9 Best Athletic Shorts For Women | Scrunch, Squat-Proof, Pockets

Check Price on Amazon

A flowy skort with a sporty-but-girly vibe and a hidden liner

Fit is the headline here too, with more owners calling it out than any other feature, and comfort right behind it. The secret is the two-in-one build: a flowy outer short that drapes over a built-in biker spandex liner with pockets. Owners describe the wide waistband as helping with tummy control, which makes this a stronger casual and lounge pick than a hardcore gym short.

The honest catch is the liner. Owners mention: “The only thing is the inside liner rides up and makes it difficult to get your phone out of the pocket.” The outer layer stays put, but the inner biker short shifts, making the pocket awkward to reach mid-activity. One buyer found the liner rides up, though the outer seams keep you covered. Sizing leans high-waisted, almost too much for shorter torsos.

On the flip side, the versatility is off the charts. Owners wear these for running, field days, and everything in between, with one noting the shorts stay put during active events and dry quickly when wet. The fabric is described as soft and luxurious, good enough that one buyer swapped from a well-known athleisure brand for these. The red color is vibrant and doesn’t wash out. If you want one pair that moves from gym to brunch, this is it.

Check Price on Amazon

A 2.5-inch booty short with hidden scrunch and no front seam

Fit leads the praise again — the most-mentioned aspect by far, with softness as the clear second. This is the short-short for strength training: a 2.5-inch inseam that sits high and flatters, with a no-front-seam design that eliminates the dreaded camel-toe pinch. The hidden scrunch in the back gives a subtle lift without looking obvious, which is why owners call it flattering for squats and lunges.

For petites and short girls, this is the standout. A 4’11” buyer found the length perfect, another at 5’3″ and 118 lbs in size S loved the stretch, and a 5’6″ owner at 111-115 lbs said the XS fits perfectly, not too tight — soft, breathable, high-end feel, and the second pair in black. Reviews sum it up: “Super soft, they just fit to your body.” The compression is good without being restrictive.

The one honest warning: opacity depends on color. Reviewers report: “Pink is not squat proof but the other colors are fantastic!” The light pink ran sheer and got returned, while blue, black, red, and gray all passed the squat test. In light shades with the 2.5-inch length, either size up to the thicker compression styles or stick to dark colors. Because they’re not super tight at the edges, there’s a tiny bit of ride-up, but owners say it’s minor.

Check Price on Amazon

A thicker cargo biker short that goes from gym floor to trail

Fit is the top praise, with comfort as the runner-up, but the defining feature here is the cargo pockets. Unlike a loose side pocket, these sit flat and secure — which is why a buyer uses them for hiking, gym workouts, and everyday wear. The 3.6-inch and 4.5-inch inseam options keep the short long enough to climb and do yoga in while still reading as a cute booty short.

The fabric is a standout on its own. Owners describe it as smooth like butter on the skin, thicker than expected, and noted by a petite buyer at 124 lbs as “extremely comfortable.” It hugs the body without being overly tight — snug but never squeezing. The stretch is significant, and the material stays cool throughout the day even in warmer settings.

At 5’4″ and 142 lbs, a medium works; at barely 5’3″ and 124 lbs, an XS fits even though the chart recommends small. That sizing range shows how forgiving the fabric is. The one mild criticism: the cargo pockets aren’t the deepest, with one owner saying they’re “okay for what it’s worth,” fine for a key or card rather than a phone. This is the pick that bridges gym and trail better than any other here.

Check Price on Amazon

A buttery compression short with a smooth waistband that smooths the tummy

Comfort is the most-mentioned quality here — with fit a close second — and the smooth waistband is the reason why. The Butterlift fabric blends 74% polyamide with 26% Lycra, which reads in real life as thicker compression with a four-way stretch and a brushed, soft feel. Owners say the high waist flattens the stomach, with one noting the large stomach panel helps smooth the mom pouch.

The pockets are genuinely useful, not decorative. They fit an iPhone Pro Max comfortably, which is the kind of detail that makes these a do-anything pair — theme park days, 30-minute bike rides, workouts, and going out. One owner described them as perfect for a full day at the theme park, which tells you how well they hold up to long wear. The fabric is not see-through at all, even with bending.

The trade-off is ride-up for curvier builds. A bigger-booty owner said there’s no way she could work out in them because they would ride up too much — she keeps them for casual wear. Another owner who tried them had the same issue and returned them. Sizing runs mixed on stomach room: the small is a bit shorter but helps flatten, while the medium is looser around the middle. Size up for thigh room if you have athletic hips.

Check Price on Amazon

A smooth scrunch short built for squats that will not roll down

Fit wins the day here, with quality as the second-most-discussed aspect — and that quality shows in the squat-proof claim. Owners say the compression is strong without being too tight, with no rollover at the top of the waistband. One buyer at 5’5″ and 162 lbs called them her favorite among roughly twenty pairs, which is a strong endorsement from someone who owns the whole market.

The scrunch detail is a big driver of the praise. The booty lift is real, with one owner saying it makes her butt “look fantastic and like 2 sizes bigger.” The smooth compression fabric feels amazing for all workouts, and the fit holds true to size — a 140-lb buyer in a small said they fit perfectly. Light blue matches the product photos, and owners note it’s not see-through.

The catch is compression strength at the waist. One XS buyer found it overly compressive, causing a muffin top that paired poorly with crop tops. The brand’s own product notes say light shades like Sweet Pink and Elfin Yellow may appear sheer with nude underwear recommended, and that high-intensity squats can stress the hip and crotch seams over time. So the fit is forgiving on thighs but rides firm at the waistline.

Check Price on Amazon

A five-pack runner with zipper pockets and a non-restrictive waistband

Fit is the most-praised aspect, with comfort close behind, and the reason is a waistband that doesn’t squeeze. Owners describe it as non-restrictive and supportive without digging into the stomach — a huge deal for anyone who hates the muffin-top effect. The built-in liner (a brief-style inner short) keeps everything covered, and the high-rise waist stays put without rolling down through workouts.

The zipper pockets are the defining feature and they’re done right. They’re big enough to hold a large cell phone and still zip shut — which is why you can run, walk, and lounge without worrying about your phone. One buyer wore them at 39+ weeks pregnant, ordering a large when she usually takes medium, and said the band covered her belly comfortably. That’s proof of how forgiving the waistband is.

Fabric is opaque even when stretched, quick-drying, and not flimsy or sheer. The multi-pack covers solid colors so you can rotate through the week. The honest downsides: the scrunched waistband can rub on your back and hips during long 3-to-6-hour wears, and the liner runs a little loose for some. Sizing gets mixed feedback, with some finding it true to size and others saying it runs slightly small.

Check Price on Amazon

A feathery 3-inch runner with anti-slip dots and four pockets

Fit is the most-discussed aspect here, with quality as the second — and the feathery-light fabric justifies both. The 86% polyester, 14% elastane blend is weightless and quick-dry, cool to the touch, and slightly stretchy. The double-layer design is the hero feature: a built-in spandex short with anti-slip dots that grip your thighs so the inner layer never rides up, which is the exact thing that ruins most 2-in-1 shorts.

This is a half-marathon-tested pair. One owner wore them for a half marathon with zero chafing, crediting the loose flowy outer layer and the grip-lined liner. That makes it a genuinely strong running pick, and owners also use them for weightlifting, walking, and outdoor days with kids. At 3 inches the length reads as cute but not too short, and the fit runs slightly big — a 5’1″ athletic buyer found XS better than S.

There’s an unusual amount of storage across four pockets, but it comes with a caveat. The side zipper pockets and liner pockets are great for chapstick, keys, and a phone at walking pace — but one runner found the liner pockets too shallow and unstable, with a phone bouncing out mid-run and the zipper pockets feeling distracting. For hard running with a loaded phone, this is a walking and gym short rather than a race-day pocket solution. Runs long on a 5’0″ frame.

Check Price on Amazon

A five-pack budget buy with deep zipper pockets and a hip-lift line

Fit is the most-mentioned strength here, with quality second — and the zipper pockets are a close third that make this a genuine value play. The deep pockets with strong zippers are what owners rave about, calling the shorts well-made and worth every penny. If you want five pairs that secure your phone during a tournament day, this is the budget answer.

The built-in brief liner is a highlight for coverage. Owners describe it as comfortable, full-coverage, and not prone to riding up — which is rare at this tier. The high elastic waist includes a hip-lift line detail, and one reviewer noted it “holds in the tummy amazingly.” At 5’7″ and 175 lbs, an XL fits comfortably, making it a solid pick for athletic and curvy builds. The quick-dry, breathable fabric keeps things cool on busy days.

There are two real caveats. Sizing gets mixed feedback — some find it true to size, others say it runs smaller, so check the chart carefully. And the fit can be baggy through the hips and legs, with one owner describing the waistband as tight while the rest ballooned out with no shape. Sizing down helps if you want a snugger fit through the leg. But for the price, the pocket quality and coverage are hard to argue with.