Best Max Storage Running Shorts: 10 Pairs for Carrying Everything on the Run

Introduction

Max storage running shorts are having a moment. The idea is simple: build enough pockets into the waistband and legs that you no longer need a separate running belt for your phone, keys, card and fuel. They are especially popular for trail days and ultras, where storage space disappears quickly, but a growing number of runners now use them for everyday training and road racing too.

The trade-off is price. These shorts tend to cost more than a regular pair because of all the extra features, but in most cases you are effectively buying the equivalent of a running belt built in, so one good pair can replace a whole accessory. Below are our picks, including a couple of pairs we think you might want to skip.

Soar Marathon Shorts

The Soar Marathon shorts are a little different from the rest of the high-storage field. They are split shorts, cut very high on the leg, and designed for one purpose: carrying gels in a marathon. Runners who love classic racy split shorts but want a bit more fuel capacity are the target here.

Storage comes from two elastic bands on the front that hold two gels, plus two fairly sizable vertical drop-in pockets on the back that each carried two gels comfortably in our testing. That is six gels total, and on 20-plus-mile marathon training runs the back pockets held their load securely as long as the drawstring was cinched tight. There is also a small zip pocket for a key or card, but these shorts do not carry a phone or drinks well. One caution: the front elastic bands can let a gel bounce out when descending fast, so it is worth using the front gels first and saving the more secure back pockets for later in the race. At £125 they are expensive and undeniably niche, but for the right runner they do the job very well.

Nike Epic Lux Trail Running Shorts

The Nike Epic Lux Trail shorts pack seven pockets, which is more than enough for most runs. There are two drop-in pockets on the sides that fit a phone or multiple gels, a zipped pocket on the back for when you never want to look at your phone, several small see-through pockets for keys and extra gels, and one longer pocket for stacking multiple gels.

There are also handy loops that work well on hot days for carrying a rolled-up shirt. The length sits at roughly a seven-inch cut by our estimation, which avoids the dreaded inner-thigh chafe, and a rubbery inner keeps them completely in place. These were bought specifically for the London Marathon because of the storage, and they performed well over 26.2 miles, with only a tiny bit of chafe at the very end from where the phone sat in an outer pocket on a hot day. The drawstring tie lets you tighten them up, and a niche but real warning: if you fake tan, the printed inner will leave its mark on your leg.

Higher State Trail Shorts

At around £17, usually reduced, the Higher State Trail shorts are the budget option in this roundup. What you get is a series of small pockets dotted around the waistband, plus one larger zipped pocket on the back.

The back zip pocket works well and takes a phone or several gels comfortably. The problem is the rest of the pocket system: the main front pocket is not really big enough for a drink or a larger phone, and the small side pockets struggle to hold anything beyond a key, a card or a smaller gel. The pull tabs on each pocket are a genuinely nice touch, making it easier to find the right pocket on the run without taking your eyes off the trail. There is also a nice base layer, though frustratingly it has no drop-in pocket, which is exactly where a phone could sit snug against the leg. Good value overall, but the pocket layout needs work.

Simout Twin Trail 2-in-1 Shorts

The Simout Twin Trail 2-in-1 shorts were among the first to get us hooked on the max storage style, and they remain a long-standing favourite. They come with a built-in mildly compressive base layer that keeps everything feeling snug and compact, and four storage pockets on the outer short plus one on the base layer itself.

Two of the outer pockets are zipped, one on the side and one at the back, and there is a deep side drop-in pocket with a hood on top that stops things flying out on the run. The compressive base-layer pocket hugs a phone or gel tight against the thigh so nothing bounces around. On ultras these are excellent for redistributing food and keeping items close to hand, and they work equally well for marathons, training runs and everyday carry like keys and cards. At £60 they are a very fair price, they have survived hundreds of miles and are still in great condition, and they cause no chafing. One word of warning: they are quite figure-hugging, so consider sizing up unless you like everything on display.

Adidas Terrex Agravic Pro Shorts

The Adidas Terrex Agravic Pro shorts have been our favourite marathon running shorts for the past few years. They have a big running belt wrapping the whole waistband, yet they stay short and lightweight, making them genuinely nice racing shorts with a huge amount of storage built in.

There is a big drop-in pocket on the front, two big drop-in pockets around the sides, a zipped pocket at the back, and loops for trekking poles. A 250ml soft flask fits in pretty much any pocket, and the stretchy outer layer on every pocket holds everything tight against your body. With the drawstring done up, you can carry a lot without annoying bouncing: eight or more gels, drinks, or even a packable extra layer for trail days. There is no compressive base layer here, just a comfortable inner. The pockets are big enough for road marathons despite the trail-first design, and the balance of lightweight racing cut and serious storage makes these our favourite option for racing.

Decathlon Evadict Comfort Trail Shorts

Decathlon offers a whole range of high-storage shorts, and the Evadict Comfort Trail shorts are one of the best value options at £30. They are two-in-one shorts with a tight base layer under a loose outer layer, and the wider Evadict range includes base-layer-only and outer-layer-only options in multiple cuts, all with a decent running belt.

The Comfort Trail shorts have a big front drop-in pocket that takes a phone or a drink, with a crafty hidden zip pocket inside it for keys or a card while your phone sits in the outer pocket. The big back zip pocket holds a 500ml soft flask comfortably, and smaller side pockets suit gels, headphones or keys. They are very comfortable on long runs and great for everyday trail running, though the base layer again misses a drop-in pocket, which is a shame. They are a bit longer and heavier than we would choose for road racing, but for long days on the trails that is not a problem.

Lululemon Fast and Free Running Shorts

The Lululemon Fast and Free shorts are our all-time favourite running shorts, and unsurprisingly they have loads of pockets. Five sit on the waistband: small drop-in pockets for keys and lip balm plus a larger back pocket that swallows gloves or similar items. Two big drop-in pockets on the legs take a phone, gloves or gels, and being able to reach in and grab something mid-run without twisting round is a genuine game changer.

None of the pockets have a zip, which may put some people off, but nothing has fallen or bounced out in testing. The fit is not compressive but sits close to the skin, like a shorter version of the Fast and Free leggings, and they have never ridden up or down. They have been used for training, marathon racing and trails, wash well without bubbling, and have never caused chafing, which we put down to the fit. They come in loads of colours and patterns and in two leg lengths; the six-inch version tested here is also available in an eight-inch for more chafe protection. The only complaint: fully loaded, you look like you have saddlebags on your legs.

Simout Iosta H Shorts

The Simout Iosta H shorts have a strange name but deliver serious carrying capacity for £60. You get a really big running belt and a nice two-in-one construction, built primarily as trail shorts but versatile enough for all kinds of runs.

The belt has large drop-in pouches front and back that take a 500ml water bottle, a stack of gels or the biggest phone you can find, while the slightly smaller side pockets still handle a 250ml soft flask or plenty of fuel. There are also zipped side pockets, best for lightweight items like a card since heavier things bounce. Crucially, the base layer gets a drop-in pocket, which is always great to see. If you want the shorts that can carry the most stuff in the most comfortable way, these are probably the best option we have tried; for a road marathon we might go one step lighter, but for long trail runs and longer trail races they are superb.

Two Pairs That Did Not Win Us Over

Not everything in this category works. Two more recently tested pairs promise a lot of storage but fall short in the details that matter, starting with the Salomon S/Lab Sense Six shorts. These ultra-minimal trail racing shorts feel almost weightless, but the storage is built into a gauze belt that attaches to a brief-style inner, creating an awkward setup that is uncomfortable to get in place and offers no support without a base short underneath. The drop-in pockets have no closures, are not very deep, and cannot hold a phone in place; the long back pocket works only when stuffed with five or six gels, and even then things risk falling out. At £100 they simply do not offer the storage benefits you would expect at that price.

The Nathan Essential 9 Inch shorts fare slightly better but still fall short as a storage option. They pack five pockets: two small open thigh pockets on the base layer, two open tennis-style side pockets, two small interior compartments, and one larger zipped back pocket big enough for a large phone. The problem is that nearly everything is open, so on the run the tennis-style pockets are essentially useless, and the back zip pocket produces a lot of bounce at any real pace. As a training short the cut and snug base layer are genuinely nice, but there simply are not enough secure pockets to make these a viable choice for ultras or marathon racing.

Overall Buying Advice

The right max storage short depends on what you carry and where you run. For pure marathon racing in gels, the Soar Marathon shorts are the specialist pick, while the Adidas Terrex Agravic Pro offers the best balance of racing weight and big-pocket versatility. For ultras and trail days, the Simout Twin Trail and Simout Iosta H carry the most, most comfortably. For everyday training with a phone, the Lululemon Fast and Free is hard to beat, and the Decathlon Evadict Comfort delivers dependable storage at a value price.

Whatever you choose, remember that a well-designed belt of pockets means one purchase replaces a running belt entirely, so the higher upfront price often evens out. If you tend to run with a drink, prioritise pockets deep enough for a soft flask; if you mostly carry a phone, look for a drop-in pocket on a snug base layer.

Conclusion

Max storage shorts have genuinely earned their place in a runner’s kit. The best pairs here carry everything you would normally stuff in a running belt, keep it in place without bouncing, and stay comfortable over long distances. Pick the one that matches your race and training habits, size carefully where the fit is snug, and you may never reach for a separate running belt again.