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We picked this as the representative Lululemon short. Their lineup has other options in the same tier.
- ✓You buy direct from Lululemon — we just help you decide
- ✓Price honesty checked, not just listed
Pace Breaker Short
About Lululemon’s shorts: Lululemon's shorts line spans the Pace Breaker (the cult training short, offered lined at $78 or linerless at $68), the lighter Surge running short, and the longer T.H.E. short; the Pace Breaker is the volume seller and the one most owners mean when they say "Lulu shorts."
Is the price honest?
Fair-ish at $78 if you wear it constantly — the Swift fabric and movement are genuinely good and it lasts years with care. But the price carries a clear logo premium: comparable lined performance shorts from athletic brands run $40-$55, and the liner (the part most likely to fail first) doesn't justify the gap on construction alone. If the liner is the part you distrust, the linerless cut at $68 is the smarter buy.
Our take
The Pace Breaker is Lululemon's training-short workhorse — a four-way-stretch Swift-fabric short with a brushed liner, zip pocket, and the smooth, almost weightless hand that built the cult following. Owners love it for the gym, lifting, and everyday wear, and most cite the freedom of movement and the soft liner as the reasons they own three pairs. The honest caveats: the liner is the weak point — reviewers report it pilling, balling up, or chafing on long runs, and some find it rides up, which is why many buy the linerless version (about $10 cheaper) instead. The Swift fabric also snags and can pill where it rubs (seatbelt, weights, rough benches), and the light synthetic shell holds odor more than cotton. At $78 it's priced like a premium piece while sitting in the mid band, and you're paying partly for the logo.
Own Lululemon shorts?
No owner reviews here yet — and we don't fake them. If you've actually worn these, tell us how they held up: fit after washing, wear over time, where they fell short. Named, honest, with a photo if you've got one.
Write the first honest reviewThe details
- Material
- Lightweight four-way-stretch Swift fabric (recycled polyester with elastane), sweat-wicking, with a brushed mesh liner.
- Fit
- Athletic, slightly relaxed through the leg with an elastic drawcord waist; offered in 5", 7", and 9" inseams, true to size — the 7" is the default.
- Quality
- Strong shell that wears for years, but the liner is the failure point — it pills, balls, and can chafe; the Swift fabric snags and pills where it rubs.
- Best for
- Gym, lifting, and athleisure wear where you want stretch and a soft hand; long-distance runners often prefer the linerless version to dodge the liner chafe.
- Care
- Cold wash inside-out, avoid fabric softener (it kills the wicking), and hang or tumble low; softener and heat are what degrade the liner and finish fastest.
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