Buying running shorts sounds simple until you’re standing in front of ten near-identical pairs wondering why one costs twice as much as another. Most of the difference comes down to a handful of features that determine how the shorts actually perform once you’re out on the road or in the gym. Here’s what to look for, based on what our Men’s Athletic Running & Training Shorts are built around.
Fabric and moisture-wicking come first
Look for a lightweight, modified polyester microfibre fabric. This construction channels sweat away from the skin through capillary action, so the fabric stays drier and cooler as your session goes on. In Australian heat, this matters more than almost any other spec on the label — a heavy or non-wicking fabric will leave you overheated and chafed long before you hit your target distance.
Four-way stretch and a proper gusset
Running shorts that double as gym shorts need fabric that moves in every direction, plus a reinforced crotch gusset. Without it, deep squats, high knees, and lunges put stress directly on the seams. Four-way stretch combined with a gusseted cut lets the shorts move with your body instead of fighting it, whether you’re mid-interval on the track or under a barbell.
An internal compression liner solves two problems
A built-in brief-style liner does two jobs at once: it supports you during running and jumping, and it removes the inner-thigh skin-on-skin contact that causes chafing on longer runs. It also means you can skip wearing separate compression shorts underneath, which is one less layer trapping heat.
Waistband, drawstring, and pockets
A wide elastic waistband with an internal drawstring keeps shorts secure without digging in, and lets you adjust the fit for sprint work versus an easy jog. A zippered side pocket is worth having too — somewhere secure to carry a phone or keys on outdoor runs beats juggling an armband.
Reflective details, for early starts
If you train before sunrise or after dark, reflective elements on the shorts add a genuine safety margin around traffic. It’s a small feature that’s easy to overlook when comparing shorts side by side, but it matters the first time a driver actually sees you because of it.
Sizing for runners versus gym-goers
Our Men’s Athletic Running & Training Shorts run S through XXL and come in Grey & Black or White & Black. If you’re primarily a runner, go with your normal running short size for a fit that won’t shift during stride. If you’re mainly training in the gym, size to your regular waist measurement so you’ve got room through the seat and thighs for lower-body work.
Wash cold on a gentle cycle, skip the fabric softener (it coats the fibres and kills the moisture-wicking), and hang to dry or tumble dry on low. That’s really all the care they need to hold their performance through hundreds of sessions.
The short version
Fabric weight, four-way stretch, a real gusset, an internal liner, and a secure waistband are the features that separate shorts that survive a training block from shorts that don’t. You can see all of it built into one pair in our Men’s Athletic Running & Training Shorts, or browse the full range in our Shorts category.