Vent Lightweight Active Shorts 7"
Max Airflow Fabric | Ultra Packable | Stretchy Waistband
What makes these shorts incredible?
- Featherweight fabric built for hot days
- Stretchy and breathable for all day comfort
- Fast drying with mesh lined pockets
- Secure storage with multiple pocket options
- Packs down incredibly small for travel
All orders in the US receive free shipping + free returns.
If you ever damage any of your apparel, we'll repair it for free, for life.
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Shorts like an A/C unit for your junk.
Ventilated, stretchy & ridiculously lightweight. With a soft hand feel & no swoosh or shine in the fabric like you might expect from most light active shorts.
Thoughtfully designed with features that are essential for adventure travel.
Stretchy waistband with an internal drawstring that can be tied outside or inside. Two small accessory loops for keys, sunglasses or whatever else.
Side zipper pocket big enough for a large phone, hidden zipper on the back right pocket, button closure on the back left & traditional front pockets with an added media pocket on the right.
All pockets have light, stretchy mesh lining that help keep everything breathable and dry super fast, making these shorts perfect for when you need to hand wash and hang dry when traveling or camping.
Aesthetically minimal, as packable as they come & most of all perfect for those hot a$$ days.
Features & Specs
- Best For: Hot weather travel, hiking, camping, and everyday adventures
- Fabric: Featherweight, stretchy, performance fabric
- Waistband: Stretch waistband with adjustable internal drawstring
- Breathability: Ridiculously airy fabric with mesh lined pockets
- Storage: Secure zip pockets plus dedicated phone and media storage
- Comfort: Anti Ball Squish gusset for unrestricted movement
- Function: Dual accessory loops for keys or sunglasses
- Packability: Packs tiny and disappears in your bag
- Inseam: 7" inseam for maximum mobility
- Fit: Athletic fit with a barely-there feel
Fabric Details / Weight
Crafted from a unique, high-performance mesh-knit poly that dries incredibly fast and allows the air to flow in and heat to flow out. Non-shiny, non-swooshy and featherweight.
- Weight: 187g (size M)
- Fabric Weight: 135gsm
Regarding UPF Rating...
Our Vent Pants/Shorts technically don’t carry an official UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) rating. That’s because the fabric is ventilated with extremely tiny needle-sized holes designed for maximum breathability. Since direct UV light can pass through those minuscule vents under very specific conditions, the pants can’t be certified with a UPF rating.
That said, in real-world use, it’s virtually impossible to get sunburned through them or get any meaningful UV exposure to your skin at all. For UV rays to reach your skin through those tiny vents, you’d have to be lying completely still in direct sunlight for several hours without moving at all. In normal use, there will never be any meaningful UV exposure through the fabric.
However, if you have heightened concerns about UV exposure due to skin sensitivity, medical reasons, or personal preference, we totally understand. In that case, we’d recommend checking out our Shenanigan Pants, which are a similarly lightweight option but fully UPF-rated for added peace of mind.
Wash / Care Instructions
Wash in cold water with like colors and air dry to extend the life of the garment.
Shipping / Returns
- Fast & Free Shipping: Available on all U.S. orders.
- Free Returns & Exchanges: Items must be new and unwashed.
- Expedited Shipping Cutoff: Orders placed by 12 PM PST ship the same day. Orders placed after 12 PM PST ship the next business day.
- International Shipping: Free on orders over $100.
- More Info: Visit our Shipping & Returns page for full details.
What Customers Are Saying...
Henry O.
Great Do It All Shorts
Love that they don't look like bike shorts, gym shorts, or hiking shorts. They just look like shorts but function as great active or outdoor wear.
Paul P.
Like Butta
Wore these while camping last weekend and wow, they’re comfy. Commando all day. Real nice!
Jordan R.
Great Fit
These are great! There's a pocket that perfectly fits an iPhone in a case which was an unexpected perk.
Compare All Of Our Shorts
The KETL Commitment
Everything we make is guaranteed to be amazing & last a lifetime. We stand behind our craftsmanship with a lifetime warranty & offer a thorough repair / replace program. Visit our Warranty / Repairs page for more information on our commitment to excellence.
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Amazing quality, most comfortable shorts I’ve owned
These are perfect shorts. Comfortable, lightweight, stretchy!
Great shorts, love them. They are lightweight enough to keep you cool but not too light. The zippered pocket on the side is perfect. Definitely going to get another pair!
Love these!! The perfect evolution of the of the pant version into short form. Lightweight, perfect amount of stretch, and stylish all the same!
Comfortable great material that seems very substantable!
The VLA shorts are lightweight and comfortable. Breathable for no satchel roasting. Best hiking shorts yet. The Venture Air 5 is perfect too. Don’t even know it’s there while humping the trail and great for covering the dome while dipping the barking dogs.
These are my favorite shorts for hot weather.
Based on the description, I was worried that the Vent would be a ultra light weight version of a gym/basketball short. It's actually not that at all. The material holds its shape, feels soft to the touch, and is very light weight and breezy. I'm going to order a pair in the 7" length for more casual wear, but the 9" has been great for gravel biking and trail walking with the dogs.
So far so good love them actually I have a bought I few items recently and enjoy wearing all of them thank you
LOVE THEM! These are fantastic shorts. I was looking for clothes that could go from hiking, to walking around the city to dinner and these fit the bill and then some. I highly recommend them to anyone. Don’t hesitate, just buy.
Great shorts for travel and hiking! Light, stretch, and dry fast.
Love these shorts. This is my second pair, and they are good for basically everything. That's basically all I brought on a recent family bikepacking trip on cape cod. I was the only one not on an ebike and slamming (and sweating) hard to keep up with everyone, especially when towing kiddos and gear. Couple highlights... the length is great for these type of bike trips when I don't want or need a full length mtb short. The pockets are awesome...zip pockets for keeping stuff secure, and the vertical guy inside the right hand pocket is my favorite. Keeps a phone nice and tight without getting all floppy in the bigger hand pocket area. Lastly, they dry fairly quickly. We made a pitstop by a beach and I'd forgot swim trunks, so I just swam in these guys and then wore my bike liners while they dried. Worked perfect.
Highly recommended. I'll be getting more.
Great pair of shorts!! I’ve been wearing them pretty much nonstop since they arrived. Very breathable so they helped keep me cool. No “sweat trail” down the back of them after playing a round of disc golf in 90 degrees! I would like for one or both of the front pockets to have a zipper. I travel and would like the extra protection that would add. Great shorts and I will be adding another color soon!
These are the best hiking shorts I have owned- so good that I popped the question to my (now) fiance in them! I've struggled to find well fitting hiking shorts as a slimmer build guy, and the XS 7" sizing option was exactly what I've been looking for. Perfect mix of freedom and form fit, supremely functional design, the material feels great, and is both durable and breathable. Looking forward to getting another pair in other colors. Well done Ketl!
Love the shorts - functional and they look great! Will be buying more pairs in other colors.
I have 4 pairs of these shorts. A pair in large and a pair in XL. Originally bought the extra large but ended up getting a pair in large that fit me a little bit better. Closer to the body. These shorts are great! Breathable and comfortable. I would say these are my favorite ketl short.
