Brutal Buddha Active Shorts – Review

Brutal Buddha is a US brand manufacturing active workout and yoga shorts. This review is aimed at running and the Brutal Buddha’s performance as a performance running short.

Brutal Buddha shorts work on the platform of three pillars of Move freely, Zero pinching and No chafing, all of which are excellent attributes of a performance running short.

The Brutal Buddha shorts feature a full half tight liner, the material being a soft fabric made from 80/20 recycled polyester and lycra that feels very comfortable with a light compression which only adds to the comfort. Another key feature of the Brutal Buddha shorts is their trade marked ‘Package Protection.’ In this feature the male ‘package’ sits inside a small pouch built into the liner which is designed for zero pinching. This feature is a great addition for yoga where more extreme range of motions are standard fare, we will touch on whether this gives benefit for the repetitive range of motion in running.

The outer is made of 88% nylon and 12% lycra designed for maximum breathability, above average stretch for unrestricted movement and enhanced sweat wicking for greater comfort during exercise. There is a 7” in seam, two deep side pockets and secure rear pocket with zipper. They come in five basic colours – black, grey, blue, red and green with all having the same design. Brutal Buddha sell for US $79 and ship worldwide for up to US $9.95.

So how do they run……

First thing I notice when wearing the Brutal Buddha shorts is the comfort of the inner lining. I am normally a big fan of shorts with a full half tight liner as opposed to a brief lining, especially from longer runs. These shorts are very comfortable and lining is the secret to this, extremely soft and comfortable fabric with the slight compression adding to the overall fit and comfort. After owning these shorts for over six months and running in these shorts multiple times per week this fit and comfort hasn’t changed. The quality of the fabric and manufacture is excellent and stands the test of time.

‘Package Protection’ is nice feature and does what it promises. The ‘package’ fits comfortably into the package pouch which keeps your private area secure and comfortable. Whether this feature is necessary if wearing these shorts exclusively for running is up for debate. There are many runs where I haven’t bothered using the ‘Package Protection’ while running and this hasn’t negatively effected the comfort or fit. For yoga or gym workouts this may be a great feature for running the jury is out. However, it certainly isn’t a feature that is negative, some runners may love it and others may not need or see a reason.

The outer short is again as promised and has a great sweat wicking properties and breathability. After long runs in these shorts through hot Australian summer conditions the fabric doesn’t become extremely wet and therefore remains comfortable throughout. This is a great feature of the Brutal Buddha, as it’s common for running shorts to become very wet and heavy as you sweat. This makes them uncomfortable and increases the chances of chafing occurring.

No Chafe is feature every runner needs in a running short. Male or female, large or small runner, chafe is a problem to be avoided. Plenty of long runs have been aborted due to excessive chafe. Brutal Buddha has the answer and the answer is the lining fabric. We’ve already spoken about the comfort, however the lining gets better as the run gets longer because comfort doesn’t change and chafing doesn’t enter the conversation.

The comfort of the Brutal Buddha shorts is only increased with the anti-slip waist band and pockets are well designed. The waist band is large enough to provide comfort and the fabric soft enough that it again remains comfortable for long periods. The deep side pockets are well designed. On long runs I always carry a zip lock bag for my gel wrapper rubbish. I place this bag in the side pockets and suffer no discomfort from the having these in the side pocket.

I’m really impressed with the Brutal Buddha shorts as a performance running short. After using these shorts over the past six months they have become my go to shorts for trail races and long runs. The greatest feature is their comfort, the inner lining is supreme and as good as it gets in a workout short. The outer is also excellent and stays comfortable for runs of any distance and any condition. It remains dryer then other shorts I’ve worn and means I am comfortable throughout long runs.

At US $79 they are in a similar price range for most performance running shorts. With inexpensive worldwide shipping or free shipping for orders over US $90 (Buy 2 pairs) they represent relatively good value.

The Brutal Buddha shorts are comfortable, with the fabric and design being the bigger winner. From a pure running perspective I’d take or leave the ‘Package Protection’, its certainly not the game changer but as an overall package as a running short these tick all the boxes and you’ll see me in the Brutal Buddha shorts often into the future.