Or, if you like to have extra coverage at the pool, they’d make excellent swim bottoms.

These shorts add style to your hiking wardrobe while providing day-long comfort on trail.

The lululemon Hike to Swim Shorts are made with Xtra Life Lycra®, which has built-in chlorine and salt resistance — making them pretty darn awesome! If you’ve ever hiked for miles to a beautiful lake and kicked yourself for not bringing a swimsuit, these shorts solve that issue, and with style!

With a high-waisted design and that classic, overly-flattering lululemon booty lift, the Hike to Swim Shorts are leveling up hiking fashion. Of course, the quality of these shorts is also top-notch, with thoughtful, layflat seams and a front zipper that allows you to easily get in and out of them.

See the lululemon Hike to Swim Shorts

A fitted high-waist design with a front zipper to get them on and off without stretching them out. The zipper is topped off with a Zipper Garage to prevent tummy chaffing.

lululemon Hike to Swim Shorts Specifications

Feature Type Feature Specs What This Means
Weight 5.58 oz Standard weight for this style of shorts.
Type Versatile shorts They’re great for hiking and swimming alike. Perfectly appropriate for most activities.
Material 59% Nylon, 41% Xtra life lycra® elastane Stretchy and quick drying.
Zippers Center front zipper Makes these easy to put on and take off.
Pockets 1 Small pocket.
Pocket Placement Back of shorts Pocket is in the waistband.
Waist High-waisted These have a flattering waist that fits comfortably under a backpack.
UPF No No sun protection is built into the material.
Fit Slim and tight Order a size up if you don’t want a snug fit.
Inseam 6-inches These are definitely short shorts but on the long end of that.
Manufacturer Warranty N/A No warranty policy, but lululemon does have a pretty standard return policy for clothing.
Color Options 3 options Black/Gray, Copper/Pink, Purple/Brown
Retail Price $78 Right on par with lululemon’s pricing. The price reflects the quality of the clothing.

See the lululemon Hike to Swim Shorts

Unique Features of lululemon Hike to Swim Shorts

There are not too many quality hiking shorts on the market that can seamlessly become swim shorts. The lululemon Hike to Swim Shorts are very unique in that regard. They are extremely quick drying and, as mentioned above, made from fabric that has chlorine and salt resistance. This Esca fabric also offers 4-way stretch and really nice stretch resistance. Stretch resistance is awesome for high-waisted bottoms and helps to prolong the life of the garment.

The high waist on the Hike to Swim Shorts is super flattering, and the color block design elongates the legs while looking really modern. If shorts are not normally your thing, lululemon might sway you with these.

These definitely might be the shorts that turn you from a “pants person” to a “shorts person.”

A Thoughtful Pocket

The Hike to Swim Shorts have a little hidden pocket in the back of the waistband, which also has a nice little key loop.

This pocket is truly huge, yet somehow invisible even when full.

The key loop is prime, as you can swim around without having to remove your keys from your pocket. And while that pocket may look rather small, it can easily fit keys and an iPhone 12 Max with a case. Impressive, to say the least.

On top of being really large and stretchy, the back pocket has a key loop, so your keys don’t fall out or get lost.

No Riding Up!

The Hike to Swim Shorts have a thin silicone band on the inside of the legs that helps to prevent them from riding up. This also helps to prevent chafing, as the shorts stay in place.

A thin silicone band runs around the bottom leg openings, creating enough stick to keep the shorts in place without causing any discomfort.

How the lululemon Hike to Swim Shorts Compare to other Versatile Adventure Shorts

When looking for comparable adventure shorts to the Hike to Swim Shorts, competition comes up short. lululemon has entirely unique fabrics and an unbeatable design.

lululemon Hike to Swim Shorts vs. Athleta and Topo Designs

Athleta and Topo Designs both make a short that is meant to be very versatile from hiking to swimming. But both are designed with a very specific female body in mind, with micro inseams that would create chaffing and those not-so-useful pockets women-specific clothing tend to have.

Soaking and feeling happy knowing these shorts will dry within minutes of getting out of the water.

The world of women’s hiking shorts has the tendency to be unflattering with pointless features. lululemon is changing that with their Hike to Swim Shorts. No other hybrid short or boardshort comes close to this level of quality.

Time for trail treats on a long, hot hike!

See the lululemon Hike to Swim Shorts

Who is lululemon?

lululumon has been a gold-standard company in yoga wear for two decades. In the past handful of years, they have been expanding into other activities such as running, swimming, and now hiking. lululemon has unrivaled fit and function when it comes to activewear — it’s a premium brand.

They’re an innovative and thoughtful company that continues to evolve and put out top-quality products that are often unrivaled. These Hike to Swim Shorts are a part of lululemon’s all-new Hike Collection.

A lot of lululemon gear has personality, and these Hike to Swim Shorts are no exception!

See the lululemon Hike to Swim Shorts, and learn more about lululemon.


lululemon sponsors this post.

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Deirdre Denali Rosenberg

Deirdre Denali is a wildlife conservation photographer and outdoor writer based in Tucson and the San Juan Mountains. She is a big fan of type II fun and loves gear! To check out some of Deirdre's work, check out her IG! Instagram.

One response to “Deep Dive: Meet the lululemon Hike to Swim Shorts

  1. Now if only they were long enough to prevent thigh rub! Shorts this perfect should come in two lengths.

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