Ibex Springbok Shorts Review

Ibex has a long history of quality merino softgoods, but the Springbok shorts are something of a deviation from the brand’s trend towards high quality shirts and layers of all weights. These are a true running liner short – aimed for breathability and temperature reduction. It’s not the first application I think of when I think of merino. Still, these shorts are an interesting experiment.

Ibex Springbok Shorts Features:

• Merino next-to-skin interior brief
• New hand pockets
• Interior elasticized drawstring with elastic waistband
• Interior hidden pocket with elastic loop key holder
• Back exterior pocket with zipper
• Tear-away care label
• MSRP: $100

Merino for Running Shorts?

How do you make good running shorts with merino? The trick seems to be not using merino for everything. For the outer shell of these shorts, Ibex employs a nylon/elastane blend, which is more or less standard-fare for running companies everywhere. This outer material works great for the shorts. It’s airy, stretchy, and dries quickly. They’ve been easy to live with in my running this past summer. They perform well and they aren’t terribly noisy either.

The merino itself is hiding in the liners. The blend that Ibex uses here is their Pro Tech Lite, which is a thin merino/nylon/elastane blend. In my testing, I’ve found a handful of things about the liners, some good and some less so. On the positive side, they’re comfortable against the skin and they do an excellent job with odor prevention. I can’t say I’ve ever had a pair of running shorts that scores well in the second department, but these are champs in that regard.

Their performance while running is more nuanced though. While they are breathable enough and I did not have any issues with heat-management, sweat while running is inevitable. Suffice it to say, the liners are not quick drying. Where a standard synthetic liner is typically fairly dry at the end of a run, it’s an odd day that the merino liners on these shorts aren’t saturated. For the sake of everyone’s mental images, I won’t go into more detail. My typical runs throughout my testing period have been in the 5-8 mile range (my usual summer slump), and I haven’t found that sweat-management issue to cause chafing or significant discomfort at those distances. I suspect that it might become more problematic with higher mileage though.

The cut of the shorts is also a mixed bag for me. The outer shells are a reasonable 5” inseam – neither too high nor too low. They look good, and they don’t have too much friction on the thigh while running. Unfortunately, the liner cut didn’t fit me quite so well. The rear of the liners just felt a tiny bit too narrow. Where all other liners I’ve run with before wrap around to the outside of my glutes, the Springbok’s liner sat somewhere on the rear of my glutes instead. The coverage was there, and I had neither chafing or riding as a result, but I can’t say it’s the most comfortable fit I’ve had. When I’m running, my mind isn’t drawn to that fact, but before and after my runs, it certainly is.

If the job they’re here to do is running though, I’d say they’re cut out for it. When I was running in them, I really didn’t notice anything that seemed off. They were breathable and light, and they had more than enough natural mobility to keep my stride unhindered. Their waistband was comfortable for me, and the pockets worked well with the kinds of light loads running shorts are meant to handle.

The pockets on the Springbok shorts are a strong point, in my eyes. Unlike many running shorts, they have two full-sized open hand pockets. I love having full sized hand pockets on running shorts, and it’s a rather frustrating rarity. While I’m running, I’ll be honest, I don’t use them at all. However, in the to-and-from – the driving to the trailhead, the walking to my buddy’s house, the gardening that I slip into after all is said and done – I always have things I need to keep on my person. Hand pockets are a boon, and I’m all for these. Of course, for use while running, the large zippered back pocket will serve a person much better. I found that it could even fit my iPhone 13 Pro, which is fairly large.

That said, the weight of a phone in a back pocket is more than enough to test the waistband of a pair of shorts. That kind of bobbing up and down can bob some shorts lower than you might want them. The waistband on the Springboks is comfortable, but I did need to employ the drawstring when I kept my phone in the back pocket. The drawstring itself does the job, but it’s a very stretchy material. As a result, it really had to give it a tug in order to stop the bobbing of my phone from lowering the shorts. Although for more standard weights, like a couple goo packets, it’s more than sufficient.

The final thing I’ll address here is price. $100 is definitely on the high end for running shorts. Their pricing makes it clear that they’re not out to compete head to head with Nike or Salomon or Brooks. They’re just here to be merino, and the people that want merino will find them. In that way, they really are a natural addition to the Ibex family.

Fit: I’m 5’11”, a lean 170lbs, and wear shorts with a 31” waist. I tested a size Medium here, and thought the waist sizing was right on.

Buy Now: Available at Ibex