The Best Running Shorts of 2026

This is the second iteration of REI-branded running shorts that we’ve tested, and we have to give a hats-off to the design team — these are top-notch running shorts. Offered in both a 5-inch and 7-inch inseam, the REI Co-op Swiftland running shorts ($60) checked all the boxes that we look for in a quality pair of running shorts — comfortable, supportive, and moisture-wicking with plenty of carrying capacity.

The 73% nylon and 27% spandex shell is remarkably light and airy with excellent mobility. Not once was the stretchy fabric confining. The shorts pretty much felt unnoticeable, and the brief-style liner was comfortable, offering a good amount of support without feeling restrictive.

A wide but comfortable waistband securely anchors the shorts around your waist. The rear zip pocket on the waistband is capable of holding a smartphone, and two drop-in side pockets can hold snacks or keys — all bounce-free.

If we had to nitpick, one concern is their long-term durability. Take this with a grain of salt, as we haven’t put them through a long-term durability test yet. We only mention this because the shell fabric is really thin — much thinner than most of the shorts tested — and they softened up a bit with each wash cycle.

We’d also like to see the rear zippered pocket have a slightly larger opening. Stuffing a large Samsung smartphone in the pocket took a little force, and we could certainly imagine busting a seam trying to fit it in if you’re not careful.

It’s clear REI put a lot of thought into the Co-op Swiftland running shorts. No matter what type of running you do, whether it’s road, trail, or track, everything about these is designed for comfort and functionality — you’ll put them on and forget about them. They’ll work for beginners and elite runners alike, and we’re confident you’ll appreciate having them in your drawer.

If you’re looking for well-priced running shorts for basic running and gym sessions, the Baleaf 5″ Running Athletic Shorts ($22) will provide the most bang for your buck. There’s nothing particularly special about them — they just work.

The shell is extremely lightweight with a moderate amount of stretch, and the liner provides a moderate amount of support and adequate comfort for short outings. The rear-zip pocket was one of the largest tested, easily fitting a super-large smartphone, but it did bounce a bit more than other shorts.

We could go down a long list of features we’d like to see, but for under 20 bucks, we wouldn’t expect them anyway. The biggest knock is fit. They size extremely large and baggy, nearly two sizes too big.

If you’re typically a large, go at least to a medium — maybe even a small. If you struggle to find running shorts with enough volume, these should work really well for you.

If you’re doing any amount of volume, we’d steer toward other shorts listed here. But if you’re not picky on the finer details and just need a pair of treadmill shorts, or shorts for quick, hassle-free runs, the Baleaf 5″ Running Athletic Shorts are for you.

Imagine taking the most comfortable pair of sweatpants (or shorts, for that matter) and infusing them with a highly technical moisture-wicking fabric. That only begins to paint the picture of how comfortable the Tracksmith Session Shorts ($70) are.

The lightweight four-way stretch nylon and elastane blend shell is freaking amazing. Beyond running, these are the type of shorts ideal for lounging around the house in. As a bonus, they’re Polygiene anti-odor, antimicrobial treated.

While these are one of the most comfortable running shorts we’ve tested, we wouldn’t wear them on race day or on a big mountain run. Instead, we’d want something that’s more lightweight and with better pockets. Speaking of pockets, while the rear pocket will fit a phone, it takes a little work to shove it through the small zippered opening, which we wish was a little larger.

Still, the Tracksmith Session Shorts have a place in every runner’s rotation based on comfort alone. If you ever find yourself with a social event after a run or workout, these are the perfect shorts for the occasion. With eight colors to choose from, you’re bound to find a pair to match your shirt.

For comfort and functionality from the track to the pub, these are some of the best running shorts available.

Let’s be clear — most of us hate carrying stuff when we run. It feels restricting, off-balance, and slower. Many of us will go out of our way to avoid wearing a hydration vest or waist belt. If you have similar feelings, you’ll love the Black Diamond Distance Short ($95). These shorts are our go-to for light and fast mountain runs.

When we don’t feel like being bogged down wearing a vest or belt, but still need to carry the typical items like water, fuel, an emergency shell, and phone, these are our go-to shorts. The thick but well-vented waistband with a drawstring provides a secure foundation for five pockets: three drop-in pockets and two rear zipper pockets.

These shorts can easily carry a phone, 500mL soft flask, emergency wind shell, and enough fuel for over 3 hours with a dedicated pocket for trash. We were highly impressed with how supportive and comfortable the polyester liner felt, even when the waist pockets were stuffed.

While the stretch nylon plain-weave face shell is durable as hell, it’s terrible at wicking and retaining moisture. On really hot days the DWR-treated shell became absolutely drenched with sweat, retaining the moisture and feeling a bit like heavy swim trunks.

You may want to opt for shorts with better breathability on steamy runs. But on chilly, windy days, the DWR-treated shell acted much like a wind shell, blocking the wind better than any other shorts we’ve tested. With exceptional storage and wind protection, the Black Diamond Distance Short is ideal for high alpine mountain running.

The Patagonia Strider Pro Shorts ($85) were a huge hit when they first came out. They were comfortable, mobile, and had enormous carrying capacity. Then, a few years back, Patagonia updated the Strider Pro, and fans went wild ripping the updated shorts for being too tight, lacking mobility, and having poor durability. 

We’re pleased to report that Patagonia has once again updated its flagship running shorts, and we can confidently say that this is their best version yet. Patagonia replaced the tough, non-stretchy DWR coated 100% recycled polyester with 90% recycled polyester blended with 10% four-way stretch spandex. That little bit of spandex and dropping the DWR made all the difference. The new shell is soft and offers excellent mobility. These shorts are night and day compared to the previous version. 

The waist belt remains largely unchanged, with four drop-in pockets and one rear zipper. It’s not too thin or thick and maintains comfort when the drawcord is tight. In the previous version, we couldn’t fit our phone in the rear zip, but we were pleased to find out an iPhone 14 Pro just fit with a little work getting it in and out. 

In terms of sizing, we found the Patagonia Strider Pro Shorts fit larger, as our one lead tester wore a medium in the previous version, but the small seemed to fit better and offer better support in the HeiQ Pure odor control brief.

There is no better type of running shorts for complete mobility and freedom than half tights. Running tights are somewhat of an acquired taste, but in the right application, they are far better than running shorts. The best use is when it’s cold and rainy. Wet shorts can get heavy in a downpour and start to feel cumbersome. Tights, on the other hand, stay put when wet and won’t feel as heavy. They also keep your quads and hamstrings warmer on chilly days.

Adidas absolutely nails the perfect half-tight with the Adizero Control Short Tights ($100), which have some pretty cool added tech built in. Of all the tights we tested, these provided the best support and compression. Not once did they start to ride up, and they offered a good amount of warmth and protection during a longer, cold, rainy run. 

At its most basic level, the tights provide compression that hugs your body, moisture-wicking AEROREADY fabric, and strategically placed perforations for enhanced breathability. For added support to aid your muscles during intense runs, Adidas incorporated Adizero control featuring RHEON technology. RHEON technology works by optimizing your running performance by minimizing unnecessary muscle movements, commonly referred to as shearing, thus allowing them to conserve energy effectively. 

Did it work? It’s impossible to tell, but we can say with certainty that we noticed the extra support, especially in the quads. Tech aside, if you’re an avid runner who doesn’t let the weather hold you back, give the Adidas Adizero Control Short Tights a try.

Making strides into the U.S. running market, Diadora is an Italian sportswear company founded in 1948 and is focused on a blend of heritage, innovation, and performance. With advanced technology, quality craftsmanship, and stylish designs, Diadora offers runners gear that stands out for both its functionality and aesthetic appeal. The Diadora Super Light Shorts ($70) are no exception. 

Crafted from a robust 100% polyester outer shell, the Super Light shorts incorporate Diadora’s Coolcore technology, delivering dynamic heat regulation, quick sweat evaporation, and fast drying times. Although not as lightweight as some alternatives, our trials along the sunny beach paths of Santa Barbara, Calif., substantiated these assertions. The best part is that all this is achieved through technology without chemical additives.

A standout feature rarely found in most running shorts is the addition of side hand pockets. Although not particularly practical for running, we found the Diadora Super Light Shorts incredibly useful when wearing the shorts for general athletic activities or in the gym. Moreover, one of the pockets even includes a full-length zipper for added security for your belongings.

If you’re not familiar with SAXX underwear, boy, are you missing out. Their claim to fame is something called the Ballpark Pouch, a built-in soft, supportive pouch for your boys. This unique design keeps your parts securely and comfortably tucked away and free from rubbing.

The Hightail 2-in-1 ($68) basically takes their award-winning underwear and wraps a moisture-wicking polyester stretch running shell on top. The Ballpark Pouch design works especially well when running. It’s more supportive than any other brief or liner, and it layers in extra prevention around your male parts.

Overall, we would have liked to see better pockets in these shorts. There’s one rear drop-in pocket that’s large enough to hold a few gels and a key, but not a phone. One really smart feature is the built-in key string to prevent your key from accidentally falling out when accessing items. We wish more companies would do this.

If you struggle with any kind of chafing, whether it be between the legs or around your male anatomy, or if you’re simply looking for a more supportive hold, the Hightail 2-in-1 is by far one of the best-fitting running shorts we’ve tested.

The Janji AFO Middle Shorts ($64) are as close as you’ll get to a next-to-nothing feeling from a pair of five-inch running shorts. Made with an ultra-thin recycled polyester and elastane blend shell, these were the shorts we kept reaching for during the hottest of days. Even when they were sweat-drenched, the shorts didn’t feel bogged down and, in direct sunlight, they dried quicker than most shorts we tested. 

Offered in both a three and five-inch inseam, our tester found them to run on the shorter side of five-inch running shorts. Still, thanks to a mild amount of stretch, they never felt constricting. The brief liner offers a decent amount of support and hold for such a lightweight pair of shorts. 

The Janji AFO Middle Shorts come with two pockets, a rear-zip pocket that barely fits an iPhone 14 Pro, and an internal drop-in pocket along the waist for cards, cash, or keys. One of the more brilliant features is the bungee cord that allows you to store your keys securely, so it’s impossible to lose them while running. 

If you’re looking for a comfortable, lightweight pair of running shorts for hot, humid weather, you’re not going to find too many as good as these.

Based out of the U.K., Rab has quickly become one of our favorite mountain apparel brands. The fabric is the best part of the shorts, which won us over. Rab’s Matrix fabric is phenomenal for any high-powered activity, such as running, hiking, or climbing.

The Talus Trail Shorts ($100) feature Matrix Aero, the lightest, fastest-drying version of Matrix. On the trails, the high-stretch fabric felt virtually unnoticeable. 

The waist belt is one of the most comfortable we tested. It’s thick with mild compression and tons of space to carry fuel and an emergency layer. There’s an extra large front mesh drop-in pocket for easy access with the ability to carry long items that don’t fit in most running shorts. 

While we prefer a brief style liner, the boxer brief was comfortable and features silicone grip dots to prevent it from riding up. The Trail Talus Light is a shorter inseam version with a brief liner. 

That said, there are a couple of areas where we think the Talus Trail Shorts could be improved. For starters, while we found the waist belt extremely comfortable, it doesn’t have a drawcord. This caused a lot of bouncing around when carrying multiple items in the waist belt pockets, especially heavier items like a phone.

In general, we don’t recommend buying these if you want to carry your phone in your shorts. Like most European companies, the fit is much slimmer than US apparel. Our slim 5’8″ tester with a 29-inch waist fell between a small and medium, but ultimately sized up.

These budget-friendly split shorts have become a staple for high schoolers and serious runners looking for good-quality, affordable training — and racing — split shorts. Free from the bells and whistles, such as zippered pockets, perforated waist belts, and high-tech fabric found on more expensive shorts, the BOA 1″ split short ($32) has everything you need and nothing you don’t in a pair of split shorts at a great price point.

While the 100% polyester shell isn’t stretchy, they offer superb freedom of movement thanks to a generous side split. Offered in six sizes, from extra small to extra extra large, we found they fit on the larger side compared to other split shorts we tested. Our tester regularly wears a men’s small and would want an extra small.

For under $40, the durability these shorts boast is somewhat astounding. While they aren’t necessarily designed for long-distance hiking, one of our editor gravitates to these for his thru-hiking exploits due to their ultralight, barely-there feel, and funky colorways. Three pairs of these shorts lasted over 5,000 miles of torture on a recent trek back and forth across the country, with only the liner showing true signs of deterioration. Pretty impressive for any short at this price point.

The elastic waistband with drawstring wasn’t the most comfortable and breathable, but it displayed enough holding power to avoid sliding down. We found the 100% polyester crepe brief mesh liner was comfortable and offered decent hold. The shorts only feature one drop-in internal pocket that’s relatively small and suitable for a key, card/cash, and maybe two GU gels.

The best part is the massive selection of colors and printed styles the BOA split shorts offer, such as red flannel, American flag, and Hawaiian print. Bottom line — if you run every day and split shorts are your go-to, having a few of these in your rotation is the investment.

For those seeking a not-too-short, not-too-long fast-looking pair of running shorts but don’t like the show-it-all style of true split shorts, the Salomon Cross 3” ($45) shorts offer the perfect medium length between the split short and a 5” pair. They are made with a breathable and fast-drying 100% polyester shell that’s lightweight and extremely comfortable. Despite not having any stretch, they offer excellent mobility and range of motion thanks to a two-inch side split.

We found the flat elastic waistbelt with internal drawstring comfortable — but wished it had a little more stretch. Still, even with the draw cord fully cinched tight around our waist, there weren’t any hot spots or irritation. As a bonus, the waistbelt has a loop in the rear to hang dry when not in use. 

Regarding storage on the Salomon Cross 3”, one rear zip pocket is large enough to fit our iPhone 14 Pro and maybe a few gels. If you’re going out for a long run that requires fuel, you’ll need to bring a hydration vest or waist belt to carry it. We highly recommend the Surf the Web blue colorway we tested, as we got a number of compliments as we trotted around town.