I’ve had these for 11+ years and still no holes, no frays, no stitching coming undone.  I give these shorts the award for best active wear purchase of my life.

Fully Recommended.

BEST FOR

Running – Trail and Road

FULL REVIEW

I hope Nike is still making these shorts as good as they did when I first purchased them back in ’04.  You know what I mean – Sometimes companies change their suppliers or use cheaper materials and a “once great” product becomes “less than”.  I’m going to assume Nike did the right thing with their Dri-FIT line so this review has merit.

Onward

Yes, I bought these waaaaaaay back in 2004 at City Sports in Boston.  They were on sale for $28 bucks (down from $36) so I got 2 pairs.

I’m not a big Nike guy.  I never buy their sneakers or any other products.  And, I hesitate to give props to a corporate giant, but these shorts have served me so well.

Here’s the low down.

They are made from 100% polyester….which kinda wicks light sweat and water, but doesn’t absorb it fully either.

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Side Note:

Most apparel companies use that term “wick” like moisture will magically bypass the garment and exhaust to the ground leaving you dry and unaffected.

We all know this is not the case.

If you’re working hard and sweating a ton the fabric will “wet out” and you’ll have a moisture layer on the shorts – Not much, but it’ll be there and you’ll know it.  However, the material is so thin that the sweat / water layer won’t hinder your movement and will dry quickly given the chance.

End Side Note

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The light material and design allow my legs to move freely and I never feel restricted when bounding down steep trails.

There is an internal liner made of recycled polyester. that gives the proper support to my man gear – and – most importantly – doesn’t chafe.  It’s brief style which is what you want for bouncy activities like running.

A draw string is included with the elastic waist, but I hardly ever need to tighten up the fit.  Sometimes, I’ll tie my car key inside the shorts with it.  The great part about this drawstring however, is that it doesn’t get sucked into the waist band ever.  I hate when that happens.

2 front mesh pockets complete the features.  I usually never have anything in there (can’t stand shit moving around while I run).  But, it’s nice to have when I do something after like a quick hit to the grocery store.

Style-wise, these are just flat black with double grey mesh striping on the sides.  Very understated which I like.  Also, with a 7” inseam the shorts don’t hang too long like hoops gear and don’t look too skimpy like legitimate running shorts (my legs are pasty white – the less of them showing the better).

This is all basic stuff dude, why review these shorts at all?

Here’s why you are reading this review:

• Over 150 sweat soaked Bikram yoga classes.
• 300+ trail runs in rain, sun, heat, cold.
• One very muddy Spartan obstacle course race.
• Dozens of trail running wipe outs.
• A handful of ocean swims (can use as a bathing suit in a pinch).
• 300+ wash cycles (started hang drying them a few years back).

Both pairs of my Nike Dri-FIT running shorts have shouldered these burdens.

They both look the same as the day I bought them.

No wear spots, no hanging threads, no holes in the liner or pockets.  Nothing, nada.

FINAL WORDS

These shorts have stood the test of time.

I haven’t considered buying a new pair of running shorts in over a decade and walk right by new ones in the store.

To restate my sentiments above – These Dri-FIT shorts are the single best piece of active wear I have ever bought.

Fully Recommended.

I have no affiliation with Nike, Dri-FIT, or City Sports.  I enjoy promoting good stuff that works for me.