Summer Men's Clothing: Faded Glory Khaki Carpenter Shorts VS. No Boundaries Khaki Cargo Shorts

Summertime is quickly approaching and everyone needs a good pair of shorts. I like them when I'm outside hanging out, walking around, working on something inside or outside, hiking, or pretty much anything that's not work. So, when I'm looking for shorts, I'm looking for a good comfortable pair but I don't want to spend too much because I always try to keep my budget down. Find out the relative difference between No Boundaries' shorts and Faded Glory.

I've had my Faded Glory pair of khaki carpenter shorts for about 4-5 years now. I got them at Wal-Mart for around $10. They've served me pretty well, but for some reason they recently shrunk in the wash and they've started developing holes around where I put stuff in my pockets. I can still wear them casually, but they're not as useful or comfortable as they used to be.

A pair of Faded Glory khaki carpenter shorts looks pretty nice. The thread and an elastic loop around where you put the hammer are all in red, which makes a really nice complement to the khaki color. Until they recently shrunk in the wash, they were always a bit loose, which is just how I like it, wide around the legs and came just to my knees. In my opinion, a perfect fit.

On Faded Glory's khaki carpenter shorts the pockets aren't huge, but they're definitely sufficient. The back pockets were easy to access (no buttons or flaps) and a good size. There was also a front leg pocket that I guess you could put small stuff in. The hammer loop hole was always handy because if I was working on something inside or outsidse, being able to let the hammer rest in the loop really made things convenient. All in all, they were a useful, trustworthy pair of shorts.

Well, since they shrunk a bit and they're starting to wear through at the pockets, I've looked for a new pair of shorts. I looked at some department stores but was too disappointed in all the $30-$40 pricetags. So, I went back to Wal-Mart and found a nice pair of No Boundaries Khaki Cargo Shorts for only $15.

To start with, the No Boundaries (nobo) khaki cargo shorts are a bit longer than my last shorts, just past the knee, but they're still comfortable and that's the style nowadays anyway. The material they're made out of is actually a bit softer and more comfortable than my Faded Glory shorts which I definitely appreciate. They're tags both say they're 100% cotton, but I guess the nobo shorts use a better cotton weaving process.

One thing I don't like about the Nobo khaki cargo shorts is that the front pockets are way too small to fit anything but a small cell phone in. However, it does have two huge cargo pockets on the sides and the rear pockets are also very large. One thing I don't like about the cargo and rear pockets is that they have a flap and a button which makes them hard to access (and you have to use them since the front pockets are so small). They don't have a carpenter loop for a hammer, so they're not as convenient for working on something as the Faded Glory shorts.

The No Boundaries khaki cargo shorts have these wide strings that go through the hem of the short legs and which hang down. I think that's also a current style, but for me they're a bit annoying because of the way they hit against my legs. I'm also not sure why I'd want to tighten the hem of my short legs, so I just tie them up the way they are to get them out of the way. There's a similar string going through the waistline which I do find convenient if I lose weight and need to tighten them up (and I won't need a belt) or if I'm carrying too many heavy objects in my pockets and the shorts are falling down my waste.

Overall, I like my new No Boundaries khaki cargo shorts because they are very comfortable and their material feels more sturdy (and long-lasting) than my last pair of Faded Glory khaki carpenter shorts. However, I am disappointed in some of the more practical aspects of the Nobo shorts and wish I could've taken those from my Faded Glory shorts.