Tracksmith Twilight 3-Inch Split Shorts are as good as they look

If having excellent fashion-sense made you run faster, there’d be no catching you in the Tracksmith Twilight 3-Inch Split Short.

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better looking pair of running shorts than Tracksmith’s retro-styled speedsters. But when it comes to athletic gear, you need substance, not just style. To see whether the Tracksmith Twilight 3-inch split short was up to scratch, I slipped into a pair and laced up my running shoes. Here’s how I felt they performed while out on the circuit and the street.

The Twilight 3-inch micro-mesh split shorts are made from a lovely, soft and silky Italian-engineered blend of micro-polyester and elastane. This construction of fabric features thousands of tiny pin-prick holes designed to help increase airflow, improve sweat wicking and speed up drying. It also makes the outer short ultra-lightweight, antimicrobial, soft against the skin, superbly stretchy and hang nicely. 

Tracksmith Twilight 3-Inch Split Short features

Curved side splits offer extra flex in the leg without rising high and risking any unwanted displays of your manhood in windier conditions. The inner briefs are luxuriously soft with anti-chafe flat seams in all the right places, They offer plenty of support and security to keep you safely stowed too. 

The wide waistband is lined with the same soft brief material. so it’s comfortable against the skin and a classic drawstring means you can tweak the fit.

Another area where the Tracksmith Twilight 3-Inch excels is storage. While elite endurance runners get their gels and drinks handed to them on race day, regular runners don’t. Minimal short shorts don’t often cater for carrying your running fuel but these pack three drop-in pockets, each big enough to hold a larger smartphone. Unfortunately the fabric isn’t strong enough to stop a phone bouncing around but if you’re looking for race shorts to stow three or four gels, the Tracksmith Twilight shorts are ideal. 

They come in six sizes from XS to XXL and seven gloriously retro color combinations.

Are there any other shorts I should consider too?

First things first, it’s important to note whether you’re looking at the right length of short for your personal aims and preferences. 3-inch options are pretty bold; great for competitive running, but also more revealing than many people would feel comfortable with if they were wearing them at a pub or around the shops. As such, if you can get away with having a bit more restriction in the form of fabric, you might feel more comfortable in either 5-inch shorts or 7-inch shorts, especially if you run in public.

On the other hand, if you’re certain that 3-inch shorts are the way to go, it’s also worth considering a couple of other brands. If money is no object, the Satisfy Rippy 3-inch trail short would be my top recommendation. These premium-priced, premium-quality shorts are some of the best I’ve ever worn. They’re light, breathable, comfortable and impressively quick-drying. Even more impressive is the sheer number of pockets you get with such a short… short. There are four in total, with two extra hooded drop-ins. So, you’ll never run out of room for energy gels or your smartphone, and so on.

Most people, myself included, would baulk at Satisfy’s asking price though. In which case, perhaps consider the Brooks Sherpa for long-distance running, or the SOAR Running Split Short if you’re known to work up a sweat.

Material	85% polyester / 15% elastane
Details	3 internal pockets; anti-microbial mesh fabric
Sizes	XS-XXL
Color	Navy/Ivory; Black/Ivory; Stonewash/Ivory; Chestnut; Brown