The 13 Best Men’s Shorts That Provide Airflow, Storage, and Support

From the beginning, we knew these were a contender for Best Overall. The Tried n’ True has airy poly/spandex fabric, lots of pockets, and a comfortable, odor-resistant Polartec Power Dry brief liner. The back pocket is big enough for a phone, and crucially, is positioned high enough so that it reduces bouncing (some that are lower allow too much movement for anything more bulky than a credit card).

I appreciated the perforated panels along the top of the glutes and down the sides, as they genuinely did allow extra airflow. And the hand pockets are handy for those days when I lounged around on the sidelines of my kid’s lacrosse game after putting in 5 or 6 miles during their warmups. They also come in a 7-inch length, which Editorial Assistant Michael McDonough tested.

“I really enjoyed the Rabbit Tried n’ True far more than I expected,” McDonough says. “At first glance, it seems like more of an all-purpose athletic pair of shorts than a running-geared pair with its 7-inch inseam and deep side pockets. But despite the extra fabric, the shorts were still light and great for runs—especially thanks to the comfy liner and helpful back pocket. The versatility makes the pair not only a great pair of running shorts, but solid for casual wear as well.”

Yeah, $29. That’s not a typo. You can barely find shorts for this price at TJ Maxx these days. But the Sendero is way better quality—on par with shorts three to four times the price, says RW Senior Video Producer Pat Heine.

“Value is the key word here. These $29 shorts match up easily against other shorts I have of similar construction (similar inseam, brief liner, 360-degree waist pockets) that cost $50-$120. Material-wise, they compare more to shorts in the $50 range, like the REI Swiftland (though those don’t have the pockets).”

Heine found the fit true-to-size, the liner irritation-free. The only caveat of the shorts: the drop-in mesh pockets are a bit roomy. “Other shorts I have with similar pockets have a better hold on items while moving,” he says. “Nothing has come close to ejecting, but there is a little more bounce. This could also be solved by making the pockets slightly deeper.”

Everyone’s favorite go-to cheap Amazon short is Baleaf—and there’s a reason for that. The shorts are surprisingly resistant to wear and tear, and have copious room for storage in the back zipper pocket. The fabric is lightweight and has a reflective logo for low light runs.

The drawback about these shorts is that sizing runs big. The legs can be baggy and run long on some body types. It’ll take some exchanges to find the right fit (unless you get lucky the first go-around).

These are the only shorts not tested by staff. We plan to test them and will include feedback in a future update.

This is a basic lightweight running short that fits relaxed enough without being too flowy. Testers appreciated the generous space of the pockets that securely cradled a phone and other on-the-run essentials. Bonus: They’re on the more affordable side for shorts these days.

Our director of content operations, Brian Dalek, appreciated how the shorts had enough “heft” not to rip apart in the wash while also coming off as breezy during a run. The liner wasn’t noticeable, and Dalek liked how the shorts hugged his waist without leaving an imprint on his skin. He found the pockets’ depth very generous—and stable. “The pockets easily held my phone and a few other items without swaying all over the place,” he says.

Brooks technically targets these shorts for trail runners, but roadies headed out for a long run will appreciate the huge cargo capacity. The 2-in-1 essentially has a waist belt stitched on. I’ve long been a fan of Flipbelt for toting around my phone and gels on long runs, but that’s all doable in these secure shorts. The boxer-length liner helps add support for your haul, too.

“The Brooks High Point was an exceptional pair of shorts to run in,” McDonough says. “They were the most unique pair I’ve ever worn, thanks to the combination of the boxer-brief liner, high waist, and 360-degree pockets. While these features may be notable, they shouldn’t be the selling point—it’s the lightweight, über-comfortable fit that make these shorts great to run in.

“The pockets were solid,” he continues, “especially considering there are four of them and they never interfered with any of the runs! Being high up on the waist was a huge advantage, and it was nice to be able to hold so much and never have to worry about things banging into my legs.”

You either love or hate half tights. But, those in the “love” camp often aren’t completely thrilled because some pairs are just too dang long. Most half tights cover the entire thigh, ending just above the knee. But, Ciele, known for its variety of running hats, has come out with a solution in the trimmable FSTTight.

There are two dotted lines that circle around both legs of the shorts, giving you a straight line to cut along and shorten these to your liking. The fabric won’t fray and backing tape along the seams ensures those stay at the right length, too. Another factor that sets these apart from other half tights is that they’re quite compressive—I have stocky thighs and felt really squeezed in them.

“These have quickly become some of my go-to shorts,” says Theo Kahler, RW news editor. “The material is fairly thick, but it feels very smooth against my skin, and the pockets are well-designed.”

These shorts are for the runner who must have all the pockets. Let’s start with zippers. You have the traditional zippered rear pocket with a zipper, but the AFO also gets two zippered hand pockets. You might not run with anything heavy, but I found the zippers hugely helpful for carrying a phone and keys—nothing worse than your phone flopping out onto a parking lot.

They also have two drop-in gel pockets on the hips, which are roomy enough for the current trend of tall-and-skinny gel packs. Plus, there’s a drop-in interior pocket on the front with an elastic leash and plastic carabiner. I use this to securely clip on my car key when I run during my kid’s sports practices.

I also really love the soft shell fabric of the shorts themselves. It’s flowy and breezy on a run, but soft against your skin.

These 2-in-1 shorts have some of the most thoughtful details, starting with the liner. Instead of a stretchy brief, the snug-fitting boxer liner (it peeks out the legs of the shorts) is tailored for comfortable support. The liner also boosts stability for your heavy loads on long runs.

Each leg features a drop-in pocket that you can actually access from up near the waistband—you don’t have to lift up the outer shorts to get at the pocket. Instead, an opening like a normal drop-in pocket gives you access. Those are big enough for an iPhone and Maurten 160 gels. There are two more gel pockets on the inside of the liner, along your back.

One of the best features, however, is a pouch on the front to stash the drawstring. It’s not usually much of an issue for shorts with flimsy cords, but the Fast and Free has decently thick ribbon and thick plastic aglets at the end of the string. Those can bounce around if you don’t stow them away.

I also like the two stretchy straps on the waistband. You can use them to fasten a t-shirt if you take it off midrun.

New Balance makes two versions of its RC short—this comfy pair for daily wear and a skimpier, thinner “Ultra Light” version built for short races. But why do they have to put the drawstring on the outside? That’s a trend that’s popped up across many brands now. Some shorts, like the Nike Stride on this list, give you slits on the inside and outside of the waistband, so you can choose where to let your knot fall. But, the New Balance shorts have a long and floppy drawstring that can only hang out.

The RC Short is made of stretchy material that has pinhole perforations for ventilation on hot days. The short itself is heavy enough to resist bunching up with your stride, but not so heavy that it inhibits movement.

Extra attention has been paid to the brief liner inside, pre-shaping it without the use of seams for a better, distraction-free fit. I wore them on a 20-miler in a rainstorm without any irritation or chafing. (It’s worth noting, the Ultra Light version’s liner feels lighter and smaller; a couple of us noted that it tends to ride up and feels like it doesn’t offer as much coverage as other shorts.)

Both the RC and Ultra Light have two small drop-in pockets inside the back of the liner. It’s stretchy enough to stuff in a driver’s license or one to two gels, but nothing bigger. The RC has a zippered pocket on the back that’s big enough for an iPhone, but I don’t find it stable enough when I’m running. Also, the stretchy fabric requires you to use two hands to zip and unzip it.

We love this no-frills 2-in-1 short because it nails the basics. Some of us want the extra comfort and security from a boxer-brief liner, but many such shorts make you feel like a pack mule with a ton of extra pockets. These have two hand pockets (handy for off-the-run storage), a zippered back pocket that we only really use for a credit card, and a single drop-in that can swallow a couple of gels. The liner is tailored with a comfy pouch, but despite an excessive amount of stitching, it remains chafe-free because the seams are flat and soft.

A key feature of these that I love is the ability to have the drawstring knotted on either side of the waistband. So many shorts now have the bow and drawstring flopping around on the outside. I’m not a fan of that trend. The Stride has slits in the waistband that allow you to move it inside, so you can tie it up and stow it away more traditionally.

Love the back pocket. It's crisp, well constructed, and sits higher on the back than most back pockets. It fits an iPhone (our previous writeup says they couldn’t, so nice update) and holds it securely, but I don't really prefer how it hits my glutes as I bounce along down the road; I still go for a Flipbelt. The liner is almost like a bikini brief. It didn't cause me any troubles, but it took a little getting used to.

The waistband has been improved, too, and fits comfortably. It feels like a complete part of the short, rather than a belt from which fabric just dangles. And, it has an elastic strap so you can stash your t-shirt when you get really sweaty.

Path Projects’s system is all about modularity—liners are sold separately, and you can choose between 5-inch and 7-inch shorts lengths. For runners, the company makes two shorts and a half tight. The Graves PX has a bit more casual, every styling. But the Sykes PX, here, is trail race and training ready. The shorts have three zippered pockets on the back, with enough capacity to get through a marathon—I jammed nine gels in them for a long effort (I didn’t come close to eating all of them).

I really like the shorts’ material. It’s durable and resists brushes with sticks and weeds when you’re trail running. Plus, all runners will like the DWR finish that helps keep the shorts drier—they don’t stick to your legs in a downpour.

Completely redesigned, the Session short still maintains that silky soft, flowy feeling the shorts have always delivered. We included the shorts in our 2025 Gear of the Year roundup.

A big update is in the pocketing. Previously, they had a zippered pocket right in the center of the back. That’s moved to the right hip, a somewhat odd placement that works for everything lighter than your phone. For that, I stick it inside the drop-in pocket inside the back—the opening is tacked and the liner is stretchy so it can swallow up big things like a phone and they’ll stay put. (However, some may desire shorts with higher back pocket placement—like the phone pocket on the Rabbit Tried n’ True—so the phone isn’t hitting your rear.)

The liner continues to be loose fitting. I feel like I have to pull up the shorts higher than normal to get good support, but it’s soft and doesn’t promote any irritation.

The short length is a generous 5 inches; it fits maybe more like 6 inches, which is great if you don’t like showing much thigh. It’s not as blousy as the previous model and moves better with your body, but there’s really not much modesty because the whole kit hugs your body closely and shows more than some runners may prefer.