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Need shorts for your next outdoor adventure? We've tested shorts for biking, running, and hiking for women and men and compiled the award winners here. After years of riding and hitting the trails on foot, we know a thing or two about shorts, staying comfortable, and finding the right gear for the right occasion. Whether you need bike shorts for men, bike shorts for women, a pair of the best hiking shorts, running shorts or shorts for mountain biking, we have all the winners and our favorites here to help you find the best option for your goals.
Editor's Note: We updated this article on May 24, 2023, to incorporate our latest picks for Running Short for Women.
Shorts for Every Person and Every Activity
A suitable pair of shorts can help make your chosen activity more comfortable or accessible. Depending on your goals, the weather, and the environment, finding the right pair of shorts can help make your day of adventure all the better. With shorts for running and hiking or your favorite biking, we've tested them all and can keep you feeling good while out adventuring.
Credit: Ben Applebaum-Bauch
Hiking Shorts
If you are headed to the trails and ready for adventure, you need a great set of shorts to keep you cool, comfortable, and on your way. Top-ranking hiking shorts for men and hiking shorts for women bring features to the table you might not find in other kinds of shorts.
The Patagonia Quandary is a functional top-performing pair of hiking shorts.
The men's running shorts lineup undergoing the dry time test. Each short was saturated with water and the differences were analyzed to provide a wicking/drying score.
Credit: Matthew Richardson
Running Shorts
Wearing the right running shorts can improve your running experience, duration, and time. Finding a great comfortable fit that moves when you move and prevents chaffing is key to being comfortable on longer runs. Our experts in both women's and men's running tested and ranked our award-winning shorts running, and the following are our favorites.
When throwing on a pair of shorts for a quick dog run, we found ourselves reaching for the Swiftland again and again.
The On Lightweight Shorts received top marks for their ultra-comfortable waistband and awesome phone pocket design that allowed for easy access and bounce-free storage.
Riding in the seat for long distances can be made better and more comfortable with the right pair of riding shorts. This niche short category required some expert bikers to assess our selection and choose our favorites below. Whether you're looking for the best women's bike shorts or bike shorts for men, we've got something here for everyone.
Women's mountain bike shorts come in all colors and shapes.
Credit: Laurel Hunter
Mountain Biking Shorts
Mountain biking is an adrenaline-filled good time made all the better with the right gear. Finding a great pair of Mountain bike shorts can keep you on the trails for longer with a more comfortable ride. We've tested men's shorts and mountain bike shorts for women and present our favorites here.
No matter how you move on the bike, the Trail Shorts move with you.
From left to right, the Zoic Ether, Troy Lee Ruckus and the 100% Airmatic all have an adjustable waist on the exterior of the waistband. It is no coincidence that all three shorts are award winners.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Conclusion
Our outdoor adventure experts have been running, hiking, and biking for years. They tested each and every pair of shorts in our reviews over time to find the best options for each activity. In this review, we've provided our absolute favorites, including the shorts we think you won't want to leave your home without. Whether you plan to hit the streets or trail on your bike or let your feet do the hard work, there is a pair of shorts here for you.
GearLab is founded on the principle of honest, objective, reviews. Our experts test thousands of products each year using thoughtful test plans that bring out key performance differences between competing products. And, to assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves. No cherry-picked units sent by manufacturers. No sponsored content. No ads. Just real, honest, side-by-side testing and comparison.
