Who wants short shorts? I don't. But some don't mind touting their thigh thunder.

Other than showing off, a man does many things in his shorts: lounge, walk, lift, run, sprint... the list goes on. If it was socially acceptable to drape myself in athleisure wear every day, I definitely would.

Now, after many years of deliberating with my brothers, it is time to conclusively (maybe more subjectively) select the best pair of shorts.

First things first, I found shopping for shorts frustrating. The exhaustive list of styles for men's gym shorts mystified me. Isn't a pair of shorts supposed to be versatile, one short for every activity imaginable? The concept is simple, so I searched the internet for this need, one short for any activity. I stumbled on a few articles of interest but nothing was definitive. Some articles listed the top five (or even ten) shorts for the athletic man with no clear winner or other articles listed the best shorts for each activity. I had to choose right between a selection of shorts. It was a guessing game. This past week I played basketball, rode my bike, and lifted weights. Buying three different pairs of shorts for each activity sounds ridiculous. So I am set out to find the real "everyday" pair.

While this review may not live up to the scientific standards of Natural Deodorants review, it heavily relies on subjectivity. The preference for shorts will vary from person to person. But among my friends and roommates, we indubitably found a winner. Making me all more confident to recommend the winning pair. Prior to wearing them, they did not fit my standards which changed immediately upon sliding into them.


The evaluation consisted of various short styles, and each short was tested for a range of activities: a High Intensity exercise (e.g. sprints or basketball), a Flexibility exercise (yoga, stretching, or leg day), and an ** Every day** exercise -- to determine integrity and versatility of each product. The intention for these methods to measure the functionality in each case -- shorts may ride up during sprints or slip too far down during yesterday's yoga session.

Simple. How do they feel? Not much needs to be explained here. The material must be just so. The waistband can't be too tight. And the shorts have to fit like a glove.

The design revolves around the style and features. Some shorts may have a side zipper for convenience, others may have a liner. Those features will be pointed out, and their execution will be rated.

Remember the purpose of this article is the short suits every purpose, whether I am sitting in on Sunday or I am burning the thighs with some squats. If the short's don't perform for each function, the lower the rating.

I am sure someone could find more expensive pairs of shorts, but we wanted to be reasonable. The list consists of nothing north of ninety dollars. We threw in some pricy and some inexpensive.

Once the rating is determined for each of these measures, the Overall rating is calculated. This is just an average of all the ratings above. This rating by itself determines the rank for the shorts.


Reebok Speed Shorts


The Reebok speed shorts are a solid contender. The wicking, 4-way stretch material makes it great for the price. But there are some downfalls. Playing a high-intensity sport (in this case basketball) caused the shorts to ride up on my torso. Obviously, this wasn't ideal, as the waistband would ride paste my belly button. It was a constant adjustment. Additionally, everything else was pretty standard. With 2 functional pockets on the side and an unadjustable length, these shorts were just a good pair of drawer fillers, especially for the price.

Another reasonable mention from this brand is the Woven Performance Shorts. The fit is slightly large for Reebok so I would suggest going down one size for any of their shorts.

Comfort: 3.5/5 - deduction for riding up, awkward sizing, and the odd shape.
Design: 3.5/5 - pretty standard in terms of design.
Functionality: 4/5 - versatile except for high-intensity running.
Price 4.5/5 - a little pricy, but still a decent deal.

Overall: 4/5

Under Armour Raid


I see these shorts as your typical go-to-the-gym shorts. The thick fabric gives some durability to the shorts. Everything else is pretty standard: two pockets, slight stretch or give, 8" or 10" inseam, and cloth-like fabric. On a budget, sure buy a bunch of these. Otherwise, you are better off spending a little more and getting something else on this list. Also, important to note and it really depends on your height: I wouldn't use these on leg day because of their length and weight. Go with something shorter, and that isn't to show off your thighs. The base of the shorts may get caught on your knees while bending down.

Comfort: 3.5/5 - Nothing special.
Design: 3.5/5 - Same as above, pretty standard pair of shorts.
Functionality: 3.5/5 - not the best at moisture wiking
Price 5/5 - most affordable pair on the list.

Overall: 3.88/5

Lululemon Pace Breaker


There is a linerless option, but some prefer the liner. When you don't have any underwear clean, it is nice to join the free ballin' crew. We've all been there. But I digress, buy anything Lululemon and you are most likely going to get a solid product. Pretty standard colors, styles, and length. I've found the inseam in between 8" to 9" to be perfect for any use. Their style is typically at the upper echelon of athletic clothing. Just like a later review (the Birddogs) they have a great side-rear pocket. I tell you later on what this pocket is perfect for. You cannot go wrong purchasing these shorts. The only real downside is the price. I marked a few off in comfort because of the tightness of the liner. The breathable material is great but the concern may be durability after frequent use. I'll have to get back to you guys on that. If you don't like the thicker material of the winner, these are the perfect substitute.

Comfort: 4.5/5 - the only downside was the liner.
Design: 5/5 - design is top of the line.
Functionality: 5/5 - perfect for everyday use. Anything.
Price 3.5/5 - a little expensive but versatility makes up for it.

Overall: 4.5/5

Olivers All Over Short


I really like their shirts but not their shorts. Reason being the shorts don't have enough room in the front. I've never experienced this before when wearing any other pair of short. It just seemed restrictive to me. The color options are great. The length options aren't: you are stuck with the 7.5" inseam. That could change though as I have seen many reviews commenting on this very fact. The material was lightweight in contrast to the Myles Everyday Short. If they add a little room for your jimmies, it might not be a bad investment down the line. The price was a disappointment in comparison to their overall rating.

Comfort: 3/5 - too tight in the front.
Design: 4.5/5 - fabric and the light material are great.
Functionality: 4/5 - versatile but a little restrictive in some situations.
Price 3.5/5 - a pricey pair. You have better options.

Overall: 3.75/5

Birddogs Herefords


You may have encountered their ridiculous Shark Tank appearance. Don't let that deter you from buying a pair of these. My roommate still cringes from their advertising ploys, but that hasn't stopped him from wearing them on a daily basis. I highly recommend any pair. They are our pick of the lot. The only downside is the price. As for the design, the deduction comes from the choice of colors. Sometimes I just want a simple solid color short or a simple pattern. They just started to add the solid colors though so things are lookin' up. A couple things need to be mentioned. On the backside of the shorts, there is a zipper pocket. I found it perfect for keys. Lastly, the durability after many washes. My pair has been through more than 30 washes and there are no signs of fading or wear.

Comfort: 5/5 - just reference this post.
Design: 4.5/5 - the only downside is a slight blowing up inconvienance in the water.
Functionality: 5/5 - Perfect.
Price 4/5 - Worth every penny.

Overall: 4.75/5

Myles Everyday short


Their social media advertising worked on me. I was curious so I bought a pair, the purchase mostly justified by writing the very review. The shorts are stylish but stiff. They looked like a nice pair of khakis which allowed you to dress them up a bit. The downside was their weight. I would not recommend these for flexibility or high-intensity workouts. Simply put. Even further, the taper of the shorts further limits your stretch range contributing even more to the overall stiffness. At $58 dollars, they are just on the cusp of being too pricey. Ideal activities are hiking or dressing them up at a cookout, nothing more strenuous.

Comfort: 3.5/5 - The weight is the greatest downfall.
Design: 4.5/5 - the small deduction comes for the weight.
Functionality: 3.5/5 - not great for exercise.
Price 4/5 - expensive but a solid choice nonetheless.

Overall: 3.88/5

Vuori Ripstop Climber Short


Full disclosure: I am not a climber. I bought the Climber short because of the color and I lounge in shorts all the time, especially shirtless around the house. My roommates can attest to this. Anyhow, these shorts are worth a spot on our list. I may need to try another style, but I will mention I did not like their liner pair. These shorts are top-ranked in just about every category except for their price. At $76 dollars, you better hope you find a discount code somewhere on the interwebs. The positives to this pair are the length, style, and comfort. There is a slightly awkward seam between the thighs but that is almost unnoticeable while wearing them. If you are rolling in cash, I'd say go for it. If you aren't rolling in dough, there are better options.

Comfort: 4.5/5 - super comfortable.
Design: 4.5/5 - has a button buckle on the front which may be problematic.
Functionality: 4.5/5 - hits almost every category.
Price 2.75/5 - a steep price to pay for shorts.

Overall: 4.1/5



In "short", the winner is Birddogs. The inseam options, the material, the selections, the design, the durability... the list goes on. This ultimately led me to choose these pair of shorts as the definitive winner. Their fratty and ridiculous advertising is easy enough to ignore. They can have their victory lap as the best pair of everyday shorts, and we are happy to give it to them. They converted me to being a liner shorts fan.

Honorable Mention


The Lululemon Pace Breakers and the Birddogs are the only two pairs on the list that got a perfect score on Functionality. This pair is a solid contender. The different pattern options are an added benefit if you don't like any of the Birddogs' designs.


Let us know on social media if you have any other brands/products you would like us to evaluate, and we would be more than happy to oblige. There are tons of short styles and brands so it is very possible we didn't rate your favorite pair.