Ten Thousand bills itself as “the only training shorts you’ll ever need.” You’ve gotta like the confidence but does Ten Thousand live up to its bold claim. Let’s find out.
First, the shorts pass the 50 Alpha style test. They are sleek and understated in subtle colors. The fit is good, but not overly snug. No question you will feel confident, not self-conscious at the gym or out for a run in Ten Thousand. Second, if the shorts are the last ones we’ll ever need, they’d better be functional. Right now, Ten Thousand offers three models: the Foundation for durability; the Interval for versatility; the Session for ultra-lightweight. We tried each and put them to some tough tests.
With the Foundation short, your 50 Alpha reviewer hit the gym–three to four times a week for a month. Okay, maybe it wasn’t a boot camp level workout, but your reviewer worked the elliptical for 30 to 45 minutes per visit, plus free weights, leg press, leg extension, strengthening exercises and stretching. The shorts more than held on their own. They were comfortable across all activities. Plus I never once worried about losing my keys–knowing they were snug in the inner zip pocket. And the Foundation shorts held up to repeated washing by the gym’s laundry service, still looking and smelling good.
We put the Interval to a different kind of test, treating them as a pure athletic short. I took them to the park for hoops, the tennis court for doubles and out for runs. This pair had a liner that was snug on the quads, and over time, it became a feature that I missed in other shorts. It kept the legs a little warmer will warming up in tennis or starting a run, and I think kept them looser over the course of two hours of tennis or on mile four or five. The Interval shorts also held up very well with repeated washes, and I preferred their simplicity to the Foundation’s lace up front.
Finally, we tried on the lightweight session short, and it too was comfortable whether working or running round. In fact, it was so comfortable I ended up sleeping in it too. It also held up well in the wash.
Overall, Ten Thousand shorts really do make a shot at living up to the brand’s bold promise. The shorts are highly-functional for working out and more, have a sleek look, clever pockets, and they last too, holding up in the wash and smelling good. Ten Thousand may well have created the Platonic ideal of the training short, and they more than deserve the designation 50 Alpha.