Squatting, running, and playing soccer in as many compression shorts as possible to find the best for your money.
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Believe it or not, compression shorts—indeed, all compression gear—isn’t worn while working out (and after) for the joys of wearing skintight clothing. It’s worn because it’s proven to enhance recovery (1), and more anecdotally, provides wearers that extra oomph to push through the last half-mile of a run, or squeeze out just one more rep. I wore a dozen sets of compression shorts through heavy lifting sessions, tennis matches, soccer games, CrossFit, and plenty of runs. Here are the best compression shorts for men I tested, and everything you need to know to pick the right ones for you.
If you’re familiar with compression therapy, you likely know that compressing the body improves circulation, which is both therapeutic and the primary reason compression shorts are worn at all (that, and to prevent chafing). Compressing the muscles encourages blood flow, which means more oxygen (2) is getting to your muscles, which means better and longer workouts. All of the benefits that follow increased circulation are because of increased circulation.
No matter what your workout regimen is like, the ultimate limiter—more so than even hours in the day—is recovery. The rate and quality of your recovery will determine your ability to maintain or progress your fitness routine. Wearing compression shorts and compression gear in general is proven to help in this regard.
A 2017 study (1) found wearing compression shorts boosted strength recovery for competitive cyclists. Another study (4) found wearing compression gear while running “indicated large positive effects” for post-run soreness and muscle fatigue. Overall, there is more science supporting blood flow improvements and recovery advantages than any other benefit.
Compression shorts and compression clothing in general squeezes your body. That squeeze reduces vibrations and shaking—both noticeable and subliminal—that occurs during exercise. Vibrations in your soft tissue requires muscle to compensate and maintain balance, which fatigues you faster. So in mitigating vibrations from running, jumping, lifting, and so on compression shorts are effectively prolonging your up time.
A 2019 study (4) on the effect of thigh compression shorts on cyclists found compression gear effective in reducing vibration during rides.
Similarly, a 2021 study (5) observed a dozen male athletes performing drop jumps, with an eye on muscle activation and soft tissue vibration. The study concluded that compression is an effective tool to limit excessive vibration in fairly straightforward terms.
“Applying external compression can reduce soft tissue vibrations without compromising neuromuscular performance during strenuous physical activities that involve exposure to impact-induced vibrations,” the study read.
There is a lot of mumbo-jumbo-bro-science on the internet regarding exertion, which largely boils down to a singular question: Are you pushing yourself enough to realize your fitness goals?
A 2016 study (3) on benefits runners may reap by wearing compression clothing during exercise found its participants netted gains in endurance performance due to slight increases in time to exhaustion, perceived exertion, and a handful of other variables.
Logically, if you feel like you’re exerting yourself less, you feel like you have more in the tank—whether that’s on a run, under a squat bar, or pushing a weighted sled.
Ten Thousand’s M.O. is to make performance fitness gear first and worry about the rest later. I wore these through numerous deadlift sessions—dragging the knurling of the bar across the lower cuff of the compression short—and the shorts are unscathed. I did the same while wearing some Nike DriFIT compression shorts I got at Kohl’s and, after just three sets, and the fabric had visibly thinned where the bar moved across it.
I wore Ten Thousand’s compression shorts on short-distance runs, through a HIIT session, and playing tennis. There isn’t an activity I wouldn’t wear them through. The waistband is thin, stays put, and doesn’t feel like it’s pinching or squeezing my gut too much. The hemming around and beneath the crotch provide enough stretch for free movement while maintaining compression and keeping my privates comfortable.
One of the key issues most compression shorts have is breathability. It turns out it’s difficult to design shorts that are skin-tight, breathable, and durable.
Lululemon’s Rapid Vent Tech briefs pull it off better than any others I’ve tested. Usually, I have to peel off whatever compression shorts I’m wearing because they create a lot of extra heat, which means more sweat than usual. The Lulu’s are still warmer than, say, wearing boxers to the gym (not recommended for a number of reasons), but I stay significant cooler in them than any other durable compression short I’ve tried.
In my experience, these shorts are best for running, yoga, and sports. Because of how the shorts are put together, I felt a little extra tension when getting deep into a squat.
The biggest problem with them, though, is the crotch region, which is cut a bit small. Generally, the shorts are tighter than your average compression short, so all things considered I recommend sizing up.
You can get Under Armour’s classic compression shorts for less than the usual $30 list price at pretty much any time. They’re available all over, which means some retailer will have them marked down to $17 or $18 a pair (that’s how much I bought the test pair for). This alone is valuable, given most big brands don’t get that low, and if they do the quality is clearly lesser.
While you can tell these are not made of the same stuff the Ten Thousand or Wolaco shorts are, they performed through weight training sessions and pickup soccer games without issue. The only performance-based concerns I had were the breathability of the product—they get a little stuffy toward the end of a hard workout—and the waistband, which is too thick and doesn’t flex nearly as well as the shorts, which can be a bit uncomfortable. Overall these are good value for the money, but probably won’t last quite as long as more premium options if you’re doing more than simple cardio in them.
These compression shorts by fitness brand Wolaco are sort of 1B to Ten Thousand’s 1A as far as I’m concerned. Wolaco leans a bit more toward durability, construction, and what I perceived as cross-training utility where Ten Thousand’s were a bit better all-around.
Deadlifting and squatting in these shorts is about as comfortable as deadlifting and squatting in skin-tight shorts can be. There is zero pinch in the crotch or thighs and the fabric stays taught while flexing as your hips sink up-and-down.
They also just feel very solid. The material is a bit heavier and the stitching a bit more robust. The 1-inch cuff at the base is just slightly tighter than the rest to keep the thigh length consistent throughout wear. My only real complaint is the heat and sweat buildup caused by the denser fabric. That said, it’s a worthy trade-off for the performance on offer.
Not everyone will feel comfortable wearing extremely compressive shorts. It’s not uncommon for more aggressive compression shorts to irritate those with sensitive skin, or simply be too tight as to hinder circulation. Rhone’s brief is for those people, and those who want something more comfortable than performance-focused.
Truth be told, I wear these around the house all day while working, taking calls, doing yard work, etc. They’re soft to the touch, stretchy, and thinner than the other options on this list. The crotch pouch is comfortable while the body is static or in motion.
The downside is also the upside, though—less compression means you get more muted benefits of compression. Again, it’s not the end of the world. If you need something lighter that still protects against chafing and comes at a very reasonable price, I’d go with Rhone.
I’m not sure anyone could accurately tell you how many compression short options Nike sells. I’m fairly confident we could publish a guide ranking the brand’s compression short options exclusively and it’d be at least a half-dozen items long.
Its AeroSwift compression shorts are actually running tights, but the two are functionally the same. What we like most about them is the length and the crotch area. Regarding length, the big idea is a simple one: they’re longer than most compression shorts, and more leg covered means more muscle stabilized. These cover your entire hamstrings, adductors, and quads where most do not.
The leg coverage plus the cozy crotch fit and a small, no-pinch waistband make these Nike’s best compression shorts for the money.
Brooks’ simple, fairly-priced running tight is just that. It’s a 9-inch inseam that runs to about an inch or two above your knee, giving your quads and glutes a cozy squeeze. Brooks also threw in a couple pockets around the tight for your phone, keys, or maybe some spare bucks should you need an emergency gas station refuel. They wick sweat well enough (though long, hot runs will still soak the shorts into a darker shade) and have just one weird fit issue.
That issue is the center seam that connections the right and left half of the tights. It runs down the center of the crotch in the front and it can, from time to time, get annoying. Without going into too much detail, you may have to adjust a few more times than normal when pounding the pavement.
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