How Much Do Running Shorts Weigh? (Comparing Brands for Men & Women)
What you choose to wear while running can make or break your experience. The wrong pair of shoes and you end up with bad blisters, a cotton shirt and you end up all sweaty and sticky. The same goes for running shorts. Running shorts are meant to be lightweight and moisture–wicking for the most comfortable use, but exactly how light is the average pair of running shorts?
On average, running shorts for men weigh about 5.4 ounces, whereas women’s running shorts weigh an average of 4.45 ounces. These weights are affected by factors such as materials, length, size, and various design features. The discrepancy between average weights can be explained by the shorter length and overall smaller sizing of women’s shorts.
Read on to learn about the importance of wearing lightweight running shorts, the average weight of running shorts, the different factors affecting weight, and side-by-side comparisons of various brands and lines!
Why does the weight of running shorts matter?
Runners are notorious for being quite picky about the gear they wear. After all, the gear runners train and race in certainly has an effect on the outcome.
Running shorts are no exception. Their weight and material composition should not go overlooked. Today, our focus is on weight and why it’s a crucial factor in running.
The weight of running shorts matters because it has a lasting effect on performance. Lightweight shorts are more comfortable to run in, lending themselves to better training and improved race performance. Additionally, lighter running shorts tend to be made of moisture-wicking material, another important performance factor.
On the surface, you might assume that the minimal weight between pairs of running shorts might not be a big deal. However, you’d be sorely mistaken to make that assumption.
Lighter weight shorts are better for runners than weightier options because of:
- Material – Heavier shorts that are made of cotton and other everyday materials not only weigh runners down, but they sop up sweat and do nothing to help runners cool off.
- Length – Cotton shorts are also likely to be longer and more of a hindrance to running stride; extra material may cause chafing between the legs. Lighter shorts tend to be shorter in length; this makes them even more comfortable.
- Moisture-wicking – Lightweight running shorts are made of high-quality, moisture-wicking material. Made for performance, these shorts do their job and they do it well.
Looking for the best pair of running shorts? Check out this article for our top three brands!
Average weight of men’s running shorts
On average, what is the weight of men’s running shorts?
The average weight of men’s running shorts is 5.4 ounces (153 grams).
I’ve got a breakdown of 20 popular men’s running shorts further down, but you might be interested to know that the C9 Champion running shorts comes the closest to this average weight of all the shorts reviewed.
Factors that affect weight of men’s running shorts
While every pair of running shorts is going to be different and unique, a few overarching principles can help to determine the estimated weight of a pair of men’s running shorts.
The weight of men’s running shorts is dependent on their:
- Material – Shorts constructed with cotton are almost always going to be heavier than their polyester counterparts. Technical fabrics tend to be your best bet, with polyester, spandex, and elastane offering lightweight material for shorts.
- Inseam length – As a general rule of thumb, the longer the in-seam, the heavier the shorts are likely to be. More length means more material; runners with 3- to 5-inch inseams enjoy lighter shorts than those with 7- to 9-inch inseams.
- Design and features – Running shorts often share different features to try and differentiate themselves from other brands; this affects weight in numerous ways. Adding a liner adds weight, as well as pockets – even before you’ve filled them with more weight!
Men’s running shorts weight by brand
| Brand | Product Line | Weight in Ounces | Weight in Grams |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adidas | Own the Run | 4.2 oz | 119 g |
| Adidas | Tiro 21 | 5.6 oz | 159 g |
| Amazon | Essentials Training Short (7″) | 5.61 oz | 159 g |
| Asics | Break Through Split Short | 4.94 oz | 140 g |
| Asics | Road (5″) | 3.21 oz | 91 g |
| Brooks | Go-to (5″) | 4.8 oz | 136 g |
| C9 Champion | Running Shorts (7″) | 5.29 oz | 150 g |
| Coofandy | Running Shorts | 7.05 oz | 200 g |
| Fabletics | Fundamental | 7.62 oz | 216 g |
| Fabletics | The One | 6.4 oz | 181 g |
| Fort Isle | LIghtweight Running Shorts (6″) | 10 oz | 283 g |
| Lululeaf | 2-in-1 Shorts | 8.18 oz | 232 g |
| New Balance | Accelerate (5″) | 3.99 oz | 113 g |
| New Balance | Impact Run (7″) | 6.38 oz | 181 g |
| Nike | Dri-FIT Stride (5″) | 4.23 oz | 120 g |
| Nike | Flex Stride (5″) | 3.84 oz | 109 g |
| Reebok | 2-in-1 Running Shorts | 2.82 oz | 80 g |
| Reebok | Woven Running Shorts | 3.53 oz | 100 g |
| Under Armour | Launch Run (5″) | 4.23 oz | 120 g |
| Under Armour | Raid 2.0 | 6 oz | 170 g |
Average weight of women’s running shorts
On average, how much do women’s running shorts weigh?
The average weight of women’s running shorts is 4.45 ounces (126 grams).
If you’re interested in that sort of thing (and you probably are if you’re reading this!), my research indicates that the closest-to-average running shorts are either the Reebok 2-in-1 Running Shorts (120g) and Brooks 4″ Run Within (132g).
The following section covers the different factors influencing the weight of women’s running shorts. These factors will offer a sufficient explanation as to why women’s running shorts are about an ounce lighter than that of men’s running shorts!
Factors that affect the weight of women’s running shorts
Similar to men’s running shorts, independent factors come together to determine the overall weight of women’s running shorts.
The weight of women’s running shorts is dependent on their:
- Material – The material of women’s running shorts abides by the same rules as for men’s shorts: avoid cotton and go for lightweight, moisture-wicking material such as polyester, spandex, or elastane.
- Inseam length – The shorter the inseam, the lighter the running shorts. However, with women’s shorts, this effect is exacerbated by the fact that the shorts are even shorter! Couple this with smaller overall sizing, and it’s obvious why women’s shorts weigh less than men’s.
- Design and features – Design and features come down to preference, but be wary that certain features add weight to running shorts. Adding a liner or built-in compression shorts increases the total weight, as does having pockets.
Women’s running shorts weight by brand
| Brand | Product Line | Weight in Ounces | Weight in Grams |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adidas | Pacer | 3.77 oz | 107 g |
| Adidas | Run It | 2.82 oz | 80 g |
| Amazon | Essentials Stretch Woven Running short (4”) | 3.53 oz | 100 g |
| Asics | Road (3.5”) | 6.4 oz | 181 g |
| Asics | Silver Split | 3.53 oz | 100 g |
| Automet | 2-in-1 Flowy Running Shorts | 6.38 oz | 181 g |
| BMJL | Running shorts | 5.29 oz | 150 g |
| Brooks | Chaser (3”) | 3.84 oz | 109 g |
| Brooks | Run Within (4”) | 4.66 oz | 132 g |
| Core 10 | Standard-fit Running Shorts | 8 oz | 227 g |
| Mancreda | Running Shorts | 7.62 oz | 216 g |
| New Balance | Accelerate (2.5”) | 2.82 oz | 80 g |
| New Balance | Impact (5”) | 4.8 oz | 136 g |
| Nike | Dri-fit Attack | 3.84 oz | 109 g |
| Nike | Dri-fit Tempo (3.5”) | 3.52 oz | 100 g |
| Reebok | Essentials (4”) | 3.21 oz | 91 g |
| Reebok | 2-in-1 Running shorts | 4.23 oz | 120 g |
| Saucony | Dash (4”) | 4.16 oz | 118 g |
| Under Armour | Fly By 2.0 | 2.89 oz | 82 g |
| Under Armour | Play Up 3.0 | 3.84 oz | 109 g |
- About the Author
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Joshua Bartlett is a UESCA Certified Running Coach and Editor at Your Next Run.
It is his job to make sure that readers get only highly-researched and comprehensive questions to all of their running questions.
