9 Pairs of Athletic Shorts That Actually Look Good

Every product was carefully curated by an Esquire editor. We may earn a commission from these links. Here’s how we test products and why you should trust us.amazonThe Adidas sprinter shorts are first in the athletic pantheon for one simple reason: They’re the best multisport shorts you can buy. They straddle a magic style line between contemporarily relevant and an ’80s Runner’s World ad. Think Tom Selleck on the beach without devolving to Magnum, P.I. soap opera. All of that is thanks to the scalloped, track-shorts-esque leg opening and the classic three stripes. A full suite of pockets (front two and a back wallet) make ’em life ready too, not just sport savvy.Sweatshirt fleece feels like a stretch within the modern definition of athletic shorts, but if we look back to the invention of the sweatshirt itself—pioneered by Russell for college football players—it earns its right to sit within the sportswear category. Sweatpants and, by extension, sweat shorts are the original performance fabric, part of this whole lineage. I’ll never tire of referencing the photo of Muhammad Ali jogging through London, another black-and-white print hanging in my office.As for actual product recommendations, AYR makes a sweat short that feels like that Muhammad Ali photo, even if I’ve never boxed a day in my life and I’m making myself a fancy coffee before my kids wake up, not warming up for 12 rounds.Advertisement - Continue Reading BelowMy mom recently sent some old photos through the family group chat and in one, elementary school me is wearing checkered soccer shorts and a muscle tee. Some things never change. When you find a good uniform, there’s no reason to switch it up. Add to that the American come down off World Cup fever and peak ’90s nostalgia, and the only cure is a dozen pairs of these checkered Umbro shorts. At $35, you can afford a few. They’ve got a slightly longer inseam than others on this list, but so did Beckham in his heyday, and those photos still look great.Outdoor shorts are athletic shorts. You can argue with me, but there’s a reason ’60s outdoor pioneers reached for rugby uniforms as their climbing apparel. There’s a shared sense of rugged movement and freedom. There are less pricey and very good options from outdoor brands like Patagonia and Topo Designs, but, like in most things, Nashville-based Imogene + Willie offers a perfected, final form of the silhouette.I like them in this rich chocolatey brown with a contrasting red webbing strap at the waist. Trail to town or just town, you choose. While you’re at it, buy your significant other these women’s track shorts, which I desperately wish existed in a men’s fit.Advertisement - Continue Reading BelowTracksmith deserves much of the credit for our current, new-wave, indie running brand boom. And while the fashion x running landscape is crowded these days, no one does New England athletic prep like Tracksmith. The brand makes a lot of shorts, from teeny-tiny splitties to more versatile training staples, but I like these Van Cortland mesh shorts. A little short and extremely sporty, like something Bannister would have broken four in. They work for us sub-elite runners or loungers too.We’re going to get more expensive as we go here, but bear with me. Manresa’s Ravine Shorts fit like I wish Baggies did, or even the hyped Gramicci climbing short alts that have taken fashion subsets by storm. And the materials have Baggies beat by a long shot. We’re talking plant-dyed Japanese nylon with a triple needle construction, all cut and sewn in Bridgeport, Connecticut. I put these on in early June and I’ll be wearing them all summer, full stop.Advertisement - Continue Reading BelowI have a saved eBay search for vintage Diadora soccer shorts. The modern iteration of the heritage Italian sportswear brand doesn’t make them anymore. The internet archives are vast, but the quality varies. Also, you are laundering out years of another human’s sweat—maybe we ought to shop new here.Menswear label Every Other Thursday makes a great contemporary alt. More track shorts than soccer shorts, it hits all the fit notes and ships, importantly, free of strangers' sweat. As the weather cools, I’ll be wearing this EOT cashmere v-neck, these shorts, and my beat-up Seavees Hermosas for a classic high-low-low coffee shop combo.For pure, unadulterated running shorts, look to the material savants at District Vision. Better known for its very good (and very pricey) performance sunglasses, the brand’s apparel flies under the radar. I love these training shorts, which, unlike other 5-inch runners, pass the rugby thigh test. The Roark Bajas are a more affordable and still very serviceable alt, but the DV version is worth the splurge. Running is miserable enough as is; you might as well wear the nicer shorts.Advertisement - Continue Reading BelowI have, on my office wall, a black-and-white photograph of Paul Newman and Robert Redford playing a shirtless ping-pong match on the set of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. They look, and I cannot stress this enough, really fucking cool. You may not have their abs or their genetics, but with Spence, you could have their shorts. The Spence Club shorts are the modern equivalent of Redford’s on-court kit. Made from Seersucker D-Lite, a cotton/nylon seersucker blend, they emulate ’70s tailoring in modern performance fabric with a just short enough 5.5 inseam. A little pricey? Sure. But you’re paying for perfection.