Article by Michael Ellenberger
Pressio Men's Elite 3" Shorts ($50) and Elite S/S Top ($65)
Overview
These are the first products I’ve worn from Pressio, a brand that seamlessly combines performance, style, and sustainability. As stated on their website, every single clothing item they create includes “the most sustainable materials and technologies, including recycled yarns, non-dying & biodegradation. Complete with traceability. No exceptions.”
It doesn’t hurt that, with a strong commitment to the environment, Pressio provides athletic apparel that not only reduces your carbon footprint but also, you know, works out well with you. As detailed below, I had the Elite 3” Shorts and the Elite S/S (short sleeve) top for review, and used both on approximately 5 runs, indoors and out, to gauge how they felt - I also washed them accordingly, to check on durability.
As a whole, I came away impressed - the shorts, especially, stood out as high-quality, and while I’ve trended towards being a half-tight runner, I can’t deny these were comfortable and (especially) well-made. I’ll provide a few more details below, but in short - I’m a big fan of this brand, from its vision to its execution.
Pressio Men's Elite 3" Shorts Review ($50):
I received a pair of the lovely Pressio Men's Elite 3" Shorts - with a sleek and stylish design (and in the versatile black color I tried), the shorts easily complements any workout attire, from easy day to workout (and, heck, throw some dog walking in there, too).
I’ve been trending away from shorts and towards half-tights, for the most part, but the 3" inseam here provides a great balance between freedom of movement and coverage, allowing for unrestricted mobility during hard running, but also not looking hyper-short, if that’s a concern for you. In general, I do think we see “elite” used to describe the shortest and lightest fabrics offered - this is Pressio’s shortest cut, but these shorts aren’t necessarily as race-ready as, say, Nike Aeroswift or the Brooks Elite kit. Even so, I think they’re totally fine for hard running (even racing), and certainly more than adequate for logging everyday miles.
One of the standout features of these shorts is the high-quality and sustainable materials used in their construction; the fabric feels quite lightweight and breathable, and I found the cut of the shorts (from the cool aerated waistband to slight split) to be quite comfortable.
There’s a zip pocket around back, which was functional enough for a gel (I didn’t try to carry my iPhone, but I don’t think it would have fit). At $50, I think these are plenty competitive with the market, and I’ll be keeping them in my rotation.
Pressio Men's Elite S/S Top Review ($65):
It’s hard to go wrong with a good-looking, well-constructed short-sleeve tee, and the Pressio Men's Elite S/S Top functions as a fantastic addition to any runner’s wardrobe (especially in the slick “spruce green” I had for review). At the onset, I’ll note my favorite part: the material used here is really soft - some wicking fabrics can be sort of rough or have that almost “grain” to them when you wear them, but the Pressio top here is quite comfortable (even after wearing and washing it).
The design of this shirt is sort of funky, it’s a wicking fabric (inclusive of high filament yarns with filament grading technology, seed-based bio-wick, and X section(Sorbtek) fibers from Unifi’s labs in the USA!) throughout.
The rear of the shirt has noticeably more open pores, which allows for more air passage (and just general comfort when running). I found the sleeves to be just slightly long, but the length is good (also on the longer side, which I prefer), and it functioned well tucked or untucked.
I do really enjoy running in this short, but for $65, I’m not quite over-the-moon. The cut is nice, but I noticed some wear at the seams after just a couple washes, and, more generally, feel that $65 is a lot for a technical running shirt. Of course, there are plenty of comparable options - Janji, Tracksmith, Bandit, and more all make plenty of options at or near this price range - but for someone who agrees with Runner’s World’s Jeff Dengate and his love of cotton shirts, it’s a bit rich for my blood.
Conclusion
Overall, the Pressio Men's Elite 3" Shorts and Elite S/S Top offer outstanding performance and style with a terrific “twist” - Pressio has upended the traditional model of clothing development and retooled theirs for sustainability and ethical trading across their entire supply chain. That’s hard to appreciate when simply running in the pieces because, of course, they feel as good (or better) than traditionally-manufactured apparel. But lurking behind some cool-looking running gear is an admirable platform - and I’m glad to see it didn’t come at the cost of damn good running stuff!
Pressio Apparel is available at
Running Warehouse US SHOP HERE
Michael is a patent attorney and graduate of Northwestern University Law School. Prior to law school, he competed collegiately at Washington University in St. Louis (10,000m PR of 30:21). Michael’s PRs include a 67:43 half-marathon (Chicago Half-Marathon) and 2:22:18 marathon from the 2022 Chicago Marathon. Michael continues to race on the roads, and is chasing a sub-2:20 marathon and potential OTQ in the future.
Samples were provided at no charge for review purposes.RoadTrail Run has affiliate partnerships and may earn commission on products purchased via shopping links in this article. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content. The opinions herein are entirely the authors'.
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cotton shorts are the best for summer very comfortable and best thing for outdoor activity.
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