If you want an ultralight, breathable short for hard and fast sessions on the track, consider the SOAR Running Split Short…

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SOAR Running Split Short

BUY IT NOW:

$117 / £95, soarrunning.com

PROS:

  • Impressive sweat wicking
  • Airy race cut

CONS:

  • Expensive

Comfort: 4/5
Support: 4/5
Sweat-wicking: 4/5
OVERALL: 4/5

Designed for moving at any pace when the weather warms up, SOAR’s classic split short ticks most of the boxes for training hard and racing fast. The outer shorts are cut close and short (just 2.5 inches in fact). That gives you an instant race-ready feel and makes you want to run fast the moment you put them on. That’s largely thanks to the ultra-lightweight, highly-breathable fabric that creates a speedy, barely-there feel.

SOAR Running Split Short features

The inner brief liner provides reliable support and security. You’re going to sweat in these, guaranteed, and a fast-wicking fabric moves moisture to the edges, away from the bits you don’t want wet and cold. That means the briefs dry pretty quickly, too.   

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The marginally overlapping side splits deliver extra airflow and increase your leg room and flexibility. There’s a real sense of freedom of movement with SOAR’s short, which almost encourages you to extend your stride. Meanwhile the flat, wide and adjustable waistband spreads the pressure nicely without cutting in, providing a solid, stay-put fit.  

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These are designed for sessions rather than all-out races, so the storage is pretty minimal, limited to the one zippered pocket that’s big enough for the odd gel or a few other run essentials. So if you’re looking for a fast marathon short that’ll stow all your race fuels, this is probably not it. However, paired with a gel belt, it could happily cover that distance in comfort without chafing or rubbing. 

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The SOAR Running Split short comes in two colours – black and orange – and six sizes from XS to XXL which all come up true to size.