ASICS Core Woven shorts come in two lengths, 5in and 7in, and the choice between them is the most common question we get about the range. Two inches changes where the hem sits, what the shorts are good for, and whether you actually reach for them.
This guide covers every colourway in both lengths and the three things worth thinking about before you buy: your leg length, what you are doing in them, and how you like shorts to sit. For the wider picture, start with our complete guide to the ASICS men's range.
The short version
| 5in | 7in | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Gym, hot weather, shorter legs, anyone who likes a hem well clear of the knee | Everyday wear, taller legs, anyone who wants more coverage sitting down |
| Colourways | Black, Brown Stone, Sandstorm, Grey | Black, Maroon, Aegean Blue |
| Price | £39.99 | £39.99, Aegean Blue £31.99 |
| Sizing | S to XL | S to XL |
Prices correct at time of writing.
Every 5in colourway
All four 5in options are £39.99. Black is the one to buy first if you are only buying one pair. It goes with every top in the range, it does not date, and it is the pair you will still be wearing in two years.
Grey is the second-most useful. It is softer than black in bright weather and it sits well under a black Core T-Shirt or the Smoke Grey.
Brown Stone is the interesting one. It is a warm neutral rather than a bright, so it works with cream, maroon and green tops in a way black does not, and it has a matching Brown Stone Core Vest at £34.99 if you want the two halves to line up.
Sandstorm is the lightest of the four and the most summer-specific. No matching top in the range, so build around it with black, cream or Vital Green.
Every 7in colourway
Black, £39.99, is the everyday pair. If you want one short you can train in and then wear to the shops without changing, this is it.
Maroon, £39.99, is the colour we would push hardest on anyone bored of black. It pairs with the Maroon Core T-Shirt for a matched look, or with cream and grey if you want the shorts to do the talking.
Aegean Blue is £31.99, the cheapest short in the range, and it has a matching Aegean Blue Core Vest at £27.99. Buy both and you have a complete summer training kit for £59.98, the best value pairing in the ASICS range at Tempo.
Browse the lot in the ASICS shorts collection.
Choosing by leg length
Inches are absolute, legs are not. The same 7in short reads completely differently at 5ft 7in and at 6ft 3in, so ignore the number and think about proportion.
If you are shorter than average, the 5in is usually the better buy. A longer short eats into the visible length of your leg and makes you look shorter than you are, and on a shorter thigh the 7in can end up sitting close enough to the knee to catch when you squat or run.
If you are taller, the 7in is the safer default. On a long thigh a 5in can look brief in a way you did not intend, particularly in the lighter colours. Tall and lean is the one build where both genuinely work, so choose on activity instead.
If you carry size on your legs, the 7in usually sits better through the thigh because there is more room in the leg opening before the hem.
Choosing by activity
Gym
The 5in wins for lower body work. Squats, lunges, leg press and anything with a deep knee bend are all more comfortable with the hem well clear of the knee, and you can actually see your knee tracking, which matters more than people admit. For upper body days it makes no difference at all, so if you train legs twice a week, buy the 5in. Our guide to building an ASICS gym kit works through the rest of the kit around it.
Running
This splits cleanly. Anyone doing intervals tends to want the 5in for stride clearance. Longer, slower road miles are fine in either, and plenty prefer the 7in on a cold morning. More in our ASICS running clothing guide.
Everyday
The 7in, comfortably. A 5in reads as training kit wherever you wear it. A 7in in black or maroon passes as a normal summer short with a tee and trainers, which is the difference between a pair you wear twice a week and one that only leaves the drawer for the gym.
Choosing by how you like shorts to sit
Some people want to feel a short. Some want to forget it is there. If you have ever pushed a short leg up while sitting because the hem was pressing on your thigh, you want the 5in. If you have ever tugged a short down while sitting on a low chair, you want the 7in. That test is more reliable than any measurement, because it tells you what actually bothers you rather than what you think you prefer.
Sizing and what to wear on top
All ASICS apparel here runs S to XL, and the two lengths use the same sizing, so if you already own one pair, order the same size in the other length. Check the sizing guide if you are between sizes, and our ASICS sizing guide covers the range more broadly.
On top, you have three sensible routes: a Core T-Shirt or vest at £34.99, a Sport Half-Zip at £29.99 for cooler mornings, or a Core Windrunner at £89.99 over the top. Our guide to building an ASICS outfit from separates puts the combinations together properly.
Two pairs of shorts and two tops gets you past the £100 mark for free UK delivery. Order before 2PM and it goes out the same day, and Klarna and Clearpay are both available at checkout.
Quick answers
Is the 5in or 7in more popular?
The 7in sells more, mainly because it doubles as an everyday short. The 5in is the better gym short, so if you are buying purely for training, do not let popularity decide it.
Do the 5in and 7in fit the same in the waist?
Yes. Both run S to XL and the length is the only difference to the fit, so order the same size you take in the other length.
Which ASICS shorts colourway has a matching top?
Brown Stone in the 5in matches the Brown Stone Core Vest, Maroon in the 7in matches the Maroon Core T-Shirt, and Aegean Blue in the 7in matches the Aegean Blue Core Vest. Sandstorm and Grey have no matching top, so build around them with black or cream.
What is the cheapest pair of ASICS shorts?
The Aegean Blue 7in at £31.99. Everything else in the Core Woven shorts range is £39.99.
Should I buy shorts or a set?
Buy separates if you want to mix lengths and colours, which most people do once they own more than one top. Buy a set if you want a matched outfit with no thinking involved. Our Core range explainer covers what each route costs.
The full ASICS guide series
- ASICS Clothing UK: The Complete Men's Range Explained
- ASICS Core T-Shirts: Every Colourway, Fit and What They Match
- ASICS Vests: Core Vests, Sizing and When to Wear One
- ASICS Woven Pants and Trousers: Fit, Sizing and Colourways
- ASICS Half-Zips: The Core and Sport Half-Zip Compared
- ASICS Gym Wear: Building a Training Kit from Separates
- ASICS Running Clothing: What Works for Road Running
- The ASICS Core Range Explained: Every Piece and What It Costs
- How to Build an ASICS Outfit from Separates, Not a Set