Whenever I see the word “endeavor” I think of Chief Dan George in The Outlaw Josey Wales (“Dying ain’t much of a living, boy”), who travels to Washington where he is told to “endeavor to persevere.” He comments, “We thought about it for a long time, and when we had thought about it long enough, we declared war on the Union.”
REI’s OXT Endeavor shorts may not inspire you to guerilla warfare, but if they do, hey, follow your heart. In the meantime you can get some serious climbing in with these trunks. The polyester/spandex material bestows 4-way stretch upon the wearer, and they wick and breathe very well, like a light soft shell. Flexibility is further improved by a gusseted crotch. And really, if you haven’t had your crotch gusseted you haven’t lived.
There’s even a chalk bag loop on the back. The inseam is 11in, just right between baggy and aussie. There are two hand pockets with small velcro tabs and a zippered security pocket on the lower left that can hold a small wallet or cell phone. There’s a zipper fly with button closure and an integrated belt. The feel overall is soft and flexible, but these babies are tough too, and it’s hard to beat the price. The look is classic enought you could bring them on travel for both sport and city use. I got these a few weeks ago and they quickly became my go-to shorts for, well, just about everything.