The SUDU SRS 01 are light, comfy and great for long, steady miles, writes expert gear tester Kieran Alger.
If you’ve never heard of SUDU before, it’s a new running brand out to deliver performance running gear. It’s launched with a range of technical apparel and running shoes – including these 2-in-1 SUDU SRS 01 running shorts that are built for bossing every run. So can they?
Men’s Fitness verdict
Lightweight flexibility with a 4-inch outer shell and breathable mesh inner briefs. They feature flat seams and decent storage. They excel in comfort and wicking, though may fit tight.- Super-soft liner briefs
- Good-size zippered phone/gel pocket
- Plenty of stretch and flex
- Liner short legs sometimes roll up
- Come up a bit small
- Some fabric bobbling
How we test the best running shorts
To test the credentials of the new SUDU SRS 01 shorts, MF tester Kieran Alger put them through a range of workouts, including a 30-mile ultrarun. He assessed them for comfort, fit, storage and sweat-wicking capabilities. He also stuck them through multiple wash cycles to test durability and general wear.
Design and features of the SUDU SRS 01
These twin shorts are cut from lightweight technical fabrics with a four-inch (10cm) outer and built-in, dignity-protecting mesh inner briefs with loose and flexible leg cuffs. The seams on the inner briefs are flat to help prevent chafing, while the thin mesh material features dozens of tiny cutouts to boost breathability.
Storage includes one rear zippered back pocket that’s big enough to swallow a larger iPhone but won’t lock it down entirely bounce-free. Plus there’s a slide-in leg pocket on the inner briefs. Again, that will hold a larger phone but it’s not secure enough to run or move at any pace with confidence.
There’s a pretty standard elasticated drawstring waistband, small side splits for a bit of added manoeuvrability, and these shorts come in three different colors: grey, blue and black.
When it comes to care, the SUDU SRS 01 (buy now) are machine washable and you can tumble dry them on low.
How the SUDU SRS 01 shorts perform
In testing I put the SUDU SRS 01 shorts to the ultimate test: running for six hours / 30 miles in weather that flipped between hot and sticky, to light rain. I also did some shorter runs and one bodyweight strength and mobility session.
From the outset, the SRS 01 tick a lot of the boxes you want in good versatile running shorts. The inner briefs are soft, with good instant comfort and flexibility. Unlike some twin shorts, you don’t get any compression here, but all your bits and bobs are generally kept where they should be. For an unrestricted, natural feeling, they’re spot on. Though if you like that really locked-in feel, these might not be for you. I also like the fact you can layer under your own favourite running undies without any trouble.
The outer shorts are very thin and light, with a good amount of stretch in the shell fabric that supports a decent range of movement. You’ll have to be a fan of the exposed liner twin-shorts look, but I personally prefer that dignity protection over regular 5-inch split shorts. The added bonuses here: they keep you secure on the deeper stretch drills in the gym and don’t expose loads of hairy thigh when you’re in the cafe post run.
I would like the leg cuffs to have a bit more elastic hold to prevent the inner briefs rolling up from time to time. Beyond that, they were generally good at handling sweat and I ran mainly chafe-free over the six hours, with a little help from some anti-chafing 2Toms Sportshield. But still, for runs up to a couple of hours, these offer little rub risk.
When it comes to sizing, I tested my usual medium and the fit was a little tight. If you’ve got bigger quads – or well-developed glutes – you might want to consider shifting up a size.
On durability, after current testing, there are some signs of wear on the fabric where my running belt has rubbed on that longer ultrarun. But they’ve been through multiple wash cycles without losing shape or any other worrying signs of wear.
Should you buy these shorts?
Debut kit from new brands sometimes misses the mark, but these SUDU SRS 01 shorts tick most of the right boxes for a good set of 2-in-1 versatile running and general workout shorts.
They offer good long-haul comfort with lightweight flexibility, pretty good storage and reliable wicking – all at a relatively competitive price. A solid investment for regular runners.
| Materials | 89% polyester; 11% spandex |
| Details | Mesh undershorts; Elastic waistband; Reflective branding |
| Sizes | XS – 2XL |
| Colors | Black/Light blue; Dark Blue/Pink; Grey/Yellow |
