Run Oregon sometimes receives products to review. In this post, Run Oregon’s Joe and Teresa provides some thoughts on some pairs of Wu & Y shorts. Thank you to Wu & Y for sending along some pairs to try out as they went through their Kickstarter campaign.
Company: Wu & Y
Product: Shorts
Price: $48
Description:
The first shorts to combine breath-taking art with the comfort of athletic shorts and the utility of fanny packs.
Features
- Designs by artists around the world
- Stabilized zip pockets
- Secret pocket in the waistband
- Made out of a soft and flexible athletic fabric (90% polyester, 10% spandex)
Activewear, by artists… for good.
We collaborate with artists around the world to make pretty activewear so everybody — can explore and express. It all began when we wanted shorts for yoga and dancing and playing with friends — so we made them. Sometimes we make clothes with a charity and give them 50% of our profit because — it feels good.”
Impressions (Joe): I have to admit, I was slightly skeptical at first. I don’t wear “casual” shorts that often, and the prominent pocket zippers and bright print colors seemed a little intimidating at first glance. Add to that the fact that my shorts came in a bold dinosaurs design, and I was imagining receiving snickers from adults and looking like a walking Mesozoic field guide to kids. It didn’t help that the design is called “3rd Grade”!
But once I got the, “Is that a Brontosaurus, or are you just happy to see me?” jokes out of my system and actually tried them on, I was pleasantly surprised. The tailoring and fit are excellent, and the large pockets (two in front, two in back, plus a small internal pocket with a velcro closure) are very convenient. The waistband has just the right amount of elasticity, and the drawstring works well. And once I was actually wearing the shorts, the colors and graphics started to grow on me and seemed less gaudy.
Wu & Y shorts are well-made, and the colorful designs by international artists make them stand out (the dinosaurs were created by Budapest, Hungary designer Chobopop). These shorts are great for casual activities, and while not athletic shorts per se, you could still get away with running in them on occasion.
Impressions (Teresa):
After seeing Joe’s shorts, I was a little nervous opening up my pair. I love that they use fun fabrics, but I don’t think many people can pull off dinosaurs and I know that I can’t. Fortunately, mine were a muted rainbow and the fabric is actually quite nice – soft but thick. You don’t have to worry about seeing through these, but I do recommend liners if you’re wearing them for more than a run, otherwise you might give innocent bystanders a little show. I tested these with a run, a round on the elliptical, and lifting weights. There are lots of pockets, which is why they claim they have the function of a fanny pack. The zippers are a little on the large side, at least aesthetically for me, but I got over it though and used one for my headband and another for my iPod.
Just for fun, I tried my phone in one. I never run with my phone, because its way too heavy and the pockets agreed – it pulled the pocket down below the short line. They are perfect for tissues, chapstick, cards or anything light you might want to pack on you. I was a little nervous the cute metal charms at the end of the drawstring would bounce around and annoy me on my run, but was pleasantly surprised they pretty much stayed in place. The best part of these shorts, for me, was the material – the blend works well. They are soft and feel good against the skin, but also dry really fast, a huge bonus for me.
Overall, I really liked these shorts. They aren’t running shorts, per se, but I think they would be perfect for stand up paddle boarding, a long hike or anything active where comfort is important.
