Blackwood Trail Run Shorts 5"

I bought a pair of these and they served me so well in my recent adventure to the Karakum Desert of Turkmenistan. They are reliable, comfortable and (crucially) have pragmatic pockets. I am buying more because they are now my adventure staple for hiking, trail running, and everyday comfort. I like that they blend a very clean style that I can wear casually with expedition pragmatism and ruggedness.

Love these shorts. Wore them for the entirety of a 100 mile race. I did change my base layer compression shorts 3 times but kept the same shorts all day. Love the stretch and comfort.

Comfortable, breathable ultralight short. I use these for hiking and as an ultralight option in my bag when I wear pants. If you’re tall or have thick legs I would recommend going up a size. I went with a L and it fits well and is comfortable but it’s just a bit tighter than I’d want. I’d probably go up a size to XL next time for a roomier fit. For running it would be the perfect size though.

This is my first pair of Ketl shorts, wanted something to work out in, without side pockets, lightweight, fast drying and these are all that. My waist toggles between 33 and 34 in most brands but with Ketl I go with medium (have 3 pairs of Tomfoolery pants). I do agree with others in that at least as far as sizing goes with some pants, they do tend to run large.

The pockets in the back are minimal but exactly what you want them to be in this short. Middle pocket holds my iPhone 13 Pro nicely.

The shorts have good stretch and with a liner would be fine as a bathing suit (could go commando, I suppose).

As with my pants, I expect these to last years. Ketl's customer service has been great.

I’m hard on trail shorts, and my first pair eventually wore out. KETL’s lifetime warranty repaired them without a fuss, which says a lot about how much they stand behind their gear. I liked them so much I bought a second pair just so laundry day wouldn’t leave me shortless. Now I’m back for a third. Great shorts, even better warranty.

My new Favorite cross-training shorts! Perfect cut. Perfect feel. Perfect fit. The rear central pocket works excellently for phone. Lightweight and breathable. I am 5’10” and 155 lbs. Mediums provide for a great fit. Though I suspect a small would have been awesome as well, with a trimmer fit. I’ve bought a multitude of items from Ketl and every item becomes my favorite in their category, from pants, to shorts to sun shirts, and right on down to the towels. LOVE IT ALL! They offer a lifetime repair/replacement. Yet I’ve found everything to be extremely durable and have never had to test their generous policy. Well Done Ketl team. Now, all I need is a well-cut 30 SPF tank and my whole wardrobe will be complete. But for now, off to buy another pair of these perfect running shorts…black this time. CHEERS!

my new favorite summer shorts! I wear to the gym and daily wear. perfect for LA weather. Ketl team - need more colors pls. I will definitely purchase again!

Very lightweight very comfortable! My new favorite shorts! Pairs perfectly with the nofry sun hoody

I am 5’11” (180 cm) tall and 175 pounds (80kg). Medium fits me perfectly. Fully loaded I fit my iPhone 17 in the middle rear pocket and 2-3 gels in the side pocket with keys and ID in the other side pocket. I pair these with the boxer liners and really like the light weight feel. They are a great trail running short - will for sure get more.

Absolutely LOVE these run shorts!!! I love them so much I now have 3 pair! The material is amazing and I love that it has 3 pockets so I don't have to carry a run belt or vest if I don't want to.

Ran my first trail race with 2000ft elevation gain and these shorts performed extremely well. Lightweight and with enough pockets to hold enough snacks to get me through the race. I also wear the Blackwood shorts, along with the Ketl boxers briefs for general running and training and love them every time I wear them. Would be great to have more color options introduced!

Love the shorts! Paired with the Egg Crate underwear and you have a killer setup for a long distance day. I have now done several 10-15mile alpine runs with these
shorts and I can say you don’t feel them
at all - like smooth butter!

Would be a 5 but my shorts had a blemish from shipping. I needed to use them on a 7 day trip thru the Pyrenees so didn’t press the issue of a return.

Love this running shorts! The design, material and functionality are so awesome! The 3 zipped pockets in the back allow you to store everything you need for a trail run up to 1 1/2 hours or so and these shorts are so comfortable!

Feel great,fit great, look great

At 58, I was looking for a pair of shorts to run my first marathon. The 7in Blackwood Trail Shorts paired with the 8in Egg Cradle Boxer Briefs were wonderful choice. Phone fits comfortably in the back pocket leaving side pockets for gels and/ or headphone charging case. The quality of these products is excellent and higly recommend. Would love to see a pair of these shorts with front pockets for everyday use.

I was looking for liner-less running shorts with a rear hip pocket big enough for an iPhone 17 with a medium thickness case and this fit the bill. I was initially skeptical with the position of the phone pocket having been used to another pair of shorts where the pocket was position at the waist band but after my first run I was impressed that my phone stayed secured with no bouncing movement.

I hope KETL makes a more casual version (keeping the back phone pocket) with front leg pockets so I can comfortably go from trail to bar.