The 6 Best Running Shorts With Phone Pockets, According to Runners

The new iteration of the AFO shorts are my current favorite pair of running shorts. The added long liner has a phone pocket on the right leg that has virtually no bounce—I forget my phone is even there.

I like that the slash pockets zip shut so I can throw my keys in there. Usually the zip pocket is on the rear and the side slash pockets don't zip shut. When my keys are in the rear pocket it sits right at my waist and I can feel my keys on my run, but that's not the case here.

Keep your phone on-hand and out of the way during your run.

These running shorts are exceptionally lightweight and breathable. The absence of slash pockets cuts down on bulkiness and they feel almost like running tights when I wear them.

The phone pocket on the liner is placed at the middle thigh which was a new feeling when running. Usually the pocket is at the upper thigh or ends at the hem of the liner so I thought having it at mid-thigh would lead to bouncing—I was wrong. I didn't feel my phone at all and preferred this placement over the other two.

The strategic pocket placement on these shorts keeps your phone from bouncing by securing it in the spandex material of the liner. The thigh location keeps it out of the way on runs while still staying relatively accessible. This pair has two drop-in pockets at the waist and a concealed zip pocket at the right rear to hold cards or keys.

There’s a hole to feed headphones through from the phone pocket up to your ears. Though most people have a pair of wireless headphones they use for working out, some runners swear by wired headphones—there have been plenty of occasions when my AirPods didn’t charge in the case and I don't realize it until I'm walking out the door.

These help to keep wires out of the way when you’re in a pinch, and the pocket is big enough to fit your earbuds case, too, if you like to keep things wire-free.

Lululemon built its name on exceptionally soft leggings and the brand’s reputation carries over to its popular Pace Breaker shorts. Associate Editor Tom Price tested both the lined and unlined versions of these running shorts and found the phone pocket, which is only available on the lined version, does a great job of keeping his phone in place during long runs.

The fabric is exceptionally lightweight and has a noticeably softer feel than other high-end running shorts. He also put these shorts through weightlifting and yoga workouts and found them to be a Phones may be getting smarter, but they’re not getting any smaller. A in general.

While the compression liner does a great job keeping belongings secure, Price did notice they took some getting used to since they’re quite snug.

Bandit was founded by runners from different New York City run crews, and it’s making some of the sleekest run gear out there. The Vento shorts have slash pockets at the waist and a zip pocket at the right rear to stash cards, keys, and gels.

Its phone pocket is on the right leg of the liner so it stays close to the body and doesn't bounce on runs.

The pocket is a bit higher up than others and sits at the upper thigh, which we found to be more comfortable and stable. These are also comfy for lounging, but they cost more than most of our other picks.

I'm impressed by how well they hold up after multiple wash cycles. I've had a black pair for over two years that I use a lot and they still look pretty new. I use them for biking around in summer as well.

Running in tights can reduce chafing and discomfort by cutting down on the amount of fabric you’re wearing, but that sometimes also cuts down on storage. Janji’s trail tights solve the problem with double side pockets that are tiered to maximize storage and keep things separate.

The drawstring waistband ensures a secure fit and the pocket on the back is big enough for a couple of gels or a light rain jacket—plus the pocket opens back up at the bottom, so you can also pull a base layer through to keep it from riding up.

Customers report the fit on these is spot on and liked the functionality of the strategically designed pockets. They’re also available in full-length tights for when the temps drop—Deputy Editor Zoë Hannah has tried those out, and she loves the functional pockets and low-profile seams on this design.

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