Gear Up & Go: 7 Trail-Tested Running Shorts with Liners

Gear Up & Go: 7 Trail-Tested Running Shorts with Liners

Looking for running shorts with liners to help you go the distance that feel cool and comfy?

You know, without...

  • Chafing those sensitive areas
  • Too much pinchy-pinch between your legs
  • Feeling too loose to run your best, or...
  • Overheating because they're not breathable enough

🏃‍♂️When WeeViews runner Michael Young started training for a 13.1-mile trail half marathon, he made it his quest to find running shorts with liners that would help him go the distance.

🩳He tested out 7 pair of running shorts with liners. 

Here's what he found...

Michael Young scrambled his way to the top of Mailbox Peak in Washington state, then fastpacked over to a nearby mountain lake on the same trip. He also tested out seven running shorts with liners to find the perfect pair for half-marathon training.

🩳The Goldilocks Effect: In search of the perfect pair of running shorts with liners

I’ve always had issues with how running shorts with liners fit me so differently from brand to brand.

🏃‍♂️And I've been running for about 25 years, including...

  • High school track
  • 5Ks in my 20s and 30s, and...
  • Longer distances on trail and in races in my 40s

This season, I decided I wanted to go in search of the perfect pair of running shorts with liners, kind of like Goldilocks.

🩳Is there a pair of running shorts with liners that could help me get my miles in comfortably in the warmer months?

With so many different liners in different brands of shorts I decided to try a bunch and see which liner reigned supreme for my running
needs...

✅The rules of engagement...

When I decided to go in search of the perfect running shorts with liners, I was running about 25 miles a week and training for my first half marathon trail race. (Check out my review of the Soaring Eagle Half Marathon).

  • I ran three to four days a week
  • And at a minimum I ran at least two, 6-plus-mile runs in each pair of shorts.

I figured it would be a good base. And if they didn’t work out, I wasn’t doing any of my double-digit-mile days with them.

👉The big key: Find out how these running shorts with liners performed in real life.

🩳I went with SEVEN different pairs of FIVE-inch inseam running shorts with liners and ranked them on these criteria:

  • How the material felt on my skin
  • Did the seams cause chafing or rubbing
  • The dreaded wedgie issue
  • Did they stay put? / How often I had to adjust

🩳7 trail-tested running shorts with liners

Here are the SEVEN running shorts with liners I tested:

1. Rabbit FKT
The Rabbit FKT liner fabric is made of: 87% polyester / 13% spandex.

So Rabbit (@runinrabbit) makes my all time favorite running shirt the EZ Tee, so I was excited to try out their shorts as well. 

  • Compared to the rest of the shorts on this list, Rabbit was the only pair that didn’t have the seams on the outside of the liner
  • Surprisingly, there weren’t issues with chaffing on my runs
  • Superlight weight and no wedgies
  • I just wished for a little more coverage on the backside
  • 4 out of 5. (Note: A newer FKT 2 has been released since this review)
2. Smartwool Merino Sports Lined Shorts
The Smartwool Merino Sports Lined Shorts liner fabric is made of 54% merino wool / 46% polyester.

So besides running, I am an avid backpacker and hiker.

I have been using @Smartwool socks, tops, and underwear for years, but never their running shorts.

  • Being merino wool, they are super soft and don’t develop a funk which is great
  • The liner itself runs a bit small/tight, and didn’t have the coverage I wanted in a running short
  • It wasn’t a full wedgie, but I was adjusting constantly
  • 3 out of 5: Not what I want when running long miles
3. Roark Alta 5 inch Shorts
The Roark Alta 5 inch Shorts liner fabric is made of 85% nylon / 15% spandex

@Roark is a brand that was new to me.

But it's been popping up on review and running sites for me recently, so I decided to try them out. 

  • A great lightweight short with the seams on the outside
  • It will be in my summer rotation for sure
  • On rare occasions I would get a little pinching
  • 4 out of 5: A small adjustment and I was fine for miles again
4. Tracksmith Session Shorts
The Tracksmith Session Shorts liner fabric is made of 89% polyester / 11% spandex.

Tracksmith (@Tracksmithrunning) is a brand that's also new to me, but I have wanted to try their products for awhile now. 

So this seemed like a great time to check them out. And I am glad I did. 

  • Even though the liner is just polyester and spandex, it was as soft as the two merino wool shorts on this list 
  • Great coverage all around
  • No wedgies and no adjustments on my runs.  
  • Only thing close to a negative is that they are on the heavier/thicker side compared to the others, but not enough to bother me unless it was really hot out
  • 5 out of 5. These shorts feel and work great!
5. Salomon Cross 5
The Salomon Cross 5 liner fabric is 100% polyester.

So my feet are on the narrower side and I have been rocking @Salomon’s shoes for years now. 

Be it hiking, backpacking, and trail running. They just fit me right. 

  • This pair of shorts have been one of my daily go-to options for a few years now
  • They are thin, good seams and fit me quite well
  • At most I wish I had just a smidge more coverage in the back for a perfect fit
  • 4 out of 5. Overall.
6. Janji AFO Middle Shorts
The Janji AFO Middle Shorts liner fabric is made of 87% polyester / 13% elastane.

Janji (@runjanji) is a popular brand that many of my friends swear by. 

  • So these shorts are super thin and lightweight for summer running. 
  • They did breathe really well.
  • But they just didn’t fit me right. The wedgie was in full effect with not enough coverage in the back. 
  • More importantly these shorts just didn’t sit right in the middle, causing chafing and constant adjustments on my runs.
  • 2 out of 5. I was able to kind of push them back a little to stop the chafing, but it was just too much maintenance for a pair of running shorts. 
7. Icebreaker Impulse Running Shorts
The Icebreaker Impulse Running Shorts liner fabric is made of 51% merino wool, 35% lyocell, 14% nylon.

Icebreaker (@icebreakernz)...This is another outdoor brand that I have used for years outside the running world. 

I’m a huge proponent of merino wool year round for outdoor activities. 

  • The liner is super soft as expected.
  • It kept me feeling really cool without the funk that synthetics get
  • They had just a slight pull in the back that I had to adjust on occasion to halt a wedgie from ever happening
  • 4 out of 5. Overall, a great pair of summer running shorts

🩳Running shorts with liners: The results...

🩳Ranked #1: Tracksmith Session Shorts

  • So overall the Tracksmith Session Short liner was by far the winner.
  • If I had just one pair to always wear, these would be them.
  • Super soft, good seams, and coverage that stayed put when I ran. 
  • Just a great overall short.

🩳Ranked #7: Janji AFO Middle Shorts

  • On the flip side was the Janji AFO Middle Shorts.
  • As I said, I have friends that only run in these shorts.
  • For me the fit just wasn’t working. Really too much work with all the constant adjustments.

3 tips to choose running shorts with liners

If you are looking for running shorts with liners, here's THREE tips to help you choose a pair that works for you:

1. Which direction the seams face

  • Make sure they are out, so no chafing can develop.

2. Material makeup

  • Merino wool is soft, but may not last as long as some of the synthetics. 
  • Also the percentages of each material can make a big difference. 
  • Higher spandex can be a snugger fit, but maybe something that tight isn’t what you prefer.

3. How they are cut 

  • Nobody wants a wedgie when they are on a run.
  • Look at coverage to make sure you get enough material for what you want. 
  • Brands vary surprisingly a lot.

🩳What's your favorite running shorts with liners pick?

Tell us about it in the comments. Or create a WeeView of your favorite pair.

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Michael Young
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Avid road and trail runner in the PNW.

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