I’m in the market for a couple new pairs of running shorts. Any favorite brands out there?
I prefer brief liners, preferably five inch or seven inch. I like the zipper pocket on the rear of the shorts. Not a fan of pockets on the side of the shorts, but those seem to be pretty common on what is out there right now.
Patagonia Pro Strider…though made for trails…but my go to
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I like the Brooks Sherpa. I think they have both 5" and 7" inseams options. It has the inner liner (covers to mid thigh) and a rear zip pocket. It does have a small gel hip pocket on each side and some of the newer versions have a small pocket on the inside of the short liners (right side). I think the extra pockets are a bit overkill, however they don’t get in the way and they aren’t noticeable when running.
Another vote for the Brooks Sherpa. I’ve got a bunch of different brands and these are my favorites by far.
I was in the same boat as you. I just ran down to my local sporting goods and apparel store and found about 5 different quality pairs from under armor, asics and a nike.
I really like my Roka run shorts
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Saucony Throttle shorts, have about 5 pair in the 5 inch variety. Has side pockets, but I don’t mind them, loop in back to hang shirt/top if it gets hot.
I really like my Nike aeroswift. Not buying any aerodynamic advantage at all but they are a good cut, comfy and have a great waist band.
+1 on the Brooks Sherpa. Just make sure to get the “2-in-1” pair. It’s the one with brief down to mid-thigh. The standard Sherpa pair just has a regular liner.
The Patagonia’s are also an excellent running short.
Try the new Saxx running shorts. I absolutely love mine.
2in - Nike Tempo Split
5in - Brooks Sherpa (I got 5 pairs about 5yrs ago and have never looked back…they last forever when taken care of)
Longer than 5in - Consider getting shorter shorts
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Lululemon Surge. Have a liner with a zipper pocket on the back and no side pockets. Great pair of shorts.
I really like the nike 5" aeroswift shorts. Tons of storage for a pretty minimalist short. They are my go to long run/marathon shorts. Seamless for no chafing, very light, comfortable waistband. A bit expensive, but available on eBay new for $30 or less. For daily summer runs I like the Adidas supernova split shorts. Comfy and lightweight and a little longer than most split shorts.
The best running shorts I’ve ever owned. I don’t understand why I would pay 30+ dollars when I can buy a pair for a 1/3 of the price that feel sturdier. I’ve never have any issues with these.
Take this for what it is worth, since I am an ambassador for Salming, but as someone who has perpetually struggled with Chaffing issues, my pair of their shorts (not the short shorts, but not the really long ones) is the most comfortable pair of running shorts I have ever worn over the years (their liner is the best I’ve tried, it feels like you’re naked, without the awkwardness and business flopping around). I’ve also had pretty good experience with the Lululemon Surge shorts, my first pair was iffy (I believe it was a sample before they were released, likely not the final design…), but the two pairs I’ve had since then have been great. They still get lots of use (they’re especially great for lunch time runs, since their zippered pockets are big enough to fit my access pass on the outside of the shorts, vs. an internal pocket which can be a smidge less comfortable.
Saucony Throttle shorts, have about 5 pair in the 5 inch variety. Has side pockets, but I don’t mind them, loop in back to hang shirt/top if it gets hot.
+1 on the Saucony Throttle shorts. The pockets are more at the hip and smaller so they don’t get in the way but you can zip up items.
Go to your local sports store and pick any pair that you can find for ~$20-25. I am usually able to find shorts made by a running brand (Nike, Brooks, Asics, etc.) for about that price. They are all basically the same at this point. And unless you’re doing 50k races, your 5-10 runs aren’t going to push any pair of reasonably made shorts to their limits. I’ve run thousands of miles and see no value in buying expensive run shorts. If anything, buy one nice pair for anything marathon and above, but save money on the rest of your shorts.
Tracksmith Session shorts - though they’re out of stock till “end of May.”
I’m a big fan of Lululemon’s 5" running shorts, too. They have a hip pocket that’s pretty convenient if you want it and not really noticeable if you don’t.
+1 Brooks Sherpa.
I’ve never liked running shorts with the built-ins, but I tried a pair of 7" 2-1 shorts and holy hell the boxer brief is amazing. Hands down the comfiest running shorts I’ve ever owned. I wish I had a pair for every day of the week. I’ve had mine since January. Back zipper pocket, small hip pocket for gels, plus a bonus pocket on the compression short for a card or two that’s hardly noticeable.
http://www.brooksrunning.com/en_us/mens-sherpa-7in-2-in-1/210820.html?dwvar_210820_color=001#start=1
Patagonia Pro Strider…though made for trails…but my go to
My favorite shorts also. I run in the 5 inch but they also come in 7 inch and a 7 inch version without the extra pockets (strider vs strider pro), just one zipper pocket in the back.