The Best Men's Running Shorts

The Session is the lightest, most breathable short in Ten Thousand's range, and it suits runs as well as conditioning work. It has a brief liner, a zip phone pocket, a zip card pocket, a perforated waistband, split hems and a shirt loop, and it comes in sizes up to XXXL. It costs $98 lined, with an unlined version at $88. The trade-offs: the price is steep, the optional trunk liner is slimmer than the one on the Interval, and the very light fabric may feel less substantial. Skip it if you want a heavier, compressive feel or a budget price. Ten Thousand offers a 30-day return policy, but it is strict: you must request within the window and mail it back within 14 days. Our Ten Thousand Session Short review covers fit. It is also tagged for HIIT and speed work in our data, so it doubles as a gym short.

The Launch Elite 7" is the sensible choice for runners who want a liner and a phone pocket without paying premium prices. It lists at about $50, with the page showing $44.97, and has lightweight stretch-woven fabric, a mesh liner, reflective details and an expandable, water-resistant back pocket that holds a phone. The compromises: UA describes the fit as close to the body, so it may feel snug, the page showed a single colorway that was out of stock and sizes were not captured. We could not read UA's return policy, although a banner says free returns. Skip it if you want a loose, roomy fit. Check the size chart and stock before you order, since availability looks limited. Even so, at this price with a liner and a phone pocket, it is the best value on the list, and our estimated rating gives it 5 out of 5 for value.

The Pace Breaker is for runners who prefer their own underwear or tights. It is light, with a back mesh yoke for ventilation, a side zip pocket and hidden phone and coin sleeves. It comes in 5, 7 and 9 inch inseams, and owners rate it 4.5 stars from about 1,800 reviews on Lululemon's page. Lululemon says all the polyester is recycled, excluding trims. It lists at $68, which is the top of the mainstream running range, though the page showed $39 as a final sale price. Skip it if you want a built-in liner, or if you do not want a final-sale item, because sale-priced shorts cannot be returned. Lululemon otherwise allows returns within 30 days. Our Pace Breaker review has more.

If you carry a phone, gels and keys on long runs, the Distance Short has the best storage here. It has an ultralight perforated shell, a zippered rear phone pocket, gel and key pockets, an integrated brief liner and an elasticated shirt loop. It is designed for long runs, tempo days and races. It costs $128, which is among the most expensive running shorts we found. The 3 inch inseam shows a lot of leg, and we only saw it in black. Skip it if you want longer coverage or run on a budget. The brand lists recycled materials without percentages, so we cannot quote a figure. Ten Thousand's 30-day return policy applies, with prepaid USPS labels, but the brand is strict about the 14-day mail-back rule. It is tagged for race use in our data, which tells you who it is aimed at: runners who want the least fabric and the most pockets, and who are comfortable paying for it.

The Gymshark Running short offers a lot for $48: a brief liner with a soft brushed lining, a zip back pocket, reflective details, angled hems and open side splits. The fabric is 86% recycled polyester with 14% elastane. The cautions: the page showed only 20 reviews at a 3.4 average, and the listing says 5 inch while the page states a 6 inch inseam at size M, so check the size chart. Few colors were available. Skip it if you want lots of owner reviews before buying. Gymshark accepts returns within 30 days of delivery, unworn and unwashed, and items with a final discount of 60% or more are final sale. Size range extends to plus sizes in our data. At this price it is a low-risk way to try a liner-and-split-hem design, and it is tagged for long runs and everyday wear.

The Rhone Pursuit lined 7" suits runners who also hit the gym. It has a medium-compression liner with two drop-in pockets, plus a zip pocket and two hand pockets and an in-out drawcord. Rhone promotes it as Men's Health's "Best Workout Short." It costs about $84. The trade-offs: Rhone's page could not display a price when we checked, REI reviewers say it fits slightly large and a compression liner is not for everyone. Skip it if you dislike compression liners or want unlined cooling. Rhone offers free returns within 45 days in the US, which is the longest window we could confirm among these picks. Rhone's page and fabric details were hard to confirm, so double-check the specs before you buy.

The Alo Traction is a lightweight waffle-knit short with zippered side pockets and a short 5 inch cut. Alo says the fabric keeps you cool, and it describes the fit as true to size. It costs $88 and Alo does not state a liner. The compromises: you pay a premium for a short without a stated liner, the inseam grows with size (5 inches in S to 7 inches in 2XL) and the page showed it out of stock, so it may be a carryover. Skip it if you want a built-in liner, a bargain or a guaranteed current style. Alo covers return shipping on US orders with a prepaid label and accepts unworn items within 30 days. Plus sizes are offered in our data.