The stretch canvas actually moves with you instead of fighting your stride, and the elastic waistband means I'm not hitching them up every five minutes. They've held up through a couple washes without any fraying at the seams.
Wore these on a hike and straight to a casual dinner after, and the stretch canvas never felt stiff or restrictive. The elastic waistband is the real winner here, way more comfortable than I expected for a walkshort.