The 5 Best Running Shorts With Phone Pockets, According to Runners

The new iteration of the AFO shorts are my current favorite pair of running shorts. The added long liner has a phone pocket on the right leg that has virtually no bounce—I forget my phone is even there.

I like that the slash pockets zip shut so I can throw my keys in there. Usually the zip pocket is on the rear and the side slash pockets don't zip shut. When my keys are in the rear pocket it sits right at my waist and I can feel my keys on my run, but that's not the case here.

The liner is a bit longer than the outer short, but I prefer the extra coverage.

The strategic pocket placement on these shorts keeps your phone from bouncing by securing it in the spandex material of the liner. The thigh location keeps it out of the way on runs while still staying relatively accessible. This pair has two drop-in pockets at the waist and a concealed zip pocket at the right rear to hold cards or keys.

There’s a hole to feed headphones through from the phone pocket up to your ears. Though most people have a pair of wireless headphones they use for working out, some runners swear by wired headphones—there have been plenty of occasions when my AirPods didn’t charge in the case and I don't realize it until I'm walking out the door.

These help to keep wires out of the way when you’re in a pinch, and the pocket is big enough to fit your earbuds case, too, if you like to keep things wire-free.

These running shorts are exceptionally lightweight and breathable. The absence of slash pockets cuts down on bulkiness and they feel almost like running tights when I wear them.

The phone pocket on the liner is placed at the middle thigh which was a new feeling when running. Usually the pocket is at the upper thigh or ends at the hem of the liner so I thought having it at mid-thigh would lead to bouncing—I was wrong. I didn't feel my phone at all and preferred this placement over the other two.

Lululemon built its name on exceptionally soft leggings and the brand’s reputation carries over to its popular Pace Breaker shorts. Associate Editor Tom Price tested both the lined and unlined versions of these running shorts and found the phone pocket, which is only available on the lined version, does a great job of keeping his phone in place during long runs.

The fabric is exceptionally lightweight and has a noticeably softer feel than other high-end running shorts. He also put these shorts through weightlifting and yoga workouts and found them to be a great pair for cross-training in general.

While the compression liner does a great job keeping belongings secure, Price did notice they took some getting used to since they’re quite snug.

Bandit was founded by runners from different New York City run crews, and it’s making some of the sleekest run gear out there. The Vento shorts have slash pockets at the waist and a zip pocket at the right rear to stash cards, keys, and gels.

Its phone pocket is on the right leg of the liner so it stays close to the body and doesn't bounce on runs.

The pocket is a bit higher up than others and sits at the upper thigh, which we found to be more comfortable and stable. These are also comfy for lounging.

I'm impressed by how well they hold up after multiple wash cycles. I've had a black pair for over two years that I use a lot and they still look pretty new. I use them for biking around in summer as well.