Sports Shorts

Shorts are the most sensible things to wear for most types of indoor and outdoor sports, giving the wearer comfort and flexibility. But there are so many different types of shorts to choose from, it’s hard to know where to begin.

If you’re taking up a new sport as a hobby, bear in mind not only the type of shorts you need but the material as well – should they be wind-proof? Water-proof? Tight or baggy? There’s a lot to think about.

Cycling Shorts

Cycling shorts, often made from a spandex or Lycra mix, are tight around the thighs to reduce the uncomfortable chafing a cyclist might suffer from after an hour on the bike. They might also feature padding for a more comfortable ride.

A good pair of cycling shorts will be made from a tight but breathable material and won’t be too restrictive. You will have to pay extra for a good quality pair, but you won’t regret it and they should be hard-wearing enough to last.

Gym Shorts

Gym shorts are often worn at schools or in gyms for participation in sports, hence the name, but they are also worn as casual wear, especially by teenagers. They are usually baggy, letting the wearer change direction easily, and are around knee-length or thereabouts.

Gym shorts are normally made from cooling man-made fibres and have a drawstring waist. They are very similar to football or soccer shorts.

Tennis Shorts

Tennis shorts for men are usually baggy, but are subject to fashions even more than gym shorts. The fashions in tennis shorts are governed by what the professionals are wearing, which is in turn dictated by their sponsors (the leading ones being Nike and Adidas).

Aside from the purely practical look of a player like Andy Murray, the more fashionable end of the scale is shown to great effect by Rafael Nadal’s so-called ‘pirate’ image, with the shorts coming to just above the knee. Such is the importance of the tennis shorts and their look, Nadal’s recent image overhaul was postponed by six months while Nike made alterations.

Football Shorts

Footballers have worn shorts since the game was invented, every season each team sports a new design normally showing their teams logo and the larger more sucessful teams such as Manchester United will also display their kit sponsors name on both their football shirt and their shorts.

For other sporting activities you may want to consider wearing a jockstrap.