Why I Always Travel with Quick Dry Shorts Now.

Let me be upfront: I didn’t expect quick dry shorts to be the hero of my Mallorca trip. But here we are.

This one’s a little different from our usual Nomad Story content—more personal, less polished—but if you're heading somewhere hot, sticky, or beach-adjacent, keep reading. I promise it'll be quick (just like our shorts).

☀️ The Trip That Changed My Packing Game

We took a field-testing trip to Mallorca with a few pre-production samples of our Ultimate and Traveler Shorts.

  • The Ultimate Shorts: A dressy travel short with a hidden waterproof pocket—yes, you can swim in them. 

Men's travel shorts swim trunk beige swim-ready

  • The Traveler Shorts: Same core design, but without the waterproof pocket. Simpler, lighter, still swim-friendly.

Men's travel shorts swim trunk sporty blue color

Normally, I’d toss in a couple pairs of classic shorts, maybe a pair of board shorts for beach days. But for these last trips, I packed nothing but our Ultimate and Traveler shorts.

Spoiler alert: I didn’t miss the others at all.

💦 Quick Dry = Quick Win

We designed these shorts to double as swimwear, so the quick dry feature was a no-brainer. What I didn’t fully expect was just how far that one feature would go—especially in real-world travel conditions.

Here’s what went down:

  • Temps in the 90s
  • Humidity? 60–70%
  • Full sun, little breeze
  • Midday walks to nowhere in particular

And yet—no swampy situation, no chafing, no discomfort.

The breathability and moisture-wicking of these quick dry shorts kept everything...well, breezy. Even in the heat of the day, even after dips in the ocean or pool, I was dry within minutes and shockingly comfortable.

Here is a photo of JM hydrating to show how hot and sunny it was:

Visiting and Traveling in Comfort

🎒 More Than Just Fast-Drying

What I realized is that quick dry shorts are about way more than getting dry fast.

  • They pack lighter and take up less space
  • You can wash them in a sink and hang them dry overnight
  • They’re ready for anything—swimming, sweating, walking, lounging
  • And most importantly? They feel good all day

No sticking, no swamp, no mid-day outfit change.

🔥 Final Takeaway: Comfort > Everything

I’ll say it plainly: I’m not going back to regular shorts.

Quick dry travel shorts are the MVP of my gear lineup now. They’re the one thing I didn’t expect to make such a difference—and yet, they totally changed how I pack and how I feel when I’m out in the world.

Sometimes the best gear isn’t just about looking good or having a bunch of features. Sometimes it's just about feeling great when you’re moving through your day.

🧡 Ready to Feel It for Yourself?

We test everything we make, in real-world, real-sweaty, real-soaked conditions. And when something makes this much of a difference, we make sure to share it.

👉 Check out our Ultimate Shorts and Traveler Shorts now.

Pack less. Move more. Dry faster.

best shorts for travel

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