Read our review of the Patagonia Baggies here. (Spoiler alert: they’re great.)
ICYMI, there’s a flash-in-the-pan Patagonia sale going down right now. This would be huge news by any metric, but it’s particularly important during the late-summer swelter for one reason only: it includes an ultra-rare discount on Patagonia Baggies. Don’t get us wrong, we’ll take 40% off a storm-proof jacket or a trail-ready pair of cargo pants. These days, though, Patagonia’s diehard fans include plenty of folks who’ll never use their gear for its intended purpose. Baggies, more than any of its other products, are for them.
Patagonia’s signature nylon shorts have remained essentially unchanged since they were introduced in 1982, a testament to how good they really are. They’re lightweight, surprisingly durable, and unsurprisingly quick-drying. Factor in their mesh underlayers and ample pockets, and they’re just as suitable for rock climbing and playing tennis as they are for splashing around the local beach.
“I’m sure they have a downside,” GQ contributor Reed Nelson wrote in a definitive review of the style, “but I’ve spent a lot of time searching for one and keep coming up empty.” Nelson has been a steadfast Baggies-wearer for well over a decade, and his experience confirms what countless other folks have known all along. As far as he’s concerned, “there are very few situations that demand shorts more serious than them, and hundreds that benefit from their utility.”
Encountering a Patagonia Baggies deal in the wild isn’t unheard of, sure. But those discounts tend to apply to seasonal colors and, uh, unique patterns. Thanks to the current Patagonia sale, the colorways we actually want are over 30% off (a couple of juicier hues are discounted even further). Act fast, though: these discounts won’t last nearly as long as the shorts themselves.
