These Shorts Were Built in Collaboration with Members of the U.S. Special Operations Forces. Here’s My Honest Review.

Let’s be honest: most training gear brands talk a big game. “Performance tested,” “built for athletes,” “battle ready.” But here’s something you don’t hear every day: these shorts were designed and tested with members of the U.S. Special Operations Forces.

Yeah, those guys. The ones who train harder, push longer, and demand more from their gear than anyone else on the planet. When I heard Ten Thousand teamed up with Special Ops to create the Tactical Short, I knew I had to get my hands on a pair.

And after putting them through my own grind of heavy lifts, rucks, and sprints, I can say this: these aren’t just gym shorts. They’re the closest thing to military-grade fitness gear you can actually buy—and they live up to the hype.

Why I Wanted to Try the Tactical Short

As someone who trains every day, I’ve been through my fair share of so-called “performance” shorts. But knowing these were tested by elite soldiers in real-world scenarios—carrying weight, swimming in lakes, running miles with gear—it made me want to see if they could hold up to my own brand of punishment.

If they were built to survive the demands of Special Ops, surely they’d crush a week of my training.

What Makes Them Stand Out

After wearing them through some brutal sessions, here’s what really stuck with me:

• Built for Movement: The lightweight ripstop shell and side slits gave me total freedom for squats, lunges, and box jumps without a single snag or restriction.
  
• Secure Carry: I love pockets that actually work. The zippered side compartments and liner phone pocket meant nothing bounced around during runs or burpees.
  
• Water-Ready: I wore them for a lake workout and they dried crazy fast—no soggy heaviness weighing me down.
  
• Stay-Fresh Tech: The silver-ion Odorblock™ treatment works. After back-to-back training days, they still felt (and smelled) ready for more.

Putting Them Through My Week

Strength Training 🏋️

I started the week with barbell squats, deadlifts, and some accessory lunges. Normally, this is where shorts ride up or bunch uncomfortably. The Tactical Short’s reinforced waistband stayed put. The ripstop fabric felt light but never flimsy—it brushed against the barbell without snagging, and the side slits gave me full hip mobility. I barely noticed them, which is the highest compliment for training gear.

Run & Hill Sprints 🏃‍♂️

Midweek, I strapped on a weighted vest and loaded up for a ruck march, followed by sprints up a steep hill near my place. The secure zip pockets held my keys and ID without a single bounce. The shorts never clung or dragged, even under the weight. When I hit the sprints, I was waiting for the waistband to loosen or the drawstring to dig in, but neither happened. They stayed locked, and I could focus entirely on my breathing and pace.

Circuit Training Indoors 🔥

Saturday was wall balls, kettlebell swings, box jumps, and burpees. A brutal AMRAP. It was also when I noticed the difference in ventilation—the laser-cut details dumped heat, keeping me from overheating halfway through. The shorts moved seamlessly from ground to vertical work without sticking to my legs or getting in the way. By the end, my lungs were fried, but my shorts weren’t soaked through like usual.

Are They Worth It?

At $68–78 depending on the liner option, these are definitely an investment. But here’s the thing: they’ve become the one short I reach for, no matter what the day throws at me. Most shorts I’ve owned fall into the “gym-only” category. The Tactical Short? It moves seamlessly from lifting to running to the water—without compromise.

Final Thoughts

The Tactical Short isn’t marketing fluff. It’s the real deal: durable, mobile, and adaptable enough for the kind of unpredictable, high-output training I live for. Built and tested with Special Ops input, they feel like gear that can keep up with any challenge.

And for me, that’s the whole point—training without limits, with shorts that never get in the way.

Verdict: These are my go-to training shorts. Period.