Flex Canvas Shorts vs Ecotrek Trail Shorts

Spring is just a few weeks away, and with it, new styles and options become available. As we begin to put away our winter coats and thick sweaters that have served us so well, it’s always a good idea to look ahead to identify what pieces will be our mainstays for the warmer months ahead. 

At LIVSN, we believe in owning less clothing options that enable adventure and will last for years. This doesn’t just save financial cost and closet space but also gives the planet a breather with less resource consumption and overall production burden.

We just released our Ecotrek Trail Shorts, the long-awaited follow-up to our popular Ecotrek Trail Pants. One of the most frequent questions we now receive is how they compared to our Flex Canvas Shorts. 

We always want our customers to know exactly what they can expect with our products. In this article, we’ll break down exactly what goes into each garment and the key differences between the two. We hope this will help you find that one pair of shorts that will be practically become your second skin through spring and summer. 

Here are some notable differences between the two in terms of fabric, weight, and other key features:

These are our latest product to launch and are the shorter version of our Ecotrek Trail Pants. 

When compared to the EcoFlex material found in the Flex Canvas Shorts, the material found in the Ecotreks can be best described as lighter, stretchier, and most notably, water and stain resistant. While not outright swimwear, the Ecotrek Trail Shorts thrive in situations where water and moisture are likely. If you plan on crossing streams and building sweat, these shorts will dry far faster than their heavier counterparts in the Flex Canvas Shorts.

Made with our proprietary Blue Ocean Nylon, these shorts have the added bonus of being part of a unique production cycle. This material is sourced from recycled ocean buoys and used in both the pants and shorts, not only making the material stretchy but especially sustainable as well.

The Ecotrek Trail Shorts are also our first to come in a tailored, women’s friendly cut. These shorts possess all the same features as the male counterparts, but with small touches to make them more comfortable for women. While we hope to expand our women’s line to include all of our products, this is our first specific women’s shorts, and we’re excited to continue putting forth products with all the same versatility and utility as the men’s line. 

If you love your Ecotrek pants but want something with even more breathability, then these shorts are a shoo-in for your spring and summer mainstay.

If you need one pair of shorts that will withstand abuse and abrasion without flinching, then the Flex Canvas Shorts might be your best bet.

The heavier duck canvas material means increased durability for users, and if they ever should fail, they are covered under our Fair Deal Guarantee and repair program (as are the Ecotreks). They still boast the same utility with concealed zippered pockets in the rear, open side knife pockets, and deep mesh on either side in the front.

With these shorts, the construction focus was on longevity through high usage, which is why all the common failure points like belt loops, crotch, zippers, button, and more receive additional reinforcement. The reflective tape strip on the hem can be flipped at night for increased visibility, an added safety benefit for those who plan to stay out well past sunset in the months ahead.

The Flex Canvas Shorts offer a rugged bottom wear option that boasts straightforward style and utility without frills. They’re dependable vehicles for warm weather fun that can push through forest brush or endure the occasional march through the brush without complaint.

When it comes down the wire with your shopping cart, and you can only choose one of the two, ask yourself some short, simple shorts questions:

• How often do you plan to wear these near water?

  • More water = Ecotrek Trail Shorts

  • Less water = Flex Canvas Shorts

• Do you prefer extra stretchiness or more staying power?

  • Stretch = Ecotrek Trail Shorts

  • Staying Power = Flex Canvas Shorts

• Do you like open or zippered pockets?

  • Open = Flex Canvas Shorts

  • Zippered = Ecotrek Trail Pants

• Do you prefer belts or drawstrings to cinch?

  • Belts = Flex Canvas Shorts

  • Drawstring = Ecotrek Trail Pants

• Which name do you think sounds cooler?

These answers, along your natural intuition and fashion inclinations, should guide you to a pair of shorts that serve you well from the day you unpack them onwards. 

Keep an eye out for future developments, as we have a bevy of other products lined up to launch later this year. While we always have one eye ahead in terms of what will come next to the LIVSN lineup, we do make iterative changes to our current products based on feedback. If you find something you particularly enjoy—or think could be improved—let us know and those tweaks just might make it into the next version.

If you have any additional questions about which pair of active shorts might be best for you, don’t hesitate to contact us via webchat, social media, or the good old fashion phone. We want all our customers to find the right piece of clothing that fits their life and will bring about comfort, utility, and style for years to come.