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Vuori makes clothes that multitask, performance apparel that can be worn every day. The brand, which blew up over the last few years behind the popularity of their beyond-comfortable joggers and shorts, utilizes high-tech fabrics with features like moisture-wicking, quick-drying, and 4-way performance stretch. Their new Meta Short might be the best example yet of this approach of combining performance, style, and verticality into every piece.
Read More: These Vuori Joggers Blew Our Freaking Minds After Wearing Them for Two Weeks Straight
At first glance, Meta Shorts look like a slightly refined take on the traditional khaki short. But that’s not the whole story. All-polyester construction makes them remarkably durable and flexible, as good at wicking away moisture on a bike ride to a crosstown meeting as they are resisting bunching and wrinkling on a summer road trip out of the city.
Vuori’s incognito activewear is even more impressive due to their thoughtful design choices. The pockets are unusually and usefully deep and the waistband is tough as hell. SPY tested these things on a long walk around the neighborhood, a busy trip to SXSW, and around the office on a day of marathon meetings. All good on all fronts.
Of course, comfort and movement aren’t the only requirements for a great pair of get-it-done shorts. Even in lighter colors like Birch and Vapor, the Meta Shorts don’t show stains the way chinos tend to show stains. And the stains that did show during SPY testing were easy to get out. Polyester is a resilient fabric, meaning these shorts will hold up through many wash cycles.
Of course, the most comfortable and durable shorts in the world are worthless if they don’t look good. Vuori’s Meta Shorts have an 8.5-inch inseam and sit just above the knee—shorter than most dad shorts but not distractingly so. And that they come in an assortment of muted colors, mostly shades of grey and beige belies an understanding of how shorts fit into an outfit.
Typically, a fashion-conscious guy wearing shorts will want to make a statement with his shirt or his sneakers. Vuori’s Meta Shorts look great in an understated way that will add to (and not distract from) the flashier pieces of the outfit.
And for colder days and more serious settings, Vuori has the Meta Pants, which offer the same flexibility as the shorts and a bit more coverage. They’re the best airplane pants to come along in years, particularly for going directly from the plane to the office, but are just as suitable for early spring commutes and fall nature walks.
Ultimately, the most exciting thing about the Meta Shorts and Meta Pants is how they can simultaneously make you look and feel like a million bucks. Far more than a simple chino replacement, they’re a necessary upgrade for all guys who want the best possible pants to work, travel, and live in no matter where life takes them.