Stio Vallis Women’s Hiking Shorts Review

Bottom Line

The women’s Stio Vallis shorts immediately stood out in our testing. When we tried them on for the first time, we were pleasantly surprised by their fabric. Made of 100% polyester, the shorts have a very smooth and airy feel. Though not the stretchiest shorts we tested, the material has a good amount of give and proved to be decently snag- and-tear resistant.

These shorts are also impressively water-resistant. The water-repellent finish does a good job fending off moisture, causing droplets to bead up and roll right off the fabric. It takes a good amount of rain or bushwhacking for us to completely soak the shorts. Once they’re wet, they do take some time to dry – especially the waistband.

Though these shorts are a little pricey, we consider them a solid value because of their versatility. They’re most at home on the trail but can be dressed up for a post-hike meal or casual date night. The Pebble colorway we tested isn’t the most stain-resistant, but we’ve managed to keep them clean with regular laundering and some emergency spot treatments.

After a full spring of hiking in Nevada, we came away with high praise for the Vallis shorts. They’re not the most technical or feature-rich option on our guide to the best women’s hiking shorts, but they are high-quality and look good both on and off the trail.

How We Tested

We tested the women’s Stio Vallis shorts throughout a warm spring in Nevada. They accompanied us on several hikes in and around the Reno and north Lake Tahoe areas. We bushwhacked, scrambled, and even ran in the shorts for a couple of miles. We stained, spot-treated, and laundered the shorts. For dry time, we submerged them on and off the trail. For packability, we stuffed them into pockets and packs.

Comfort

When we put the Stio Vallis shorts on for the first time, we were struck by their soft, smooth fabric. The all-polyester construction is airy and stretchy, giving the shorts an almost luxurious feel against the skin. We don’t get issues with restriction, even when high-stepping or scrambling. And the waistband is decently wide and low-profile, which is nice for pairing with a hipbelt. 

On hot days, these shorts keep us comfortable and wick moisture well. We haven’t had any issues with chafing or rubbing. We also aren’t racing to change when we get home after long, exposed hikes. These are the kind of shorts you can put on and forget about. 

We also like the 4-inch inseam. Some hikers may want more protection, but we feel it strikes a nice balance between coverage and style. The shorts are easy to dress up or down, depending on the outing. The Vallis can ride up slightly on longer outings, but it isn’t uncomfortable or even noticeable most of the time. 

The waistband is a little snug out of the box, but it breaks in nicely enough so that we never wished we had sized up. It doesn’t have a ton of stretch, but there’s some wiggle room if you’re between sizes, and the upside is that it stays in place throughout the day. We rarely had to use the external drawcord to cinch it tighter, even with a smartphone in one of the hand pockets.

Durability

We’ve been impressed by Stio apparel of late, and the women’s Vallis shorts are no exception. The stretchy fabric is decently snag- and abrasion-resistant, holding up flawlessly to our day hiking.  Stio did include some smaller design components, including the rear pocket zipper and waist drawcord, but both are high-quality and reasonably hard-wearing.

One downside worth mentioning is that the Pebble colorway we tested is more susceptible to stains than the darker options. We are managing to keep the shorts looking good with regular washing and occasional spot treatments with a stain remover pen. We don’t use any special care for laundering, but Stio recommends using a cold wash cycle and tumble drying on low to maximize the shorts’ lifespan.

Features

The Stio Vallis shorts come with three pockets: two hand pockets and one rear zippered pocket. The hand pockets are deep and easily swallow our iPhone 17 Pro in its case. We’ve had zero issues with our phone falling out, even when high-stepping over deadfall. Even when weighted down, the shorts never sag. The external waist drawcord should help if you need to cinch things down.

The rear zippered pocket also fits our phone in its case, although it is a much snugger fit. But if our phone (or case) gets any larger, it likely won’t work. Having any phone in the back pocket leads to a bit of an awkward look. Plus, you can’t sit down without removing the phone, so we don’t get too much use out of this space (we rarely do).

Finally, the waist drawcord is high-quality with a nice amount of stretch. Once tied at the start of each hike, it stays securely in place with no adjustments needed throughout the day.

Dry Time

The Stio Vallis Shorts lands mid-pack in our drying tests. Starting with the good news, these shorts are impressively water-resistant. When splashed with by a stream crossing, it beads up and rolls right off. It isn’t until they get dunked for several seconds that they begin to saturate. 

In side-by-side testing, we dunked them in a bucket of water along with four other pairs, wrung them all out until there was no drippage, and laid them in the sun to dry on an 80-degree day. Once saturated, the shorts take around an hour and a half to dry out fully. Despite appearing dry on the outside within 30 minutes, the shorts were still heavy and saturated with moisture. By the time our timer hit one hour, most of the Vallis had dried, but the waistband was still noticeably damp.

Weight & Packed Size

The Stio Vallis shorts checked in at 5 ounces on our kitchen scale – a little lighter than their listed weight of 5.6 ounces. This is about average for a pair of women’s hiking shorts, stacking up well to popular alternatives we tested. 

In wearing, the Vallis shorts are light enough to go largely unnoticed throughout the day – even on long, exposed hikes with temperatures reaching into the mid-80s Fahrenheit. 

We tested four other shorts alongside the Vallis, and the Vallis was the second-most-packable option. In other words, the Vallis is competitively packable and should have no issue squeezing into a full backpack or duffel.

Should You Buy the Stio Vallis Hiking Shorts?

The Stio Vallis shorts are a versatile, high-quality option for hikers who don’t want to sacrifice everyday wearability. The shorts fit in equally well on the trail as they do around town, with a soft and flexible build that’s easy to move in and easy to forget about, even on long, hot hikes. The waistband is stretchy and low-profile, going unnoticed underneath a hipbelt, and most of the smaller components are equally well sorted.

However, the Vallis shorts aren’t the most technical option. The fabric prioritizes comfort over all-out performance, and the single zippered pocket at the rear isn’t particularly useful. Some hikers – especially those who venture off-trail a lot – may also prefer more coverage than the 4-inch inseam provides. 

What Other Hiking Shorts Should You Consider?

The Stio Vallis shorts are extremely comfortable and versatile, but so are the three comparable standouts below. For more options, check out our women’s hiking shorts gear guide.

Patagonia Multi Trails Review: The Multi Trails are another versatile option that’s comfortable, lightweight, and quick to dry. Despite weighing a bit less, they offer slightly more coverage with a 5.5-inch inseam. The pocket layout is also better, including two zippered front pockets and one snap-protected rear pocket, although the Stio crosses over better for around-town wear.

Black Diamond Pursuit Review: The Pursuit shorts turn up the performance dial with a longer inseam (6 inches), improved storage, and a nice technical fabric that’s soft and airy. However, the waist closure is overly complex for pairing with a pack – the Vallis’ low-profile design works much better.

Oiselle Roga Review: The Vallis’ easy wearability reminded us a lot of running shorts, and the Oiselle Roga stands out in this category. The 4-inch version we tested only has one pocket and doesn’t wear as well around town as the Vallis. But it’s airy, effortless to move in, and very streamlined – a perfect recipe for many runners.