I spent the summer reviewing a wide variety of running shorts: flowy ones, compression style ones, and 2-in-1 shorts. I tried pairs that were over $100 and others that were under $40. Most had pockets, others had none; some were worth every penny, others were not. I tried to find shorts with a lot of pockets since that’s a high priority as the fall marathon season approaches. And maybe the most impressive pair were the ones that don’t show sweat at all!
I did try to review a wide range of styles and price points to appease most people. I still stand by the adage ‘you get what you pay for’ 95% of the time. I did find one pair that impressed me and surpassed my expectations that are $35. But for the most part I did find the higher priced shorts fit better, seemed to be made of better quality, and had extra features that made them worth the higher cost.
Now take these reviews with a grain of salt because I am one body and my body is not everyone’s body. I tried to highlight different features and call out the things about them that may not work for everyone, but hopefully you can find a pair of two that you like!
Bandit Cadence Running Shorts (4 out of 5 stars)
I love my Bandit running shorts, but I didn’t love these as much. The updated waistband was tighter than my previous pair, which squeezed my midsection and gave me love handles. I will say you can’t beat the pocket situation of Bandit items though. Seven pockets on these shorts with three pockets designed for your phone. I also loved the grippies on the hem of these shorts to prevent them from riding up. They updated the grippies to small dots rather than a strip of silicone. I liked both and neither one was better or worse for me–they both worked great. Just an FYI: the Cadence fabric in the Bandit line is their ribbed material versus the Stamina fabric is their smooth material. I like both and both are great performers, so I don’t have a preference of one over the other. So other than the waistband, these get four out of five stars from me. (Watch the Instagram reel I made on these shorts.)
CRZ Yoga Flowy Shorts (5 out of 5 stars)
I was blown away how much I loved these shorts. I definitely was not expecting to because I’ve been burned too many times with other Amazon dupes. These are a take off the lululemon Shake It Out Shorts and they fit and feel exactly like them. The lululemon’s fabric/cut may lay just a little bit better on the body, but for the most part, they look nearly identical. I will say these shorts do not have any pockets, which may be a make-it or break-it for some people. It doesn’t bother me because I don’t usually carry anything on my runs, and if I do, I just use my Spibelt. But overall, these were super comfortable, cute, and you can’t beat the price at $35. (Watch the Instagram reel I made on these shorts.)
rabbit Float n’ Fly (5 out of 5 stars)
I LOVED the old version of the lululemon Fast and Free (the one with the high slit), but when they updated it a couple years ago year, the waistband was not as flattering on me. However, then I came across the rabbit Float n’ Fly short, and they are identical to the lululemon ones. They have that super flattering waistband, multiple pockets, a high slit, and I just love this color. I know the high slit is not for everyone as it does flap open when you are running. The only time I don’t wear these is when it is really windy because they will flap open and get caught in between my legs. Overall, a huge fan of these shorts and highly recommend if you love the lululmeon Fast and Free shorts. (Watch the Instagram reel I made on these shorts.)
Senita High-Waisted Rio Shorts (3 out of 5 stars)
I really wanted to like these Senita Rio Shorts. The price point is great, they have pockets, a smooth, and a flattering waistband, but the fit was not great on me. My two biggest complaints were that the legs rode up (no grippies on them hem), and my phone bounced in the side pocket when carrying it. After posting the reel, I had some people comment that the Lux Baseline Shorts worked better for them, so that might be a better option. Maybe three stars is generous, but they did have some good things going for them, and I did have a few people say the shorts worked for them. (Watch the Instagram reel I made on these shorts.)
lululemon Track That Short (5 out of 5 stars)
Last year I deemed these shorts to be the best running shorts of 2025, and I still would rank these very high on that list. I found a couple others this summer to give these a run-for-their money this summer, but I still love these shorts and wear them frequently. They do make a 5-inch version that apparently does not ride up on those with larger/muscular thighs, so check those out if you want a longer inseam. These shorts may lose a point from some people because they only have one small pocket. It’s enough for me to stick a key FOB in or a gel, but I know others do want more pockets. I love the high, stretchy waistband; the roomy leg opening; and how comfy they are when I am running. I’m a big fan! (Watch the Instagram reel I made on these shorts.)
LSKD Accelerate 3″ Short (4 out of 5 stars)
I have been seeing so many people wear the LSKD Accelerate Short this past year, and they always looks so cute on everyone. But unfortunately I didn’t love them on myself. The waistband was pretty tight and squeezed my waist creating love handles. I even went up a size, but they were still pretty tight on me. They do have a lot of great things going for them as they were very comfortable to run in, the slit doesn’t go up quite as high as some of my other shorts, and I do love all of the fun colors these shorts come in. I definitely prefer the high-rise versus the mid-rise shorts on my postpartum mom mid-section though. (Watch the Instagram reel I made on these shorts.)
Bandit 2-in-1 CoolGrid Shorts (5 out of 5 stars)
Honestly, I never understood a 2-in-1 short. Are you a compression short? Are you a flowy short? Why have all of this extra material? But then I saw these on my running buddy and could not get over how cute they were, so I gave them a try. After several runs in them, I do really like them! I decided that these would be great for someone who likes a compression-style short but maybe wants a little more coverage–or vise-versa, likes the shorts with the high slit but wants a little more coverage from the compression style short. I do love the high-rise of them, the multiple pockets, and the overall look of them. They don’t necessarily lose any stars for this, but the price does come in a $108 USD. (Watch the Instagram reel I made on these shorts.)
rabbit Fuel n’ Fly (5 out of 5 stars)
I have been sleeping on rabbit these past few years! They have such cute stuff that fits well, is functional, and cute. I got these Fuel n’ Fly shorts earlier this summer, and I have been wearing them often. They very comfy, have five pockets on them, and come in a 2.5″ and 4″ option. The one (slight) drawback for me was that they are a mid-rise short, and it is so weird for me to wear mid-rise after wearing high-rise for so many years now. No complaints from me if you like a mid-rise short. (Watch the Instagram reel I made on these shorts.)
Bandit Stamina Shorts in Vanisher (5 out of 5 stars)
This is such a cool feature that I had to highlight one more pair of Bandit shorts. The items from the Vanisher line do not show sweat, and Bandit made some shorts and sports bras with this fabric. I know some people don’t care about this, but I also know others do, so I thought those people could benefit by knowing about these. The Bandit Stamina Shorts in the Vanisher fabric were perfect for my hot summer workout on the track one evening. They truly did not show sweat, and I got so many compliments on them. I will say, oddly, my phone did not fit in the side pocket, which was strange because it is designed to do so. I probably would have had to take my case off. But I loved the waistband on these, there are multiple pockets, and grippies on the hem actualy keep the legs from riding up. (Watch the Instagram reel I made on these shorts.)
Wolaco Distance Half Tight (3 out of 5 stars)
These shorts came onto my radar after seeing a couple of other running influencers post about them. About that same time, the brand reached out to me to see if I wanted to try a pair, so I gave them a try. I really wanted to like them, but once again the waistband was pretty tight on me and they legs did ride up a little. I think if I had gotten a size bigger, I would have liked these more. But also the price is high at $128 USD. With cheaper options from Bandi and rabbit (that are still not that cheap), I’m going to recommend other brands first. (Watch the Instagram reel I made on these shorts.)
I know the options are endless out there for running shorts, but hopefully this gives you a little bit of an idea of what’s out there and the wide variety of shorts brands have to offer.
If you have a running short you can’t live without, leave it in the comments below!
