Summer running is challenging enough with the heat and humidity. The last thing you need is to be held back by underperforming running shorts. The perfect running shorts should be so comfortable that you hardly notice them—no bunching, chafing, or feeling restricted, all while looking good. We tested over 40 pairs in the most sweltering conditions to find the best running shorts for you, whether you prefer the freedom of 3-inch shorts, the standard 5-inch, or the extra coverage of 7-inch.
While you’re at it, be sure to check out our picks for the best running shirts for men and the best running shoes.
Updated August 2024: We’ve removed one item and added three new picks to our guide from Hoka, Adidas, and Under Armour.
At a Glance
- Best All-Around:
- Best Value:
- Best for High Heat:
- Best Splurge:
- Best Half Tight:
- Best Wear-Anywhere:
- What to Look For in Running Shorts
- How We Test
- Meet Our Lead Testers
All gear in this guide was tested by multiple reviewers. If you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This supports our mission to get more people active and outside. Learn more.
Best All-Around
Patagonia Strider Pro 5” Shorts
Sizing: XS-XL
Pros and Cons
⊕ Comfortable fit and fabric
⊕ Breathability
⊕ Flattering understated style
⊗ Some prefer a shorter inseam in high heat and humidity
ϳԹ’s testers have run in several dozen shorts over the past few years, yet they keep landing on this workhorse as one of the best (it made our list in 2023 as well). “The fabric and tailoring combine to make a short that is coolly comfortable in fit, performance, and style,” tester Jonathan Beverly said. “The waistband has the right thickness and amount of stretch to stay put but not squeeze, the fabric drapes and dries nicely, and the liner is soft and airy without any irritating seams.”
Its just-right qualities extend to the pocketing—with one central rear zip and a stealth slot on each back hip—and to moisture management: only when the dew point was above 70 Fahrenheit did the outer layer get saturated enough to cling. Environmental bonus: Recycled polyester makes up 90% of the garment. – Scott Douglas
Best Value
Under Armour Launch 5” Shorts
Sizing: S-XXL
Pros and Cons
⊕ Excellent value
⊕ Comfortable fit
⊗ No secure zippered pocket
Sometimes, simplicity is the best approach. Designed to provide exactly what you need to stay dry and comfortable and nothing more, the Under Armour Launch 5” Shorts deliver high performance without the high price tag. The shorts are made from a stretchy woven polyester fabric over a breathable mesh liner and have vented mesh side panels to allow excess heat to dissipate.
As you might expect from a budget-friendly pair of shorts, they don’t offer the most ergonomic fit designed specifically for runners, trending to the looser side. However, the relaxed fit through the legs with side notches does offer good mobility.
The shorts feature two side hand pockets, one of which includes an elastic mesh holder meant for your phone. We found, however, that It’s not the most secure spot while running and recommend finding a for carrying your phone. Beyond the competitive price point, one of the best features is the the wide choice of colors (seven options!). – Cory Smith
Best for High Heat
Hoka Glide 5” Short w/ Brief
Sizing: XS-XXL
Pros and Cons
⊕ Extremely lightweight
⊕ Comfortable liner
⊗ Phone bounces in back mesh pocket
If you’re the kind of runner who trains no matter how hot and humid it gets, you need a pair of shorts that are lightweight, breathable, and won’t weigh you down when drenched in sweat. The Hoka Glide 5” short with brief fits this bill perfectly.
The thin stretch-woven polyester/spandex fabric with a DWR coat is incredibly airy and flexible. A mesh liner enhances the shorts’ breathability while offering a good amount of support. Even during my most humid runs, when I became soaked with sweat, the shorts remained unrestrictive, soft, and comfortable.
The shorts feature a small zippered pocket ideal for securing essentials like keys and money, and a spacious mesh rear pouch, open on both ends and large enough to hold a phone or soft flask. Items in the large mesh pocket, however, tend to bounce around while running. – CS
Best Splurge
Soar Run Shorts
Sizing: XS-XXL
Pros and Cons
⊕ Good blend of comfort and performance
⊕ Suitable for most seasons
⊗ Pocket too small to hold a phone
These unassuming, light, ventilated offerings are a good option for your core shorts—that pair you grab throughout the year, for all kinds of runs, because you know they’ll be comfortable and functional. During our summer testing, they especially excelled on hard runs when sweat rates were higher, thanks to their polyamide/elastane blend. The slim, separate waistband keeps everything secure without causing lower-GI-tract distress, which is common when your body has shunted blood from internal organs to the skin to help with cooling.
The 5” inseam strikes a balance between modesty and uninhibited motion. The rear zip pocket is too small for a phone but can simultaneously hold a key, credit card, and gel. – SD
Best Half Tights
Adidas Control Running Shorts Tight
Sizing: XS-2XL
Pros and Cons
⊕ Supportive fit
⊕ High-quality material
⊗ Thick material can run hot
There’s something uniquely satisfying about the feel of snug, supportive tights hugging your muscles. The Adidas Control Running Shorts Tight, crafted from a relatively thick blend of 83% polyester and 17% elastane, delivers mild compression to your quads, glutes, and hamstrings, ensuring they stay engaged and protected during even the most intense runs.
Flexible, rubber-like (TPE) strips stretch across the major muscles to add additional support. The result is a tighter, more supportive fit than any other tight we tested. Although you might expect tights to feel restrictive, the material is surprisingly stretchy and flexible, allowing full range of motion. The downside is that they can feel too warm in hot conditions.
Inside the tights, there’s a small fold-over pocket designed for essentials like keys or cards. While functional, the addition of a zippered pocket would have been ideal to ensure the secure storage of important items. -CS
Best Wear-Anywear
Flylow Hawk Shorts
Sizing: S-XXL
Pros and Cons
⊕ Pockets aplenty
⊕ Leisurewear styling
⊗ Bigger fit than some runners prefer
The Flylow Hawk are high-performing, well-pocketed shorts that won’t make you look like a running nerd. “These are officially my new favorite running shorts,” tester Nathan Brown said. “From the comfort of the brief liner to the aesthetics, these shorts ticked all the boxes.”
The polyester/spandex fabric is water-resistant and wicks massive amounts of sweat, provides UPF 40+ sun protection, and allows full range of motion. The back-hip pockets hold fobs and fuel without sagging. The zippered rear pocket accommodates a phone without excessive bouncing. At the same time, they look more like leisurewear shorts than high-performing running bottoms. Our tester often wore them for non-running activities, which isn’t something most of us like doing in most running shorts. – SD
What to Look For in Running Shorts
Running shorts vary in length, liners, pockets, fit, and fabric. You’ll want a length that is short enough for full, unimpeded motion (the faster the run, the shorter and more split the shorts tend to be), but long enough to feel decent on the trail, road, or post-run coffee shop.
Liners range from soft, loose briefs to compression-shorts-like stretchy boxers—or none at all for those who prefer to wear their own underwear. Choosing between liners is a matter of personal taste, balancing breathability and range of motion with level of coverage and control.
Pockets need to be big and secure enough for whatever you want to carry: phone, keys, cards, gels. Location is important to allow convenient access and avoid bouncing and chafing, as is the robustness of the waistband to prevent sagging when carrying anything heavy, like a phone.
When it comes to fit and fabric, as with all summer running gear, you want pieces that breathe, wick moisture, move naturally, don’t stink, and don’t get in the way.
Here are some quick tips on buying the best summer gear without going broke:
- Look for high-quality synthetic fibers. Yes, our top picks include a few items with natural fibers. But for the most part, specially designed varieties of polyester, polyamide, nylon, and the like can handle summer running’s high sweat rates better than wool and cotton.
- Seek sun protection. Even if you run at dawn or dusk, or on trails, sun damage can be insidious. Many shorts and tops come with a UPF coating. Well-ventilated hats reduce squinting while shedding heat. Running tan lines aren’t something to be proud of.
- Check for chafing. If you’ve ever been rubbed raw by a rigid seam or sagging liner, you won’t want to repeat the experience. Abrasion accelerates when you’re drenched in sweat. Look for flat seams, unobtrusive logos, and other elements of construction that will minimize chafing.
- Go with the flow. Our picks in this review strike the right balance between being loose enough to allow cooling air flow but not so billowy that they impede normal running form.
- Banish bacteria. Many high-quality summer running items incorporate an anti-bacterial treatment that greatly reduces nasty odors setting up shop. These pieces not only can be worn many more times before needing to be washed, but also lessen your chance of developing a funky skin situation.
- Invest in quality. It can be tempting to think, “Whatever I run in is going to get soaked anyway, so I’ll just buy the cheapest gear out there.” Such reasoning quickly falls apart when, well, the item itself starts to fall apart because of constant exposure to sweat and frequent laundering. Fewer high-quality pieces that hold their form and don’t hold odors are better than more cheaply made gear that will start disintegrating in one summer.
How We Test
- Number of testers: 10
- Number of shorts tested: 40+
- Number of miles run in testing: 4,500+
- Highest testing temperature: 97 Fahrenheit
Our testing team ranged across the U.S.—from coastal Maine and western Maryland to central Wisconsin, the high plains of Nebraska, the urban bake sites of Chicago and Houston, and out to Santa Barbara on the California coast, plus, for good measure, the running hub of Eugene, Oregon. All are dedicated runners with average weekly mileage ranging from low 20s to mid 70s. Some have been running for 30 or more years and can compare today’s running apparel to previous attempts to keep runners cool in the summer.
We focused on a subjective combination of moisture management, comfort, versatility, value, and looks to answer a simple question: Of all the apparel you logged summer miles in, which would you be most likely to recommend to fellow runners?
Meet Our Lead Testers
Cory Smith
Cory Smith, a former Division One runner at Villanova University, has been running since the mid-1990s. With over a decade of experience testing and reviewing running apparel and shoes for publications like ϳԹ and Runner’s World, he continues to compete as a masters athlete, boasting a personal best of 4:31 in the mile. He consistently logs 30 to 40 miles per week over roads, trails and on the track.
A cross-country race Cory Smith ran while testing running shorts:
(Gaia GPS is owned by ϳԹ Inc.)
Scott Douglas
I’ve run more than 130,000 miles since starting as a teen in the 1970s, and have always loved how daily runs undergird and elevate the rest of my life. As and a writer/editor about fitness, I’m fortunate to have my personal and professional lives mesh. I sweat like crazy despite living in Maine.
Here is a portion of the trails Scott Douglas ran on while testing running shorts:
(Gaia GPS is owned by ϳԹ Inc.)
Other testers included:
- , a Nebraska resident who is a senior running gear editor for ϳԹ and has also been running since the 1970s.
- , a doctor of physical therapy who founded the Pineries Running Lab in Wisconsin.