I have several pairs of the adventure cloth pants. They do not absorb a lot of water.Their quicker-drying property seems to be the result of being coated with some sort of a water repellent, which makes them less soft than other pants. I usually wash them by hand in a sink. Then do a quick wring and then roll each leg in a towel, unroll them and hang them up. They dry overnight. For comparison, regular cotton socks do not dry nearly as fast. While the wash and dry feature is important, their security features, solid construction, and comfort should be the main reasons to buy them. Their designs are very conservative and appeal to older travelers. Since your're in Toronto, go the store on Barber Greene and ask the people who work there - they are very well informed on their products.