The Ten Thousand Distance Short is the latest model in the Pro-Line of Ten Thousand shorts to make its market debut. The Ten Thousand Distance Short is designed with serious runners in mind so it has features to accommodate athletes who are putting in serious mileage on a weekly basis.
As I dive deeper into my next strength feat (run a sub-5 min mile, deadlift 500 lbs, and squat 500 lbs all in 24-hours), I’ve been wearing the Ten Thousand Distance Short more and more. These shorts have been fantastic for tackling my running-focused workouts and there are a ton of subtle details worth noting before investing.
With my apparel work, I’ve been trained to pay attention to small details, so in this review, we’ll break down all of the essentials that you need to know about the Ten Thousand Distance Short.
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If you’re interested in other Ten Thousand Gear, make sure you check out my Ten Thousand Apparel Hub to read my latest reviews for their products.
Who Should Buy the Ten Thousand Distance Short?
The Ten Thousand Distance Short is not going to be the best option for everyone especially those who don’t plan to run pretty seriously in them. If you’re looking for a slightly more casual running short from Ten Thousand, then I’d suggest looking into the Session Short.
On the flip side, if you’re serious about running and care about having a minimalist short that produces virtually no chafing, then the Ten Thousand Distance Short will be a really good bet for your training needs.
Ten Thousand Distance Short
$72
Best For
- Mid-Range Runs
- Long-Distance Runs
- Track Workouts
Falls Short
- For Barbell Training
- For Those That Like Longer Inseams
Ten Thousand Distance Short Pros
Over the course of my training in the Distance Short, I’ve found a few key pros that I’ve really come to appreciate.
- Minimalist Construction
- Little to No Chafing
- Anti-Odor Tech
- Every Session Carry Pocket System
The first pro with the Distance Short is their minimalist construction. Being in the world of powerlifting and serious strength training, generally, I want my shorts to be thicker to prevent rub from knurling and prolong durability. However, since running more, I’ve really come to appreciate how lightweight the Distance Short is.
The waistband is super lightweight and the material used for the shell and liner are equally light in nature. The shell has a fabric weight of 125 GSM, while the internal liner has a weight of 102 GSM.
Another benefit is the Distance Short’s ability to limit chafing. If you’re a serious runner, then you know how big of a deal chafing can be for performance purposes. The Distance Short’s internal liner does a good job at keeping everything “secure” while limiting between the leg friction and chafing.
The last pro is the anti-odor tech in this short’s shell, liner, and waistband. Not going to lie, I’ll wear my shorts for 2-3 sessions (sometimes more, I admit — and it’s gross, I know — my girlfriend reminds me of this all of the time) before washing them. I’m constantly worried about my shorts stinking, but the anti-odor in this model does a really good job at preventing my stink from negatively impacting others around me.
If you’re the runner that loves to train before work or after work and you’re constantly throwing your gear into a sweat gym bag, then you should be fairly safe not having these shorts stink a ton for at least a couple of sessions.
The final pro with the Distance Short is their Every Session Carry pocket system. This system provides you with a posterior phone pocket to help keep your phone and belongings secure when you run. I know a bunch of runners don’t like to bring music when they’re training, but for folks like myself who enjoy music to run to, this pocket system is awesome.
Ten Thousand Distance Short Cons
Overall, I really like training in the Ten Thousand Distance Short, and there are a couple of cons, or at least performance points to be cognizant of.
- Limited to Running
- Only Short Inseam Options
The first drawback to stay cognizant of is that this pair of shorts is limited in functionality. These shorts are designed for running and if you want a pair of versatile shorts to also wear for training, then I’d suggest looking into the Session or Interval Short.
This isn’t really a drawback or knock on this short’s performance, just a point to remember for my folks who may be newer to Ten Thousand gear. Also, the liner does ride up a bit when you first start getting your stride, then the liner settles in once you’re going.
Remember, the more niche you go with your shorts, the more limitations you’re going to hit with versatility.
The second drawback is that this short only offers 3″ and 5″ inseams. For running purposes, this is awesome, but for folks likely myself who make like 6-7″ inseams as being the shortest they like to wear, then you’ll feel a little limited here. The 5″ inseam is growing on me, however, it’s certainly taken some time to adjust to.
Performance
For this performance section, I’m only going to discuss how the Distance Short performs in running and athletic-focused contexts.
Agility and Plyometrics
If you’re at the track and want to run while performing more athletic-focused training, the Distance Short is a good option for doing so. The overall minimalist design is super lightweight for longer sessions and this short never really limits mobility.
For plyometrics, agility, bodyweight movements, and sprint work, these shorts are solid. They move well, breathe well, and provide a build to accommodate maximal ranges of motion. The only caveat that comes with these shorts and this style of training is the liner will ride up a bit, however, once it’s settled that’s no problem.
Running
For running, these shorts have been awesome. They feel like nothing on you and I have yet to encounter a workout when they feel overbearing or like they’re bringing me down due to me constantly adjusting them.
The only aspect to consider is that the liner will ride up a bit, which I’ve mentioned already when you first start your training session. However, once you get into stride, the liner settles in and you don’t even realize it’s there.
Note, you can totally wear your own compression gear underneath to limit this, but at that point, you might as well grab a pair of the Session Short that has a brief liner built-in as that will somewhat be defeating the purpose of their minimalist design.
Distance Short Sizing
For sizing, I rock a medium in the Distance Short with a 5″ inseam and they fit perfectly. I’m going to provide my dimensions below so you can hopefully reference my sizing to make the best sizing call for your needs.
- Waist: 33″
- Hip Width: 38″
- Mid-Thigh: 23.5″
- Height: 6′ 0″
As always, if you have any questions on sizing, feel free to drop a comment below or reach out to me personally via Instagram (@jake_boly).
Construction
Below, I’ve provided the most key construction specs for the Ten Thousand Distance Short. There are a lot of subtleties to these shorts, so if you do want a full construction rundown, I’d suggest checking out the specs section on the Distance Short’s product page.
Ten Thousand Distance Short
$72
Best For
- Mid-Range Runs
- Long-Distance Runs
- Track Workouts
Falls Short
- For Barbell Training
- For Those That Like Longer Inseams
Price
For the Ten Thousand Distance Short, you can expect to pay $72 USD. This is right in line with Ten Thousand’s other pro-line shorts AKA the Tactical, Set, and Fight Short.
If you look around at other top running shorts, this price point is pretty fair, especially for serious runners. These shorts last a while and overall they’ve been fantastic for supporting my running goals.
More Ten Thousand Content
- Best Ten Thousand Shorts Ranked
- Ten Thousand Set Short Review
- Ten Thousand Interval Short Review
- Ten Thousand Tactical Short Review
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| Shop | Shop & Save 15% | Shop & Save 15% | Shop & Save 15% | Shop & Save 15% | Shop & Save 15% |
Takeaway Thoughts
If you’re a serious runner or getting more serious about your running training, then the Ten Thousand Distance Short is definitely worth looking into. This lightweight and breathable short does a fantastic job at supporting serious bouts of running and the price point is pretty fair.
If you have any questions about this short, drop a comment below or reach out to me personally.
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Hey!
How does the medium size compare to Lululemon medium if you’ve worn those?
I was reading your review and appreciate how thorough you were about all aspects of the product. Ive been wanting to delve into the Ten Thousand world but am worried I’ll get the sizing wrong.
I usually wear a medium in the Lulu Surge shorts and pants.
Appreciate any help!
I was wondering how the
Hey! Thanks for asking, the feedback, and reading — I really appreciate that.
The medium in the Lulu is a smidge tighter on the waist and thighs, but you should be safe going with a medium in TT as well because the difference isn’t super noticeable especially if you’re a medium with their size guide. TBH, the Surge Short in a medium is a tad tight on me overall, but I still wear them without issues when training, and the Med TT fits better and I can wear them for longer periods without “noticing” them hugging. Hope that helps!