Most of the time when people skate they wear pants because they help protect your legs from bruises when they board pops up and hits them, I’m not saying you can’t skate in shorts im just saying pants are more preferred. Also when your skating in the sun during the day and you fall on the hot pavement, your legs wont burn up on the asphalt. When you skate how your pants fit is one the most important things because you want to be comfortable. Pants are the same as most things in life, you get what you pay for. With that being said let me tell you what you should look for. If your pants cover your entire shoe, weigh 20 pounds and can be bought at hot topic, they probably aren’t the best pants for skating. If your pants are so tight that when ever you walk you can feel the skin getting rubbed of your legs, those probably aren’t the right pants for skating. You want pants that are loose but not to loose that they will be annoying. If they are too short then when your legs are bent you will be able to see your ankles and those probably hurt the most when they get hit with the board. You want them to be about 3” longer than where they would be if you were wearing them and they were even with your shoe. You also want them to be durable. If you buy really thin pants they will be comfortable but you’ll rip them the first time you fall. Try to stick to denim and cords. Some good brands are levi’s, faded glory, and krew. Krew pants are much more expensive but fit better and will last longer.