Yes, our forebears managed just fine in sweatpant cutoffs, but why settle for less when the best workout shorts for men will give you an edge? Whether you’re hitting your local gym five times a week or committing to a weekly vinyasa flow, a dependable pair of shorts can help you get the most out of your reps, keeping you from wearily picking wedgies or watching your phone fall onto the mat for the fifth time this session. And to help you hit the ground running on your 2025 fitness goals, we went deep on a catalog of the finest ones we’ve ever tested.
Here, you’ll find some of our most stood-behind athletic brands, familiar names like Rhone, Ten Thousand, Tracksmith, and Lululemon. We’ve also tossed in some runner-up budget buys if you’re looking to save your money on a big-ticket piece of equipment for your home gym instead. For guys who aren’t afraid to show some thigh, we’ve got everything from lean 5-inch inseams to baggy basketball-ready silhouettes if you’re not ready to show up to the pickup game in short-shorts. All of them will help you make some gains and look good while doing it.
The Best Workout Shorts, According to GQ
In This Guide
The Best Workout Shorts Overall: Ten Thousand Interval Shorts
The workout legends at Ten Thousand got their start back in 2014 with a simple pair of exercise shorts and a shirt. We dug version 1.0, which we tried back in 2015, but the company has spent the intervening years making small tweaks and adjustments to the design that have tipped the scales even further. The updates to its staple Interval shorts maintain the extremely minimal aesthetic, but add thoughtful details like hidden zipped pockets.
The thing you’ll notice most as you actually train in these GQ Fitness Award-winning shorts, though, is how they move. Thanks to the un-bunchable, pinch-free waistband and extremely flexible shell, the shorts mold to your body but also shift easily with your movement. If you’re looking for the best shorts for going absolutely nuts on the battle ropes, look no further.
These were so good that we inducted the Intervals into last year’s GQ All-Stars, dubbing them the only workout shorts you’d ever need, and sung their praises in a full-length review.
Best Budget Workout Shorts: Gymshark Arrival Shorts
Gymshark has blown up recently, thanks to the brand’s commitment to creating high-performing workout apparel at approachable price points. Take the Arrival shorts, for example, which are about as little as you’d want to spend on gym bottoms lest you’re down for mooning your fellow gym goers while you’re hitting that deep, deep squat (we can’t promise you won’t get your membership revoked if that happens). Their slim fit really accentuates your quads during leg day, and a variety of sizes—from XS to 3XL—mean that you can find a pair that fits you no matter where you are on your fitness journey.
Best Training Shorts: Lululemon License to Train
Despite Lululemon’s push to branch outside of activewear (I mean, a Lululemon suit?), the Canadian athleisure brand still knows how to do fitness apparel pretty damn well. Its License to Train shorts are great for the multifaceted athlete, able to handle runs, lifts, climbs, or whatever other activity that gets the heart rate up. Its durable material means they can hold up to endless contact with the barbell during deadlifts, but they’re still lightweight enough to feel like they’re barely there when you’re just about to wrap up your 10K. Zippered pockets are a huge plus, adding to just how much we love to train in these—even if we’re only training to work on our summer bod.
Best Running Shorts: Bandit Vento
Bandit’s meteoric rise to the top of the running game has been impressive to see. From starting up in 2020 to collaborating with Asics in 2025 (as well as a frustratingly endless number of out-of-stock releases), Bandit makes running clothing that actually makes you want to lace up. Its Vento shorts make an exceptional running buddy, decked out in more pockets than we’re used to seeing in a pair of jogging bottoms. Two compression pockets (big enough to fit “the big” iPhone), two side slant pockets, and a zippered pocket ensure you have everything on your long-distance runs, while the overall look ensures that passersby know you take your running ‘fits seriously.
Best Mesh Gym Shorts: American Trench O.E. Classic Mesh Short
We’re all in favor of mesh shorts, whether they’re the raggedy pair we still have from high school PE or the massively oversized ones that Adam Sandler seems to never run out of. American Trench, which makes incredible basics right here stateside, seems to have perfected the mesh short, a classic gym staple that’s fallen to the wayside in favor of higher performing, more technical workout shorts (which we love and have given enough of a spotlight here). These no-frill mesh shorts have a great fit, clocking in with a modest (but not prudish) 6.5-inch inseam. Their mesh construction keeps you cool down there, and two slant pockets are just the icing on top of the handsome cake.
Best Compression Shorts: 2XU Light Speed Compression Shorts
Don’t call them tights. (OK, fine, they’re tights.) Compression shorts are the underrated bottoms for all workouts, as long as you can get over the sausage-casing look. 2XU’s Light Speed compression shorts are long enough to cover the top half of your legs, which improves blood flow to reduce fatigue and decrease recovery time. Sure, they’re kind of hard to put on and take off, but the benefits of wearing these make themself known once you check your stats for your next run.
Best-Looking Workout Shorts: Tracksmith Van Cortlandt
Who wears short shorts? Runners wear short shorts. And nobody designs more serious running kits (with shorts of various lengths) than Tracksmith, the Boston label that transplants Chariots of Fire–era aesthetics onto modern marathon-ready gear. As much as we love these shorts, we have to say: Give us pockets! But we feel like we’d be doing you dirty if you didn’t own a pair of the Van Cortlandt shorts because they’re so damn good looking. They’re fashioned from plush, antimicrobial mesh. You’re not going to be able to fit your phone into the 2.5-inch inseam, but the shorts manage to make space for two internal pockets that hold your keys or those race-day sports goo packets.
More Workout Shorts We Love
What to Look for in Workout Shorts
Breathability: Working out is sweaty business, and no one wants to be super sweaty in their shorts. Make sure you’re looking for a pair of bottoms that help you keep cool down there, whether there’s ventilation or the fabric is lightweight enough to offer a decent amount of breathability.