LRD Athletic Shorts Review | Good for Lifters On a Budget?

In the world of athletic and training apparel, it can be hard to find good training shorts that cost less than $50 USD. So when I saw the LRD Athletic Shorts that have a price of $32.99 USD, I was intrigued.

For context, my current favorite training shorts are the Ten Thousand Interval Short, and I’m constantly trying to find options that compare to these and cost less for those who have budget constraints.

LRD Athletic Shorts Quick Take: If you have thin to moderately muscular legs and you want a decent pair of training shorts for recreational lifting and cross-training, then the LRD Athletic Shorts can be a good budget option.

Report Card: Get the Quick Facts

LRD Athletic Shorts

Price: $32.99 USD

Available Sizes: S, M, L, XL

Built-In Liner: Yes

 

Who Should Buy This?

1. These shorts have a price point that sits well below $50 USD which is great for active individuals that are working on a budget.
2. For lifting, these shorts have a moderate level of stretch and should work well in most recreational lifting contexts.
3. If you have thinner or moderately muscular legs, then these shorts will likely fit you really well when it comes to their liner and shell circumference.

Who Shouldn't Buy This?

1. The stitching quality of these shorts isn’t the best and I’ve experienced some loose threads after just two weeks of use with these shorts.
2. If you have thicker and more muscular legs, pass on these shorts. They’ll likely be too restrictive for your needs.
3. The waistband security isn’t the best with these shorts and I have to constantly adjust my waistband’s tightness when training.

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Who Should Buy the LRD Athletic Shorts?

The LRD Athletic Shorts will be a good buy for guys who want to spend as little as possible but still get a high-performance-style training short. These shorts feel most comparable to the Bearbottom Base Short which retails at $50.

I also think these shorts will be great for guys whose legs are thin to moderate in size regarding their quad, hamstrings, adductors, and glute musculature. To add to my rationale here, the liner runs a little snugger in these.

Performance-wise, these can be a good option for the guy that wants shorts for lifting and cross-training. The shell stretches pretty well in these contexts and the liner has a good level of security.

Lastly, I think these shorts are worth the buy if you plan to rotate them with other training shorts. If you’re using these as your primary everyday short then you may run into durability issues which I’ll discuss below.

Who Shouldn’t Buy the LRD Athletic Shorts?

If you have thick legs and glutes, I’d pass on these shorts. Even the XL shorts don’t have the best circumference measurements for the shell and liner. For example, I wear a medium, but my thigh measurements exceed the XL’s liner.

I’d also not buy the LRD Athletic Shorts if you plan to do a lot of running. These shorts don’t have the best pockets and there’s no compression liner pocket for phone storage when running.

Lastly, the quality of these shorts isn’t the best so if you’re needing a short that can take pretty much every task you throw at them, then you may want to tread lightly with these shorts.

LRD Athletic Shorts

3.9

Versatility

4.1

Durability

3.8

Quality

3.7

Pros

• Decent well-rounded performance
• Good option for budget
• Shell has good stretch for the price

Cons

• Stitching imperfections can be present
• Pockets aren't the best for running
• Can feel snug on thick thighs

Best For

• Recreational Lifting
• Cross-Training
• Budget Shoppers
• Thin/Moderate Muscular Legs

Falls Short

• For Running
• For Long-Term Durability
• For Thicker Thighs

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LRD Athletic Shorts Pros

Over the course of my testing and experiences with the LRD Athletic Shorts, I’ve found multiple things to like about these shorts.

1. Great Price Point
2. Good for Recreational Training
3. Solid Short for Thinner Legs

The first and arguably biggest thing to like about the LRD Athletic Shorts is their price point. Compared to the $68-78 USD that has become the norm for most premium training shorts, the LRD shorts cost $32.99.

I think these shorts are a pretty fair price. These shorts aren’t going to be the most “top of the line” pair on the market, but I think they hold their own against some of the premium brands at half of their price.

Another thing to like about the LRD Athletic Shorts is their performance for lifting and cross-training. When squatting and deadlifting, I liked the level of security that you get with the liner in these shorts.

In addition, I thought the shell did a pretty good job stretching to accommodate different mobility demands during workouts. When jumping and lunging, I didn’t notice any limitations with these shorts, which surprised me in a low-key way.

I think if you blend lifting with athletic-style training on a weekly basis, then you’ll enjoy these shorts and their performance. They’ll be a good option for lifters and athletes who aren’t super specific with their workouts.

The final thing to like about the LRD Athletic Shorts is that they’ll be a good fit for guys with thinner legs. Not every guy needs a ton of circumference with their shorts, liner, and shell.

If you like slimmer-fitting shorts that hug the legs well, then you should resonate with the fit of these shorts. The fit of these shorts reminds me of the Lululemon Pace Breaker Short.

LRD Athletic Shorts Cons

Despite liking these shorts’ price point and performance for lifting, there are a few cons to note before investing in them.

1. Sizing Can Be Off and Runs Small
2. Not Great Shorts for Running and Daily Wear
3. Quality and Stitching Aren’t the Best

The first drawback that I have with the LRD Athletic Shorts is their sizing and how slim they run. If you have thick thighs you’ll want to pass on these shorts because the liner will likely run too snug on you.

The medium fits my waist and the shell fits decently well, but the liner is annoyingly tight. I also see this as a knock for those that like more relaxed liners or briefs like in the Vuori Kore Short.

Another knock that I found with this short is that you’ll likely want to pass on them for running. If you like to run with your phone, then these won’t be the shorts for you.

Their more extended pockets make it awkward to store the phone and there’s no pocket in the compression liner for phone storage. On top of this, the waistband’s security is also pretty “meh” for running and sprinting.

As the old saying goes, “You get what you pay for”. While I think there are likely LRD Athletic Shorts that have decent durability, my pair is unfortunately not part of this population.

After just two weeks of use, I’m starting to notice some stitches fraying on my short waistband and liner. To be honest, this bummed me out because I was hoping to find that budget-friendly short that held its own regarding durability.

If you invest in these shorts, then I’d suggest doing two things to prevent stitching breakdown. First, rotate them in with other shorts, and second, wash them on delicate and cool, then let them air dry versus putting them in the dryer.

Performance

To assess and share my experience on the performance in the LRD Athletic Shorts, I tested them in a variety of training contexts. I’ll discuss this short’s performance for lifting, cross-training, short runs, and daily wear.

Testing the LRD Athletic Shorts for Lifting

For the most part, this short has held its own for my lifting needs. The shell is heavy enough to wear it doesn’t ride up a ton and it has a good level of mobility.

When squatting, doing sled work, and other exercises where you’ll be moving through deep hip and knee flexion, I don’t think you’ll find these shorts to ride up a ton if you have legs that align with their sizing.

I also do see the tighter compression liner as a perk for sessions where you doing cleans or explosive work. This is one of the few occasions where I didn’t mind the tightness of the liner and think it could be a perk for power-focused lifters and athletes.

Something I didn’t like about these shorts regarding their lifting performance was their waistband security. On multiple occasions, when I was doing Romanian and stiff-leg deadlifts, I had to adjust and re-tighten the waistband due to it sliding down my backside.

I think if LRD changed the waistband to lay a little flatter or used a thicker drawstring and elastic through its waist, then this could fix this issue.

Testing the LRD Athletic Shorts for Cross-Training

For cross-training, I’ve also enjoyed this short and my experiences in them — for the most part. The good thing is that the stretch is enough for most cross-training workouts, and the shell seems to have a good level of abrasion resistance.

I was also a little shocked to find that they didn’t ride up a ton when doing exercises like broad jumps. This is likely due to the heavier 100% polyester shell and the slippery-feeling liner.

If you’re doing more casual cross-training sessions where you’re blending some lifting with some athletic-style training and you’re more recreational, then I could see you enjoying these shorts.

Now that said, for individuals going hard in their shorts with high-volume workouts, I’d probably pass on these shorts to find something more lightweight and breathable.

These shorts can hold sweat since they’re 100% polyester and the stitching hasn’t wowed me with its ability to handle high-stress training contexts.

Testing the LRD Athletic Shorts for Running and Daily Wear

When it comes to running, most will want to pass on these shorts especially if you like running with your phone so you can listen to music. These shorts also don’t breathe the best so for runs on hotter days, you’ll likely want to pass on these as well.

Now, some specific contexts exist where these shorts can work for running. For example, if you’re doing short runs on a treadmill and you have somewhere to store your phone, then these shorts make sense. They’ll also likely be fine for those who don’t need to bring their phone doing short runs.

For daily wear, I’m hit or miss on these shorts. I like their inseam length and that they’re not so baggy because they do make the quads pop when rocking them casually.

Now, that’s the positive with these shorts for daily wear, my gripes come into play when we discuss phone storage. The pocket system in these shorts is somewhat awkward and I’m not a fan of the longer pockets because they cause your phone and wallet to protrude a ton.

I also don’t love the back zipper pocket because it also looks awkward when storing a wallet in it. If you’re going to wear these shorts for daily wear, you’ll likely want to keep your belongings in a bag.

LRD Athletic Shorts Sizing

In the LRD Athletic Shorts, you’ll want to tread lightly with their sizing. These are not shorts that I think will fit every body type well.

As mentioned above, if you have sizable legs and glutes, then you’ll want to pass on these shorts entirely, in my opinion. Even the XL shorts don’t have the best circumferences around the shell and liner.

For guys with thinner and moderately muscular legs, these shorts should work well for your needs. However, you still might find the liner to run snug, but with the waistband security problem, I wouldn’t size it up.

For context, I bought a size Medium in these shorts based on my 32” waist. Below, I’m going to provide my dimensions so you can hopefully cross-reference how these shorts will fit you.

• Height: 6′ 0″
• Weight: 179 lbs
• Waist: 32″
• Hip (circumference around butt): 40″
• Mid-Thigh: 23.5″-24″

I’m also curious if I’m noticing the stitches on my short start to fray because my quads exceed the medium’s liner circumference by a few inches. This could be even more problematic for guys with thicker legs.

If you have additional sizing and fit questions about the LRD Athletic Shorts, drop a comment below or reach out to me personally.

Price Breakdown

For the LRD Athletic Shorts, you can expect to pay around $32.99 USD. On Amazon, these shorts have a higher listed price but are generally on sale for $33 hence why I reference that price point.

I think if you compare these shorts to other models like the Bearbottom Base Short, then the price of these shorts makes a lot of sense. They’re on par with those and that model costs around $50 USD.

I also think the price of these shorts makes a lot of sense for individuals that plan to rotate these shorts in with other pairs. For example, if you bought 2-3 pairs of these and rotated their use, then you’ll likely get more out of their durability and lifespan.

Despite liking these shorts, I do think these are a, “you get what you pay for”, type of product. When compared to other higher-end training shorts like the Interval Short and Legends Luka Short, these shorts don’t stack up.

Construction Breakdown

The construction of the LRD Athletic Shorts is pretty simplistic. For example, these will not be the most “techy” workout shorts on the market.

• Inseam Options: 7”
• Sizes Available: S, M, L, XL
• Built-In Liner: Yes
• Two Deep Left/Right Pockets
• One Back Zipper Pocket
• 100% Polyester
• Compression Liner
• Elastic Waistband With Drawstring

If you have additional construction-related questions about these shorts, let me know in the comments below.

Takeaway Thoughts

Overall, I’ve been impressed by the LRD Athletic Shorts and the performance that comes with them. When reviewing these, I tried to keep it in the back of my mind that these are designed for those on a budget.

For budget-conscious beginner and intermediate lifters and athletes, these shorts should work pretty well, especially for lifting and casual cross-training.

I think you’ll start to notice that these shorts start to fall short for serious training sessions and high-volume use, but if that’s not you, then I wouldn’t sweat this detail.

If you have additional questions about the LRD Athletic Shorts, drop a comment below or reach out to me personally via Instagram (@jake_boly or @that_fit_friend).