Best Workout Shorts for Running

The short answer: running shorts live or die on three things — inner-thigh behavior over thousands of strides, a waistband that neither slides nor folds, and fabric light enough to forget (roughly 140–160 g/m² for loose shorts, 210–230 g/m² for fitted biker styles). Choose fitted if your thighs touch, loose with a liner if they don't, and never buy running shorts without jogging in place and doing three deep lunges first.

Loose or fitted: settle it by stride, not style

The average runner takes roughly 1,400–1,700 steps per mile. If your inner thighs make contact, loose unlined shorts will chafe within a couple of miles once sweat starts — fitted stretch shorts eliminate the skin-on-skin problem entirely by putting fabric there. If your thighs clear, loose shorts run cooler and swing freer. Neither answer is more "serious"; it's anatomy. Fitted also wins for track workouts and treadmills (no flapping at speed), while loose wins for hot, easy miles — more on that trade in the hot yoga shorts guide, where the same physics shows up at higher humidity.

Fabric weight sets the feel

For loose running shorts, light is right: the Women's Drawstring Bermuda Shorts run a 140 g/m² outer (88% polyester, 12% elastane) with an 80% nylon inner — an airy build that breathes through tempo work, with a longer cut that also solves thigh rub for some runners. For fitted styles, 210–230 g/m² gives opacity and hold without heat: the Women's High-Waisted Pocket Biker Shorts (80% polyester, 20% spandex, 210 g/m²) sit right in the pocket. Heavier than 250 g/m² is squat-rack fabric, not mile fabric.

The waistband test nobody does

A running waistband fails in one of two directions: sliding down (too loose, or rise too low for your build) or folding over (too soft an elastic for the rise height). Test both in the store: jog in place for 30 seconds, then do three walking lunges. High-rise designs with wide elastic — like the Women's High Rise Pocket Yoga Shorts (75% nylon, 25% elastane, 220 g/m²) — anchor above the hip bones where there's less movement, which is why high-rise dominates for running. A drawstring is worth having on any loose short; on fitted shorts, rise and elastic width do the job.

Pockets: carry test before you buy

Phone bounce ruins runs. A side pocket must hold the phone against the leg with fabric tension — drop your phone in and hop ten times. If it thumps, it fails. Zippered or deep drop-in pockets on the thigh beat waistband pockets for anything heavier than a key. Both pocketed picks above pass with a mid-size phone; the Bermuda's drawstring build carries less securely at speed, so treat it as an easy-day option.

Quick comparison

Details that separate good from great

Flat interior seams (turn them inside out and run a finger along the inner thigh line), a gusset or seam-free crotch panel to kill the four-seam junction, and quick-dry finishing so a sweated-through waistband doesn't stay heavy for the back half of a long run. Colorfast dark fabrics hide road spray; if you're building a full kit around them, the matching sets guide shows what pairs cleanly, and the HIIT shorts guide covers where running shorts do and don't cross over. Shop the full range in the bottoms collection and women's activewear.

Care so they last a training cycle

Wash at 30°C on gentle after every run — sweat salt stiffens light knits fast — skip softener (it clogs wicking), and hang dry. Elastane-blend shorts kept out of hot dryers typically outlast two pairs that go in. Rotate two to three pairs if you run four or more days a week.

FAQ

Should running shorts be tight or loose?

Fitted if your inner thighs touch when you stride, loose if they clear — that single anatomical fact predicts chafe better than any fabric claim. Many runners keep one of each: fitted for speed days, loose for hot easy runs.

What length of running shorts should I get?

Whatever keeps skin from rubbing at your contact points: 3–5" inseams for full freedom, biker length (7–9") for guaranteed thigh coverage, Bermuda length for maximum coverage and sun protection. Length is a chafe tool, not a fashion rule.

How do I stop my shorts from riding up when I run?

Ride-up means the fabric is too narrow for your thigh at that length — size up, choose a longer fitted style, or switch to a looser cut. Anti-ride hacks like balms treat the symptom; geometry is the cure.

How many pairs of running shorts do I need?

Three covers a 4–6 run week with same-day washing: one on, one drying, one ready. Light 140–160 g/m² shorts usually air-dry overnight, so heavy rotation is realistic.