Exercise and Running clothing ... the bottom side

I started out wearing my cotton exercise clothing for working out ... cotton shorts, cotton yoga pants, cotton yoga tops.  I like cotton, most of the time, and it had worked out well for all of my previous forays into exercise.

But ...

I started developing "issues."  Let us just say a little "chafing of the cheeks" and leave it at that.

So I began looking for alternatives that wick sweat and dry quickly.  So I pulled out my old "old, old" pair of running shorts in nylon.  They worked, but they were too big, shifted everywhere, and just felt strange.  I am not a fan of most synthetic fabrics, they feel off to me.  They make my skin rebel.

Right about this time of my discomfort, winter sales are occurring, and I check out my favorite wool companies: Ibex, Icebreaker, and Smartwool.  Gak!  Wallet attack!



Into my exercise world crept:

http://www.backcountry.com/stoic-merino-boy-boxer-womens

Stoic Merino Boy Boxer - Hands down the most comfortable boxer I've ever worn.  It stays in place, does not creep much, and can handle a couple of miles of sweat.  I started out with a large, which has become a bit too large for exercise (as it now creeps where it once did not) so I've also ordered a medium.  The larges are now sleep and goof around shorts while the mediums are my exercise short.

I would gladly have an entire wardrobe of these shorts.  They fit the pear shaped saddle bags well.  I would not recommend these for straight up and down types, as they do have quite a bit of shaping to them.  Thank goodness Stoic came up with these, the only boy shorts made for curvy women!

Icebreaker's Swift Short

These are last year's model, and my favorite.  They are a bit tighter in the waist, so I do not have to bother with a drawstring.  A good compromise between too loose and too tight, they dry quickly and are the shorts I reach for most often.

Icebreaker's Dart Short

I got these because of a spring sale, and since I loved the Swift short so much, expected to like these as much.  These are looser in the waist, which means the drawstring is much more important.  They aren't going to slide off, but when I'm doing abdominal work they do gape abominably on my abdominablies!

They do work well for running and walking.  Another good mix of loose, but not too loose.

 Icebreaker's Boyshort

These seemed like such a good pair of shorts when I first got them, but their fit gets worse and worse as time passes.  I would not do aerobics in these now since they creep.  I infinitely prefer the Stoic Boy Short for my curvy body.


 

Icebreaker's Run Skort

Honestly, I got these for a lark.  Running shorts aren't the most attractive, and I thought these would do well when in company (I usually exercise alone and at home, so it doesn't matter what I wear).  They were a "girly" compromise.

I would not wear these for cross training or weight lifting, as the split irritates me.  However, for simple running or walking they work quite well.

I find the short liner inside quite comfortable, and it does not ride up badly.  I purchased these rather than the Ibex run skort due to the price difference, and am quite happy with them.

They do not get much use because: 1) I'm not outside much during the summer, and 2) I'll reach for the Swift's or Stoic's first.