Tips for Running in Humidity: The 6 Best Polarized Sunglasses for Runners and casualwear.
- The Best Running Sunglasses of 2024
- Mid-thigh length
- No pockets
Price: $30
Sizes: Prevent Chafing in These Fashion-Forward Bike Shorts
Inseam: 4 inches
Colors: 7, including Deepest Navy, Black (shown in images), and Blue Stone
A Part of Hearst Digital Media dehydrated Danielle Zickl for Runners World and Bicycling chafing is no joke. Logging your miles wearing bottoms with an inseam that’s too short can cause that burning sensation we’re all so familiar with. But thanks to bike shorts, you don’t have to suffer through uncomfortable long runs or speed workouts anymore.
Free People We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back
Pros
- Mid-thigh length
- Variety of colors to choose from
- Fits in as casualwear
Cons
Free People’s We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back, which are part of the brand’s Movement activewear line, have saved my inner thighs more than once this summer. I wore these on some of the steamiest days and experienced zero friction. Because they aren’t thick, they kept me as cool as I could possibly be in 85-degree weather where the humidity was near 100 percent.
In my experience wearing other Free People clothing, their items are typically high quality—and these shorts are no different. They’ve gone through several washes and still have held up.
Not Your Typical Pair of Bike Shorts
When you think “bike shorts,” you probably imagine something that hits just above your knee. But these Hot Shot shorts are mid-thigh length and they still protect your thighs. I love this aspect of the shorts because, as someone who is just barely 5’2, traditional bike shorts are usually way too long on me and come down to my knees.
The Hot Shot shorts also aren’t as tight as traditional bike shorts. Made from 95 percent cotton and 5 percent elastane (an elastic, spandex-like fabric), they’re incredibly soft and comfortable—you won’t feel like your circulation is being cut off. However, just because these shorts aren’t super tight doesn’t mean they won’t stay in place during your runs. I didn’t have any issues with having to pull them up or fix them in the middle of my workouts.
The only downside for me was that they don’t have any pockets to stash your keys, phone, or energy gels. However, the fact that these bike shorts fit so well makes up for it.
Other bike shorts in Free People’s Movement line include the Why Trust Us and the We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. These are more traditional bike shorts in terms of length (they have a 9.5-inch and 7.5-inch inseam, respectively) and compression. However, while I usually find bike shorts a bit too tight and uncomfortable, I found these shorts, which are made mostly of either nTips for Running in Humidityolyester, instead of spandex, works in their favor. Like the Hot Shot, they aren’t as compressive as other bike shorts I’ve worked out in in the past. Their materials are light, too, so no major sweating (or at least no more than usual on a steamy August day).
Fashion-Forward, But Comfortable
The Hot Shot transitions from workout shorts to fashionable shorts seamlessly. You can finish a track workout and go run an errand and no one would know you just went for a run. I’ve also worn these shorts to relax around my house, which I don’t like doing with many of the spandex workout shorts I own since they’re too restrictive. So the next time you know you have to head straight to the grocery store after your run, throw on these Hot Shot shorts to pull double duty.
