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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Kailua, Oahu, Hawaii
    Posts
    231

    The Quest for the perfect pair of running shorts...isn't going well.

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    I can't wear the baggy type of shorts with the liner. The baggy part ends up stuffed into my crotch about 5 minutes into the run. I'm not heavy, it's just the way I run. There is some upper thigh contact and that pulls all the fabric up. Not fun.

    So I run in compression shorts. And I've had great success with Lululemon shorts in the past. But after my fav shorts died on me (took almost 2 years) the replacement pair I got died within 2 months and the rise is too low.

    Now, I'm on a mission!

    --I prefer an inseam of 6-8 inches and some sort of compression.
    --NO low rise! NO high rise either!
    --Pockets! Lululemon has great pockets in their shorts (zip in the back and little hidden ones in the waste band that hold 2 Gu's each!)
    --GUSSET! Holy crap this is where Lululemon fails the most. The gusset in their tight shorts effectively digs into my girly bits and a poorly placed seem will rub until there is blood. I use chamois cream when I run because it's so bad.
    --The color Black.
    --Flat seems, good construction, decent fabric.
    --A waistband that doesn't cut off circulation (CWX I'm talking to you!)

    Am I asking too much?

    I've tried a shorter inseam baggy short (3.5") with split leg from Pearl Izumi. It's a sweet short! I love it, but after a few minutes, all fabric is shoved into my crotch and I spend the run tugging it out. I have the Moving Comfort short shown here:
    http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodMC_300379.html

    Totally true the review that says the rise is soooo low. It's horrible. It falls just above the underwear line you'd have. Really poorly designed. And a bit hot/heavy.

    I have a pair of Patagonia 3" shorts - that are quite nice, but a bit too low in the rise and the pocket sucks. I haven't run in them yet.

    Suggestions:
    Should I try a pair of super short baggy short? I prefer the longer coverage of compression though - don't have to worry about chafing with upper thigh contact.

    I'm considering running in my DeSoto Tri shorts. I even asked them if they made or could make them without the chamois!

    Anyone ever try the Race Ready shorts? The compression ones? I'd had to order them and find the fabric is crap or the gusset is a joke.

    Suggestions? (Oh, I do not run with a race belt because it ends up under my boobs...so I prefer to haul my Gu's in pockets. Only for long runs. During races I wear a SpiBelt almost under my okole LOL!)

    Denise

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Uncanny Valley
    Posts
    14,498
    I know it isn't what you asked - all my best shorts are discontinued too, and it seems like you and I prefer similar shorts.

    But in terms of a belt, try this one. It is amazing. NO bounce, no ride up, fits snug and flat in the small of my back even with my phone in it. I carry water on my longer runs, but I do all my shorter runs in this belt, and I ran my last marathon in it too with zero problems. It doesn't have number clips, but safety pins don't seem to hurt it.
    Speed comes from what you put behind you. - Judi Ketteler

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Denver
    Posts
    1,942
    You and I are both in the same battle right now. I don't need compression ones quite so long - but if they're shorter, they'd better have leg grippers. My company gave me a gift card to Athleta and I bought the Contender Skort and it is absolutely the only thing I will wear for long runs now. I believe there are only two pockets but the one on the butt is pretty big. I also considered the speed squad short from Lulu (it's in the We Made Too Much section now!) but I can't figure out what size I wear there and didn't go by the store to try them on yet.

    Another option for you might be the Brooks 2-in-1 Epiphany. They have a long compression liner (6 inches, maybe?) and there should be at least one gu pocket on the liner short and I think two on the outside that velcro shut. I tried the shorter 2-in-1 (Glycerin, perhaps?) and I like them (good fabric, gusset, etc) except they squish the leg fat out the bottom so I chafe anyway (too short).

    "I never met a donut I didn't like" - Dave Wiens

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    San Francisco Bay Area
    Posts
    9,324
    I run in my tri shorts. I do my gym workouts in my tri shorts. I just don't notice the chamois on them. And they have pockets. I have Zoots and 2xu. I do tend to run in the 2xu and wear the zoots to the gym.

    Veronica
    Discipline is remembering what you want.


    TandemHearts.com

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    West MI
    Posts
    4,259
    The ONLY shorts that ever worked for me were Pearl Izumi compression shorts with a 6" inseam AND leg-grippers. Eventually they ditched the grippers, which makes them ride up like every other gripperless running short.

    I'm back to running exclusively in running skirts. A quick roll of Sport Shield on my inner thighs and I'm good to go. No unflattering or irritating fabric between my crotch, since the ones I wear (generally SkirtSports, though I've worn RunningSkirts.com's skirts, too--their sizing is just too all over the place, so I don't buy them anymore) have liner briefs, not compression shorts.
    Kirsten
    run/bike log
    zoomylicious


    '11 Cannondale SuperSix 4 Rival
    '12 Salsa Mukluk 3
    '14 Seven Mudhoney S Ti/disc/Di2

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Concord, MA
    Posts
    13,394
    Athleta has many styles of shorts. You might find one to your liking.
    I only run in skorts. My favorite is the Brooks, but I also like Athleta. I can't wear traditional running shorts, either.
    2015 Trek Silque SSL
    Specialized Oura

    2011 Guru Praemio
    Specialized Oura
    2017 Specialized Ariel Sport

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Kailua, Oahu, Hawaii
    Posts
    231

    The Quest for the perfect pair of running shorts...isn't going well.

    Nice to see I'm not the only one. I did some track intervals in my tri shorts tonight. I did feel the chamois seam a bit so ill need to lube that. But compression was good.
    I ordered a few Race Ready shorts to try as well.
    I'll also check on some of the others mentioned. Nike Women's Marathon in about 3 weeks so can't switch things up too much.
    Denise
    Blogging about all things bike, run, travel related at:
    Be The Badger

    2014 Lynskey ProCross (The Raven)
    2013 Cannondale Slice 5 (Father Christmas)


    ask for my discount/referral codes!
    2014 MioGlobal Brand Champion
    2014 De Soto Femmebassador

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Red Stick, La
    Posts
    52
    Quote Originally Posted by Veronica View Post
    I run in my tri shorts. I do my gym workouts in my tri shorts. I just don't notice the chamois on them. And they have pockets. I have Zoots and 2xu. I do tend to run in the 2xu and wear the zoots to the gym.

    Veronica

    +1 I run in my tri shorts. I wear de soto, zoot and craft. I tend to like the craft and zoot better on any "long" runs b/c they have pockets on them. I don't notice the chamois on either of them.
    Get busy living or get busy dying..


    2010 Cervelo P2-Cobb Flow Max Plus

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Kailua, Oahu, Hawaii
    Posts
    231

    The Quest for the perfect pair of running shorts...isn't going well.

    Well...I got 3 different models of Race Ready Shorts and they are HORRIBLE. The rise is above my rib cage!! And I'm not short waisted!

    More coming from Road Runner Sports next week.
    Blogging about all things bike, run, travel related at:
    Be The Badger

    2014 Lynskey ProCross (The Raven)
    2013 Cannondale Slice 5 (Father Christmas)


    ask for my discount/referral codes!
    2014 MioGlobal Brand Champion
    2014 De Soto Femmebassador

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    153
    Like some others here, I have come to love running in skorts. Have a few and my current favourite is from Skirt Sports through TE site. Light grippers so didn't ride up, I like the back pocket (ipod and/or cell phone) and they look good, too. Not compression though.

    http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodSK_1021_0.html

    Serendipity

    "So far, this is the oldest I've ever been....."

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Kailua, Oahu, Hawaii
    Posts
    231
    I started running in skorts - really loved it. But they are a bit hot for Hawaii actually and I find I'm more comfortable in just the skin tight shorts. Plus the compression shorts usually have a longer inseam than the skorts and I like that as well.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Seattle, WA
    Posts
    2,208
    What did you end up in for NWM?

    I am +1 on the tri shorts. I like 5-6" inseam. I bike to work in them, I run in them, I swim OWS in them, I race in them. Me and tri shorts are like peanut butter and jelly, until I rub the seams through, then we're like peanut butter and jelly with sandpaper. I like Zoots the best, but am mixed on the new gripper-less legs. I have some 2xus but the seam down the middle looks like it's giving me camel toe so generally they stay in the gym/bike.

    I'm going to have to check out the aforementioned Brooks, though. I bought some New Balance ones that looked like they might work, but I will chicken out of wearing them until I lose a little weight in my inner thighs and belly.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Location
    northern california
    Posts
    1,460
    Take a look at RaceReady. They have compression shorts with a choice of no pockets or all of the little pockets on the outside. The crotch is gusseted. The only problem is they might have a bit higher rise than you want. I love mine.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Uncanny Valley
    Posts
    14,498
    Bump. I just got two new pairs of shorts that meet all the OP's criteria. Haven't run in them yet, just tried them on and threw them in the wash. Both have a non-binding waistband with a drawstring; a mid-thigh leg that, on me, ends below the belly of the adductor muscle which is why shorter shorts will ride up on me; and a rise that's perfectly fine on short-waisted me. Both have, I don't know if it's technically a gusset, but instead of a center seam up the inner thigh, they have a wide band of fabric that runs up each inner thigh and across the crotch. (About 3.5" wide on the Zoots, about 2.5" on the PIs.) I prefer a real gusset, but we'll see...

    One pair is Zoot Run Biowrap. They have a compression band around the thighs, the upper part is looser fitting. There's a pocket in the small of the back, a clever design where the waistband folds over and closes the pocket.

    The other pair is PI Fly Short Tights. They have stretch pockets on the sides of each thigh. There's a silicone band around the bottom of the legs, but in the package, the leg is folded up so the silicone is on the outside, and without having run in them yet, it seems like they would work fine that way. Not compressive in terms of performance, but form fitting.

    I'd recommend sizing down if you try these. I ordered both in Medium - which was my size the last time I bought PI shorts, granted it's been several years ago, but I'm still a Medium according to their size chart - and Zoot's size chart had me on the small end of Medium - but both were too big for me, I exchanged them for Smalls which fit nicely.

    If anyone's interested I'll post a fuller review once I've run in them.
    Last edited by OakLeaf; 06-19-2013 at 04:34 PM.
    Speed comes from what you put behind you. - Judi Ketteler

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Kailua, Oahu, Hawaii
    Posts
    231

    Awesome!

    Quote Originally Posted by OakLeaf View Post
    Bump. I just got two new pairs of shorts that meet all the OP's criteria. Haven't run in them yet, just tried them on and threw them in the wash. Both have a non-binding waistband with a drawstring; a mid-thigh leg that, on me, ends below the belly of the adductor muscle which is why shorter shorts will ride up on me; and a rise that's perfectly fine on short-waisted me. Both have, I don't know if it's technically a gusset, but instead of a center seam up the inner thigh, they have a wide band of fabric that runs up each inner thigh and across the crotch. (About 3.5" wide on the Zoots, about 2.5" on the PIs.) I prefer a real gusset, but we'll see...

    One pair is Zoot Run Biowrap. They have a compression band around the thighs, the upper part is looser fitting. There's a pocket in the small of the back, a clever design where the waistband folds over and closes the pocket.

    The other pair is PI Fly Short Tights. They have stretch pockets on the sides of each thigh. There's a silicone band around the bottom of the legs, but in the package, the leg is folded up so the silicone is on the outside, and without having run in them yet, it seems like they would work fine that way. Not compressive in terms of performance, but form fitting.

    I'd recommend sizing down if you try these. I ordered both in Medium - which was my size the last time I bought PI shorts, granted it's been several years ago, but I'm still a Medium according to their size chart - and Zoot's size chart had me on the small end of Medium - but both were too big for me, I exchanged them for Smalls which fit nicely.

    If anyone's interested I'll post a fuller review once I've run in them.
    thanks OakLeaf! I'm very interested in a full review!

    I have a question on the gusset on the PI shorts - is there one? And I'm curious on how each one stacks up in hot and humid running weather? Let me know what you think!

    In about a month I'm going to start ramping up my running for my Ironman training. So I'll be ready to get into a good pair of running shorts - plus looking for a pair for the race that will keep me sane and not piss me off! Thanks for posting!

    Denise

 

 

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