thenext.run review - What’s that in your T8 Sherpa Shorts?

This will be the first of (I hope) many writeups about pieces of kit that have found their way into my running box.

What’s a running box you say? We’ll we’ve all got one, it might not be a box but it will be shelf or a hidey hole where you put all your running stuff. Your running vest, buff, water bottles, the gels in that cherry flavour you don’t like.

The running box - We all have one

There is probably a head torch, the mandatory phyisical map of the Bibbulmun track, your bib number from your first 1/2 marathon, your snake bandages, and that 2nd pair of Nikes you got on special that your partner doesn’t know about yet.

Mine is an actual shipping box from the running warehouse - a literal running box - it lives in our pantry behind the door. Out of sight, out of mind until stupid o’clock when I am getting my kit ready for a early trail run.

This mismash box of gear make up what I found useful for this supposedly free sport. There are some things I use daily , there are some things that I have used once.

I added a new piece of kit to the box a few weeks ago, that I have been really impressed by and can recommend highly - the T8 Men’s Sherpa Shorts.

I am wearing them daily on my runs long and short and my spiebelt (which until recently was my go to for carrying my phone on runs) is now collecting dust in the running box.

So called Sherpa shorts because they allow you carry loads of gear all in the 4 pockets intergrated into the shorts. No pack, no separate belt meaning a small level of bounce even after extended running. This is a sticking point for my spiebelt, as it loosens and I find I am always adjusting postion and tightening the belt to stop bounce.

No such adjustment is needed with the Sherpa shorts. It all just works.

I have other running shorts too with integrated pockets for phones and gels however bounce always seems to be an issue and they have never carried anything more than a gel.

The shorts are made of a composition material - 80% nylon and 20% elastane - this means nothing to me but I can testify that the material is light and cool and feels great on the skin. They are designed with no inner liner and so should be paired with T8 Commandos men’s running underwear but I’ll let everyone make there own desicion on running underwear - to each their own.

When checking these out beware of the Asian sizings - these shorts are small. Normally I am a size small in running shorts from Adidas and Nike but in the T8s I was a medium, but I could have gone bigger still I think. Originally I ordered the small but there was no way I was fitting into them. Shaun from Tribe and Trail got them exchanged for me in no time.

There is a technique to getting the best fit and carry with the shorts. Best described as the grandpa technique checkout the video to see it in action.

The best part is the storage. I am able to carry all that I want and probably some more too. I have always wanted to be able to carry a waterbottle without having to carry a water bottle and in the Sherpa shorts it’s easy.

5 weeks in and I’m giving them a must have rating. I’ll be wearing them on thenext.run

Even room for a sandwich or two!