Article by Markus Zinkl, Mike Postaski and Jeremy Marie
Trail Racing 2-In-1 Short (140$)
Markus: The Compressport Trail Racing 2-in-1 Shorts certainly feel like a premium piece of kit for trail runners, offering a well-thought-out design packed with features. Getting the fit right was straightforward; for my 6ft, 150lbs frame, a size Small was spot on.
A key aspect of these shorts is the fully integrated, knitted inner boxer, which is sewn directly into the outer layer.
This provides a snug, supportive fit that remains comfortable even on longer efforts and does an excellent job of keeping the shorts from riding up. Moving to the waistband, Compressport has opted for a standard drawcord this time around, replacing the previous bungee system, which allows for precise tightening. However, a small downside is the slippery texture of the drawcord material itself, meaning you need to pay a bit of attention when tying it to ensure it stays secure. In terms of storage, these shorts really deliver.
An elastic mesh waistband wraps around three-quarters of the shorts, offering three compartments perfect for stashing nutrition, although the main section felt slightly too loose to hold a flask securely during high-impact movement.
Complementing this is a handy zippered pocket on the back, which comfortably swallowed my Pixel 9 phone without any issue. Ultimately, the Compressport Trail Racing 2-in-1 shorts are a high-quality, comfortable, and practical option, especially if storage is a priority, though this level of design and performance comes at a corresponding premium price.
Jeremy:I won’t duplicate all the technical details that Markus has extensively covered. Those 2-1 shorts clearly feel like a premium piece of kit, and indeed they are. I’ve chosen my usual M size for my 5.83ft (1m78) and 160lbs (73kg) size, and it proved to be a perfect fit.
The most striking feature is how the airy outer layer is attached to the slightly compressive boxer by some discrete sewing points. It feels a lot like the former “modular” Slab apparel from Salomon, where you could pin the outer layer to the inner brief.
The inner brief of the 2-1 Racing shorts feels very much like the FreeBelt weaving: a dense, very stretchy and supporting material that perfectly conforms to the body.
At first, I was a bit skeptical about the breathability and warmth of the shorts, but my different training runs from early chilly mornings to early-summer like temperatures, and a 53km trail race that ended under midday sun proved me wrong. Compressport knows their stuff, and those shorts did not disappoint on the breathability and temperature regulation front: they’ve been simply perfect.
Maybe what stoked me most was their ability to manage my abundant sweating, especially during the race. The inner part never felt moist, as it instantly evacuated sweat to the outer layer, which was rapidly drying.
Comfort is second to none, and I’ve experienced no chafing, no uncomfortable sews, no excessive pressure point.
The drawcord was a set and forget for me, which is maybe the biggest compliment I can make to a drawcord: forget it even exists!
From a practical point of view, the pockets are nicely designed, not overly tight, with lots of stretch. They’re easy to manipulate even during fast-paced racing, and their content is securely held.
I did not try to put a flask in the front pocket, as it usually doesn’t work very well with me. Maybe a 250mL one might work. I’ve just used a 130mL flask where I squeeze 3 gels in, and I almost forgot it while running.
The zippered back pocket was large enough to hold an iphone 16, with some spare room.
Mens Trail Racing SS Tshirt ($94)
Michael: After testing some Compressport Winter apparel, I went a size up for Spring - I received the Trail Racing SS T Shirt in a size medium - which fits perfectly for me. It is specified as having a “fitted” design - which for me works out to be comfortably roomy around the torso, and somewhat slim/tight in the sleeves. I’m 5’10”, 138 lbs - for reference.
This works well when running, as floppy sleeves can be annoying depending on the cut, and the loose fit feels quite airy around the body. I’ve used them a bunch of times on the treadmill and that fit works really well indoors.
If you have a larger torso than me - the shirt will definitely have a snugger (Euro-style) fit throughout. If you’re looking for something looser, you’d have to size up even more (?) or perhaps look at a different model.
The material is very soft and comfortable - chafe-free and I had no issues under a trail running vest. About that material - one downside is that the “Shadow Lime” color is a tad see-through, with a bit too much visibility through to my nipples! Not my favorite look honestly, so I actually don’t wear it standalone unless under a vest.
The material works great in terms of absorbing sweat and quickly evaporating it away. It’s a seamless microfiber weave - there’s a touch of texture on the outside, and smoother on the inside.
The specs mention body mapped mesh areas, which are hard to discern, but when I’m running with a vest over it - I notice the sweat absorbing down to the lower back area, then evaporating off from there (very low humidity in most of my testing conditions). It never feels heavy and always remains light and airy. The price is definitely high for a t-shirt, but it is a quality piece and quite performant. See the full Compressport kit in action here!
Markus: I got the same Trail Racing SS T-Shirt as Michael, but instead of sizing up, I went with my usual size S. It fits a bit tight around the chest area, so if you want a looser fit I would recommend sizing up. For reference I’m 6 ft (183cm) and 150 lbs (68kg) .
In terms of performance, I agree with Michael and can’t really add more here. It’s a very airy and breathable fabric, but also quite see-through as you can see above. You can see my shorts under the shirt quite well.
Even though it is a tighter fit, the length is spot on for me. In the end it is a pricey piece of equipment, but you get what you pay for.
Our earlier Spring 2025 Compressport Round Up Review including socks and apparel is here
Shop Trail at Compressport HERE
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'.
Tester Profiles
Markus from Germany is mainly a recreational runner, currently running about 5 times per week. He runs about 50:50 on trails and roads. He is also an avid hiker with a focus on ultralight and fast. This is where his geek for gear and shoes comes to light. Likewise, he loves the mountains and tries to spend as much free time there as possible.
His only preference in terms of shoes is that they are not too heavy. Other than that, he runs in everything, from zero drop Altras to high stack Vaporfly.
Jeremy MARIE, French, 44y/o. Running since 2013 and quickly transitioned to trails, focused on ultras since 2015 : TDS, Maxi-Race, “100 miles du Sud”, 90 kms du Mt Blanc, GRP 120 kms, Some shorter more mellow races (Saintelyon 45 kms, Ecotrail Paris 45 kms…) with always in the mix road and flat running, but not many road races. Also active cyclist and 70.3 Ironman. Recovery/easy runs ~4’45/km - 4’30/km. He has an un-official marathon PR of 2h54 (solo) and 10K PR of 36’25. He does few timed road races.
Mike Postaski currently focuses on long mountainous ultras - anywhere from 50K up to his favorite - 100M. 5'10", 138 lbs, midfoot/forefoot striker - he typically averages 70 mpw (mostly on trails), ramping up to 100+ mpw during race buildups. A recent 2:39 road marathoner, his easy running pace ranges from 7:30 - 9:00/mi. From 2022-23 Mike has won the Standhope 100M, IMTUF 100M, and Scout Mountain 100M trail ultras, winning the Scout 50M in 2024. He also set a CR of 123.74M at the Pulse Endurance Runs 24H and completed the Boise Trails Challenge on foot in 3 days 13 hours, besting the previous record by 7 hours. Mike's shoe preferences lean towards firmer, dense cushioning, and shoes with narrower profiles. He prefers extra forefoot space, especially for long ultras, and he strongly dislikes pointy toe boxes.
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