Evadict Men’s Trail Running Baggy Shorts review: a lot of room for everything

Evadict Men’s Trail Running Baggy Shorts: first impressions

It’s immediately apparent that these Evadict Men’s Trail Running Baggy Shorts offer lots of features for a bargain price. They are also mega versatile – with pockets and pouches all over the place, so you can load up on all sorts of trail running essentials according to what distance you’re running, or leave them empty if you prefer to run light or carry a hydration pack.

The design is well thought-through, with materials to match. The Evadict baggies are constructed with a lightweight, quick-drying, loose-fitting outer shell, underpinned by a supportive mesh inner brief to restrict unwanted movement while you’re running. 

The baggy outer means you can raise your legs nice and high while tackling technical terrain, scampering over rocks and stiles, and taking on steep ascents and descents. The material mix used is slightly less dynamic than some other best trail running shorts reviewed in our buying guide, but it doesn’t restrict movement.

The outer features a mesh gusset between the legs, which is good for venting and airflow when things start getting hot and sweaty. 

The carry capacity of these shorts is the best on test, with two zipped pockets (both centrally positioned, one on the front and one on the rear) for stashing important things, and several mesh pouches for gels on longer runs. There’s also an unusual and quite large pouch on the front – over the top of the zipped pocket – which could be used for carrying all sorts of things, from an extra layer to a small water bottle.

All the extra zips and materials comes with a small weight penalty (vastly increased, of course, if you actually load all those pockets full of treats, sweets and gear), but the wide elasticated waistband (backed-up by a decent length draw cord) spreads the load and provides security. There are reflective details on the front and rear of these shorts, so drivers can see you when you’re running on roads and lanes after dark. 

Evadict Men’s Trail Running Baggy Shorts: on the trails

For the low price tag, these shorts offer a lot of performance and value. They’re not as lightweight as more expensive shorts produced by trendier brands, but we’re only talking a few grams’ difference (the equivalent of some mud on your shoes), and when you’re running on the rough stuff, who cares about such small margins? 

Instead of saving such a small amount of weight, I’d rather have extra durability and carry capacity, which these have in abundance, with more pockets and pouches all over the place, giving you plenty of options. You don’t have to fill each one with a gel, or take your phone on every run, but if you want to, you can. As someone who runs regularly with my dog, I appreciate pockets for poo bags as well as everything else. 

The large pouch at the front of the shorts bemused us a bit at first. We thought that the brand’s claim that it will hold a wind jacket was a little ambitious, but actually you can just about get a micro-jacket in there – so long as you don’t mind looking 20-weeks pregnant. A bit more realistically, it will hold an energy bar, small water bottle, gloves, hat, arm warmers and so on (although, not all at once, obviously). The rear zipped pocket is large enough to take a standard-sized smart phone.

We trail-tested these short on various terrain types in Devon – coastal paths, woodland paths, tors , moors and more – and over a range of distances, and they performed superbly each time. The inner does its job, without any rubbing or chafing issues, and the outer allows for ample freedom of movement. While ‘baggy’, this loose-fitting outer doesn’t flap around, which is a relief.

Overall, we were seriously impressed with these versatile shorts, which can be worn for pretty much any distance and cope well with all conditions.