If you're not used to wearing shorts, it can feel like a gamble to invest in a nice pair. It helps to know your pants measurements first, then decide which length works best for your proportions.
Next, think about setting: are you getting dressed up for work, or traveling in comfort? In either case, stretchy waistbands and sweat-wicking fabrics will act in your favor.
We've researched and tested all sorts of shorts to find the most comfortable, versatile pairs for men. These let our legs breathe in hot and humid weather whether at the office, headed to the gym, or enjoying the outdoors. For more amphibious pairs, see our guide to the best hybrid swim shorts for men.
How to choose men's shorts that fit
Finding shorts that fit is about balancing your proportions. Consider where the hem lands rather than going on length alone:
- Rise: If you have a long torso, go for a mid to high-rise waistband to avoid truncating your lower half.
- Inseam: To elongate the legs, avoid very long shorts and choose a 5 to 7-inch inseam instead.
- Cut: Tapered shorts can balance out wide shoulders without making your legs appear slimmer. Straight-cut shorts will create a clean line between a large midsections and your lower half.
Best Overall: Vuori Kore Short
When choosing the best overall shorts, we prioritized good looks, durability, and, most of all, versatility. On that scale, the Vuori Kore Short — complete with over 16,000 glowing reviews — rises to the top.
Available in 14 colors, these shorts feature a soft, lightweight, four-way stretch fabric that's moisture-wicking, quick-drying, and ready for anything from hanging out to hardcore HIIT. Spacious slash pockets accommodate your EDC, while a drawstring waist and breathable boxer brief-style liner keep everything in place, no matter what kind of adventure the day brings.
Best Chinos: Flint and Tinder 365 Short
Having been around for more than a century, chinos were long overdue for a shorter, more modern update. Enter the Flint and Tinder 365 Short.
Like the best of their predecessors, these multi-pocketed shorts pack plenty of style and utility. The touch of Spandex mixed in with the cotton fabric gives them just enough stretch to crush a round of backyard badminton or croquet. The Huckberry-owned brand also offers loads of variety: Three inseam lengths and nine colors make it hard to pick up just one pair.
Best Hiking: Patagonia Baggies
A staple of Patagonia's plethora of outdoor offerings, Baggies can take on just about any warm-weather adventure but are particularly qualified for hiking.
The sustainable main fabric is NetPlus 100% postconsumer recycled nylon faille (made from recycled fishing nets), complete with a PFAS-free durable water water-repellent treatment to ward off light rain. A quick-drying 100% recycled polyester liner keeps you cool and comfortable, and depending on where you shop, you can score these shorts in almost any color imaginable.
Read our full Patagonia Baggies review.
Best Linen: Quince European Linen Drawstring Beach Short
"Linen's origins go back thousands of years. It's woven with flax, a fibrous plant that produces a durable, soft, lightweight, and breathable fabric that's perfect for summer. Great linen shorts should feel barely there, but aren't so thin that they're transparent. They should also be structured enough that they don't look billowy or saggy. In my opinion, Quince's Linen Drawstring Beach Shorts check all these boxes.
I tested a pair over several 90-degree days, and they did an excellent job at keeping me comfortable all day. The beach shorts are made for casual wear, with no fly and a drawstring closure featuring sturdy metal aglets. The fabric does have a natural tendency to wrinkle, but because they're designed to be relaxed, I feel it's fine to wear them as is.
I did find one errant thread on the inside of the shorts after washing them according to the brand's directions, but there was no fading, shrinking or signs of damage. These shorts will get you through sweltering heat while looking casually cool, and overall felt worth the $44 price tag." — Andrew Amelinckx, men's style contributor, Insider Reviews
See more pieces we tested in our Quince linen review, Quince clothing review and Quince men's clothing review.
Best Terry Cloth: Mack Weldon Ace Sweatshort
Mack Weldon burnishes its already sterling reputation for elevating everyday basics with its beloved, unparalleled Ace Sweatshort.
The fabric is a buttery, micro-brushed French terry (95% cotton/5% Spandex), augmented by a reliable drawstring, deep hand pockets, and zippered thigh and back pockets. Somehow, they are both more comfortable and more stylish than your grubby cutoffs of yore.
See another one of our favorites from the Mack Weldon Ace collection in our guide to the best pajamas for men.
Best Travel Shorts: Arc’teryx Gamma Quick Dry Short
The finest travel shorts are comfortable enough for long trips and functional enough to tackle big adventures once you reach your destination. On both fronts, the Arc'teryx Gamma Quick-Dry Short excels.
An integrated adjustable waist belt sits seamlessly under a backpack, and five zippered pockets keep your valuables safe and close at hand. Meanwhile, the breathable, quick-drying, wind- and abrasion-resistant TerraTex stretch nylon fabric is equipped for everything from middle seats to trail hikes to lake dips.
Best Athletic: Ten Thousand Interval Short
Tough days in the gym require tough shorts, and in our experience, they don't come any tougher than the Ten Thousand Interval Short.
With a rugged yet lightweight construction, secure-zip phone pocket, silver ion anti-odor finish, and durable yet flexible polyester/spandex blend fabric, these shorts can take anything your deadlifting, split-squatting self can dole out. With three inseam lengths, six sizes, and an optional liner, you're sure to find the perfect pair, too.
Best Hybrid: Jetty Session Short
Desperately seeking shorts that can tackle the trail, the gym, and the beach with equal aplomb? Look no further than the ever-versatile and relatively wallet-friendly Jetty Session Short.
These shorts boast an elastic drawstring, spacious side pockets, and a zippered back pocket for stashing valuables. But the not-so-secret sauce is the fabric, a sustainable blend of Oystex (yes, that's oyster shells), rPET (recycled polyethylene terephthalate), and spandex that's both stretchy and quick to dry, so it doesn't slow you down.
Best Running: Tracksmith Session Shorts
Since its founding a decade ago, New England-based Tracksmith has consistently blended form and function to produce garments of pure running excellence, and the iconic Session Shorts are no exception.
In addition to inimitable style, these shorts boast Veloce fabric, an innovative Italian stretch knit that's breathable, moisture-wicking and UV protective. An odor- and bacteria-resistant hygiene liner holds you in place, while a rear zip pocket and internal drop-in pocket can accommodate your phone, keys, cards, lip balm, and other small essentials.
Best Cargo: Fjällräven Vidda Pro Lite Shorts
A distressing number of cargo shorts look unfashionably bulky, even when the pockets are empty. Leave it to the Swedes to develop a more streamlined solution, in the form of the Fjällräven Vidda Pro Lite Shorts.
Thanks to a cotton/polyester blend called G-1000 Air Stretch, these shorts are lightweight, breathable, and ready for rugged hikes — urban, rural, or otherwise. Even so, they offer plenty of storage options, including hand pockets, buttoned leg pockets, an internal phone pocket, and a sneaky multitool pocket, handy for stashing granola bars in a pinch.
Best Denim: Ripton Jorts
While the term "jorts" may conjure images of the excessively baggy borderline culottes that ruled the '90s, the Ripton Jorts are decidedly more adventure-ready, with their own sort of throwback country vibe.
Constructed of a cotton/elastane/polyester blend and gusseted to keep your crotch comfy, these denim dynamos stop well above the knees and feature 54% stretch, enabling you to hike, bike and generally galavant through your world with relative grace. They're available in both cut-off and hemmed styles, but we strongly recommend the former: You're already wearing jorts, after all.
Best Casual: Roark Layover Traveler Shorts
Smart, stylish, and adaptable, the Roark Layover Traveler Shorts impress in a number of ways, making them an optimal casual wear option.
Highlights include a drawstring and belt loops, so you can dress down and up as you like, multiple mesh-lined pockets, and a zippered thigh pocket for securing valuables. The polyester/elastane blend boasts four-way stretch and quick-dry capability, keeping these shorts equally at home on land and sea.
Best Board Shorts: Outerknown Apex Trunks
While there's no shortage of great boardshorts on the market, we trust arguably the world's greatest surfer to crush this assignment, which is why we give the nod to the Outerknown Apex Trunks, made with 100% post-consumer waste.
From the brand 11-time world champ Kelly Slater co-founded in 2015, these board shorts pack plenty of pro features, including 4-way stretch, stitch-free welded seams and a smooth inside fly to minimize chafe, laser-cut details for optimal drainage and ventilation and a secure back pocket — into which you can pack the shorts themselves when you hit the road.
Best Corduroy: Jungmaven Cabuya Cord Short
If a retro SoCal surf vibe sounds appealing, consider classic cords. Prime example? The Jungmaven Cabuya Cord Short.
Made with a hemp corduroy blend and available in more than a dozen colors, these shorts feature an elastic back waistband for comfort, reinforced belt loops, and four spacious pockets. Note: The Cabuyas are unisex, so men may want to go up one size.
Best Short-shorts: Chubbies Originals Stretch Short
Who wears short-shorts? Chubbies does, that's who. Little inseams are back in a big way with its Original Stretch Shorts.
Primarily cotton with just a bit of Spandex in the fabric for stretch, these elastic waistband shorts are easy, breezy, and as comfortable as can be. The buttoned back pocket fits even the biggest phones, while the vast range of colors — plus twill and seersucker options — suit even the most eclectic aesthetics.
Best Yoga: Lululemon Pace Breaker Short
Lululemon may not have invented yoga apparel, but the Vancouver-based brand has nearly perfected it over the past 26 years, as evidenced by the excellent lululemon Pace Breaker Shorts.
Made using a blend of polyester and elastane, these are the brand's most versatile shorts, which make them well-qualified for everything from running to hot yoga. An elastic-free waistband, tapered fit, and zippered hand pockets help keep your movements smooth, streamlined, and supple.
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Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@jkmperu.com.
