More specifically, I like the Vuori Sunday Performance Short because outside of their comfort, they work pretty well in a wide range of contexts. You can wear them to run errands, casually, and in more relaxed settings and they fit the bill well. I try to keep in mind that cheaper workout shorts typically won’t deliver the same quality as premium shorts, so when assessing budget shorts I’m constantly looking for which pairs give me the most “premium feel” which is an area where the LRD Athletic Shorts deliver on. Material: Polyester, nylon, and spandex | Lining options: Lined or unlined | Inseam length: 5 inches or 7 inches Over the past couple years we've tested out—a.k.a., sweated in—a wide array of gym and running shorts to assemble this guide. To single out the best mens workout shorts, we've considered price, durability, fabric, useful details, style, and all the almost-intangibles that can turn a pair into your favorite gym partner.

When looking into different inseam options there are two aspects to consider. The first is your preference and what you like with your shorts. The second is how the inseam can support or hinder performance.

My Top Picks for Men’s Gym Shorts

We've enlisted the help of our expert panel of testers to put a bunch of gym shorts through their paces. Several hundreds of squats, lifting sessions, laps and lunges later and we've whittled down our edit of the very best men's gym shorts.

We do have a couple of complaints about the interval shorts, however. The crotch in the liner hangs quite low and our tester found himself needing to frequently adjust his shorts during testing. It’s an interesting problem because typically we associate compression liners with riding up, but instead, we found the Interval’s liner would fall down and needed to be hiked up for comfort. The different types of fabric we use in the design of adidas men’s gym shorts offer various characteristics that have your optimum comfort and performance in mind. Our Clima gym shorts for men are designed to keep you cool and comfortable thanks to AEROREADY technology and lightweight, woven fabrics that conduct sweat away from your body allowing you to stay dry. By keeping you cool, it manages the moisture on your body, so you stay undistracted and comfortable as you exercise. Comfort is key to performance, so these technologies are worth their weight in gold. The whole range is designed to allow a complete range of movement when you train – no restriction and no distraction. GYM SHORTS FOR GUYS – DIFERENT OPTIONS Take a pair of your current shorts and lay them on the ground. Grab a measuring tape from the crotch to the end of the short. This is your current inseam and now you can mentally take or add inches accordingly. How I Test Men’s Workout Shorts While they aren’t as stylish as the Gym Swim, or as comfortable as the Ponto, these are the shorts we’d choose to run and hike in 10 times out of 10. They’re more than happy to pull double duty in the weight room too, where the 4-way stretch and flat seams really shine by offering comfortable, full-range movement for all of your lifts. Material: Nylon, elastane, polyester, and spandex | Lining options: Lined | Inseam length: 7 inches or 9 inchesThe 4-way stretch offers excellent mobility and unrestricted movement out on the trail. Additionally, the Bommer shorts are very well ventilated which has been crucial as the temps have started climbing. The 3” inseam makes us think these will likely be reserved for summer trail runs, and don’t think we’ll be lifting in these shorts anytime soon. Somehow, Roark made the Bommer feel super lightweight without feeling like they’re going to wear out. At 9 inches, the inseam is definitely on the longer side, but these shorts still fall just above the knee and allow for totally unencumbered movement in any plane. The waistband is comfortable and functional with a simple drawcord to keep them where you want them. Everything you need, nothing you don’t. The Lululemon Pace Breaker Short is an awesome workout short for a variety of needs. The updated Pace Breaker has a much more spacious shell which is great for lifters with different amounts of mass on their legs. In a gym setting, you’re going to be going through a wide range of motions, so a pair of shorts with a lot of stretch is very handy. Lunges, jumps, sprints, and lateral movements all require a wide range of motion.