Our favourite sports shorts for running, the gym and beach activities
At Short Motivation we’re privileged to be in a position where we are sent and can test a wide selection of shorts designed for various purposes: beach, gym, around town, paddle boarding or running – we have waded through all the short-wearing possibilities. As a result, we believe we’re in a position to recommend shorts based on the occasion, accompanied by the reasons for their selection.
First and foremost, whilst we love shorts that look stylish, we will make recommendations based on the functionality an practicality of the shorts, incorporating the fit and fabric. For instance, the fit and flexibility of one short might suit the function of one action, but not the other. It’s important to pick a short that makes you feel comfortable, then you can consider the aesthetics such as colour, length and the clothes selection for your choice of short.
Sports shorts tend to look like they were designed for sports, but this is a changing market. Recent advances in fabric technology have resulted in stylish sports shorts you can potentially wear for having lunch in a resort restaurant, after spending the morning paddle boarding around the coast. It was Orlebar Brown who pioneered the “shorts you can swim in”, bringing a short to market which enabled the wearer to combine style with function.
The ashmei 2-in-1 running shorts
Running: ashmei 2-in-1 Running Shorts
Running shorts made from wool? Think again. Merino wool is perfect for running in cold and warm weather. The reasons are simple. Sheep wear their own coat all year around so there’s a method behind the reasoning. These ashmei shorts use the latest sweat-wick technology in a Merino wool blend on the inner compression short and the outer layer short is a stretchy water repellant fabric and there is a back pocket to keep your essentials for your run.
We’ve tried this short for longer runs as well as some HIIT track runs. Pair this with one of the Merino wool base layers or a Bodyism top from the Orlebar Brown capsule collection
The ashmei 2-in-1 short is available on the ashmei website for $130/£90
Castore Marco shorts in black
Gym: Castore ‘Marco’ Short
Many short manufacturers like to portray themselves as different, but sometimes they have dubious material to back these claims. However, Castore really are different. The material is made from a stretchy fabric without being too tight, hence they are perfect for general gym use and, in particular, squatting. There is a meshed ventilation area in the crotch and our favourite, covered zipped pockets with credit card slots in them, perfect for the gym when you need to keep your valuables on your person.
The shorts have been finished with polygiene which is a an anti-bacterial anti-odour treatment which is permanent, so if you don’t have time to wash the shorts in between workouts you won’t bring a stink with you to the gym for everyone else. Finally, the shorts are durable and corrosion proof against chlorine, so if you want to go for a swim after your leg session you don’t need to change!
The Castore Marco Short is available on the Castore website for $245/£150
Orlebar Brown Setter short in Pistachio
The Beach: Orlebar Brown ‘Setter’
There are many options available for swim/beach shorts. This was not always the case, when Orlebar Brown revolutionised the market with their tailored approach to short manufacturing. The shorts are available in several lengths including the mid-length Bulldog and shorter Springer, all named after dog breeds.
Our favourite all-round Orlebar Brown short, suitable for the beach through formal wear, is the Setter, which is a short to mid-length option. Available in several colours, great fit, quick drying and also pairs well with a shirt if you need to grab food somewhere after your sporting activity. We recommend combining the Setter with an Orlebar Brown ‘Morton’ linen shirt.
The Orlebar Brown Setter is available on the Orlebar Brown website for $123/£95
Jack in Navy from Orlerbar Brown
General Sport: Orlebar Brown ‘Jack’
What if you do all of the above within a day, is there a short you can use for this? We believe there is.
The new Orlebar Brown ‘Jack’ short is all about movement. The short is manufactured using the traditional tailored style of the mid-lengh Bulldog, using ultra-lightweight nylon. The elastane content offers 13% stretch so you can use it while squatting, sprinting or even yoga. Using rubber zip components, the shorts are very lightweight, too. The shorts are ideal if you want a single pair of shorts to go from gym through to the beach and the across to the resort restaurant for lunch.
The Jack is available from the Orlebar Brown website for $145/£95
Have you bought or used any of the shorts mentioned above? If so, what do you think of the them? Do you have any other recommendations? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
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