Sean Kiffe is a Runner’s Edge Ambassador for the 2018/19 season. He is very visible around town as he runs just about every Runner’s Edge race and Run Wild Missoula event each year. We asked him to review the lululemon Surge Short and share his thoughts. You can follow Sean’s adventures @seankiffe.
Having run in a few different brands of shorts this season I was excited to try out something totally new. I’ve become a bit picky about my short choice over the years. The lululemon Surge Short is a simple and enjoyable addition to my running wardrobe.
Fit
The Surge 6” short has a super light feel. The Swift four-way stretch fabric is very thin, but sturdy and silky to the touch. I found the shorts super comfortable while running with an almost airy quality. I especially liked the OOM (out of mind) liner. After a few runs in these shorts I have come to love the boxer style liner and it’s ability to thwart the “insta-wedgie” that is sometimes created by brief style liners. The smoothness of the fabric and the OOM liner also help to eliminate inner thigh chafing which I sometimes experience on longer runs.
Construction / Durability
The Surge Short is well constructed. The elastic waistband is comfortable and secures with an inner drawstring. I barely notice the combination against my skin while running. The lightweight Swift fabric is very comfortable, but I am curious to see how well it will withstand the repeated friction of hundreds of miles of running. LuluLemon really adds a nice touch by adding seam reinforcements in just the right seam joints. The seams themselves are adequately stitched but then reinforced at each terminus.
These are positioned exactly where other shorts fail after repeated use. I’ve run a few times in these shorts and they’ve been washed and dried a few times. The proprietary Swift fabric seems to hold up well in the laundry.
One aspect of the design that seems unnecessary is the faux-fly. The attempt to mimic the zipper portion of a pair of pants with no discernable function is a waste of fabric in my opinion.
Functionality
The Surge Short has a single outer pocket on the backside. I was impressed by how secure the pocket was even though it has a flap closure instead of a zipper.
The elasticity of the Swift four-way stretch fabric holds items securely in place. However, the pocket’s volume maxed out for me at either my iphone 6s, one Clif bar, or my car keys and two gels.
An especially ingenious feature of the Surge Short is the electronics pocket on the leg of the liner. My phone rides snuggly, completely concealed on my thigh and the internal conduit manages your earbud cord nicely. The outer short’s fabric hides the phone or ipod. The internal phone storage sleeve helps maximize the volume of what you can carry on a single run.
The elastic side straps on the shorts that are touted as storage bands baffled me a little.They are flexible but don’t tighten or loosen, and I worry that they would end up losing whatever you would store there (extra top, gloves, reflective band, etc) before you even realize they are gone.
The bottom edge of each leg features a small reflective safety strip. While this is not uncommon in running apparel, I feel that it’s noteworthy in that unlike some other brands it is subtle and very flexible. Some other brands that I I’ve used have this feature and it ends up creating a stiff edge on the fabric which can be a little annoying.
Overall, I was impressed with the LuluLemon Surge Short. While it’s not the short I would select for super long efforts, marathons or ultras, it does have its place in my running repertoire. The Surge Short is a touch spendy at $68.00, but quality build of the short seams to say that it will be around for a while. The Surge short’s combination of comfort, function and simplicity make it a winner. It will definitely be one of my go-tos for shorter runs around town, yoga or hiking.
