What to Look for When Shopping for Yoga Shorts for Men

• Style: The most important design factors to look out for are style and compression. Check the shorts' inseam length to see where they'll fall on you, whether that's mid-thigh or around your knee. Yoga teacher Peter Bartesch, CPT, also recommends shopping for shorts with no zippers and deep front pockets. Compression is up to your personal preference: Certified yoga instructor Sam Gach, NASM-CPT, notes that as long as you feel comfortable in your shorts, they can be as tight or as loose as you'd like.
• Comfort: To make sure your shorts are ultra-comfortable, consider whether they're lined or not. Liners (or built-in underwear) can feel itchy or overly snug, depending on the fit and material.
• Material: Look for yoga shorts made from fabrics like polyester, nylon, and spandex, which are stretchy and wick moisture away quickly. Avoid cotton—it's more absorbent and can hold onto sweat.

How We Tested the Yoga Shorts for Men

To find the best yoga shorts for men, we've researched and tested dozens of pairs from popular, trusted brands. For the pairs we select through research, we first speak with experts to find out which features to look for in high-quality yoga shorts. Then, we review key specs and customer feedback for dozens of shorts at all price points to find the best options on the market. As we continue to test and evaluate more yoga shorts, we keep these key criteria in mind:

• Quality: When we first open the shorts, we check them for any defects, like holes or loose threads. Do they feel high-quality?
• Durability: During testing, we wear the shorts for cardio, yoga, and strength training workouts. At the end of the testing period, we note how well they've held up. After multiple wears and washes, do they still look like new? Or do we notice any pilling, fading, or other signs of wear?
• Fit: How do the shorts fit and feel on? Are they easy to wear, or do we find ourselves looking forward to taking them off? We also consider which materials the shorts are made of and how they feel against our skin. Do the shorts cause any irritation or chafing?
• Sweat-Wicking: We prioritize yoga shorts that are breathable and wick away sweat well. Ideally, they're made from high-performance materials that don't hold onto moisture, even during hot yoga sessions.
• Style: Yoga shorts come in different lengths and shapes. As we wear each pair, we consider where they hit on our legs, and whether the silhouette is flattering. Are they lined? Do we reach for them regularly, or do we keep prefer other shorts we already own?
• Overall Value: To accurately rate each pair's value, we don't check the price until the end of the testing period, after we've scored them in all other categories. Based on their performance, do we think they're priced fairly? Or would we only buy them if they went on sale? If a pair of shorts scored highly on all attributes but is significantly more expensive than others we tested, we don't give them a perfect value score.
  

Our Experts

We relied on experts at every stage while researching and reporting this story. Some, like Foote and Bartesch, helped us understand which features to look for while shopping for yoga shorts. Although we choose products independently, expert input influences our decisions.

• Jared Foote, MTS, CPFT, certified yoga instructor based in Koh Samui, Thailand
• Peter Bartesch, CPT, yoga teacher and fitness instructor based in the San Francisco Bay area
• Sam Gach, NASM-CPT, certified yoga instructor and fitness coach based in Los Angeles

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of shorts should I wear to yoga?

Look for shorts that are comfortable, breathable, and moisture-wicking. Ultimately, the fit and length are up to you—Gach and Foote note that your shorts should be as tight as you are comfortable with, as long as they don't restrict your range of motion.

Why Trust Verywell Fit

Israel Fontoura is a Verywell Fit writer specializing in health and passionate about fitness. He has researched and tested fitness apparel and is always on the lookout for the best products on the market and understands how they can make a difference in a workout. For this story, he tested lululemon's Pace Breaker Linerless Short 9" and Amazon Essentials' Performance Tech Loose-Fit Shorts. He received his master's degree in journalism from Columbia University.

Additional reporting contributed by Sarah Felbin

With over two decades of dance experience, Sarah Felbin loves diving into the latest wellness research. As a Verywell Fit health and fitness editor, she's passionate about finding products that are a great value and make life easier.

For this article, the authors looked over the test results to help compile our top picks.