Best Shorts for Flag Football (2023 Buyers Guide)

If it’s true that the equipment makes the player, then when gearing up for your next flag football season it’s important to determine a pair of the best flag football shorts without pockets, before the start of your season. With the abundance of football shorts available on the market it’s easy for players to get distracted by all the marketing hype and buy shorts that won’t last the season or forgot to purchase a pocketless pair and be forced by the refs to tape up your shorts before each game. In this guide, we will review the best football shorts for flag football and give you some insight on the important characteristics to find top-rated flag football shorts for your upcoming 2023 season.

Reviews of the 5 Best Shorts for Flag Football, Plus 2 to Avoid:

1.) Champion Polyester Mesh Shorts

• Champion Polyester Mesh Shorts Review: The Champion Polyester Mesh Shorts make for very efficient flag football shorts. These shorts do not have pockets, which makes them ideal as flag football shorts. In addition, their mesh material makes them very breathable and lightweight. While the polyester is not the greatest material at wicking away sweat, it will not hold much water, which will allow the shorts to stay light throughout a game or practice. The length of the shorts allows for optimal movement and will not cause the athlete to shorten their stride. The only possible knock on the Champion Polyester Mesh Shorts is that they do not make a fashion statement. They are very straightforward typical shorts that will not attract attention but they will allow you to perform to your highest ability. If players are looking for more of a fashion statement with their shorts these are not the ideal choice, but if they are looking for solid shorts these fit the bill.

To watch the Champion Polyester Mesh Shorts Review on YouTube, click here.

2.) Nike Men’s Team Fly Dri-Fit Shorts

• Nike Men’s Team Fly Dri-Fit Shorts Review: The NIKE Men’s Team Fly Dri-Fit Shorts are a great pair of flag football shorts. They do not have pockets, which makes them the ideal flag football shorts. In addition, they are made from Nike’s Dri-Fit material, which is one of the top fabrics on the market at wicking away moisture. While the shorts do fall a little lower than the traditional shorts, the high inseam means that the length of the shorts will not restrict the athlete’s movement. In addition, the material is both lightweight and durable enough to survive the wear and tear of a typical season. These shorts provide a variety of different colors for any set of team colors. Overall, these great flag football shorts will serve the athlete well throughout the season.

To watch the Nike Men’s Team Fly Dri-Fit Shorts Review on YouTube, click here.

3.) Under Armour Men’s UA Raid Team Shorts

• Under Armour Men’s UA Raid Team Shorts Review: The Under Armour Men’s UA Raid Team Shorts make for a great pair of flag football shorts. These shorts allow the athlete great range of motion while also providing the durability that every athlete needs. The material is made from Polyester and Elastane, which provides a high level of wicking support for the athlete while not holding the moisture in the shorts. This allows the shorts to stay light and comfortable. These shorts have a high cut inseam that allow the athlete full range of motion when competing. The wide elastic waistband ensures that the shorts will fit on the athlete and will not slip down throughout the contest. This waistband lets the athlete forget about this concern and focus on competing. The variety of different colors allow the athlete to use their flag football shorts to either blend in or stand out depending on their preference.

To watch the Under Armour Men’s UA Raid Team Shorts Review on YouTube, click here.

4.) Russell Athletic Men’s Mesh Shorts

• Russell Athletic Men’s Mesh Shorts Review: The Russell Athletic Men’s Mesh Shorts are a great pair of shorts at a terrific price. These shorts have a variety of different features that make them great flag football shorts. The lack of pockets means that athlete does not have to turn the shorts inside out or tape up the pockets. In addition, these shorts are made of light fabric that keeps the water away from the athlete. Another major advantage of the shorts is the variety of different colors that they come in. These shorts provide over 10 unique colors to fit with any color combination. While these shorts are longer, their higher cut inseam allows the athletes to have a full range of motion. This makes them great flag football short for players who prefer shorts that fall lower on their leg.

To watch the Russell Athletic Men’s Mesh Shorts Review on YouTube, click here.

5.) Adidas Men’s Striker 13 Soccer Shorts

• Adidas Men’s Striker 13 Soccer Shorts Review: While originally designed for soccer, the Adidas Men’s Striker 13 Soccer Shorts are great flag football shorts. These shorts are designed with speed and comfort in mind. The single layer of fabric makes them very light and comfortable in even the hottest weather. In addition, the fabric takes moisture away from the body quickly and does not accumulate sweat to become heavy and uncomfortable. The one knock on these flag football shorts is that they are very thin. While this makes them great in terms of comfort and staying cool, it makes them very susceptible to being ripped. This can cause a major issue if the athlete is not prepared for it so we always recommend bringing a second pair of flag football shorts to the game if you plan to wear these.

To watch the Adidas Men’s Striker 13 Soccer Shorts Review on YouTube, click here.

Avoid – Harbeth Men’s Casual Soft Cotton Elastic Fleece

• Harbeth Men’s Casual Soft Cotton Elastic Fleece Review: The Harbeth Men’s Casual Soft Cotton Elastic Fleece short are not made more flag football. These shorts have a variety of different issues that make them not suitable for flag football shorts. For one they are made of cotton. This cotton will absorb water and cause these shorts to get heavy, which will slow the athlete down. In addition, the length of the shorts falls at or slightly below the knee and the inseam is not high enough to allow the athlete to have a full range of motion. The biggest issue with these shorts though is that they have pockets. This is considered illegal in almost all leagues and will cause the athlete to put the members of the other team at risk for broken fingers when they go to pull the athlete’s flags.

To watch the Harbeth Men’s Casual Soft Cotton Elastic Fleece Review on YouTube, click here.

Avoid – Champion 6.3 oz Cotton Gym Shorts

• Champion 6.3 oz Cotton Gym Shorts Review: The Champion 6.3 oz Cotton Gym Shorts did not make the list of the top flag football shorts. These shorts are a solid length and offer a drawstring with a variety of colors. This makes them good for around the house but they struggle to keep up with the higher-level shorts that make up the best flag football shorts of 2023. The cotton material makes these shorts very tough to use as flag football shorts. Cotton has a tendency to hold moisture. This means that as the athlete sweats the shorts will pick up this moisture and not move it away from the skin. This causes the athlete to be uncomfortable. In addition, this moisture builds up in the shorts and causes them to get heavier.

To watch the Champion 6.3 oz Cotton Gym Shorts Review on YouTube, click here.

2023 Buyers Guide to the Best Shorts for Flag Football (Pocketless):

When picking the best flag football shorts, much like choosing the right pair of compression football shorts, there are a few different factors that the athlete needs to consider. While style is certainly an important factor, we will focus on the measurable factors of fabric, length, and weight. These factors should be considered when picking shorts so that the athlete can find the best football shorts for flag football.

3 Main Points to Consider:

• Fabric: Flag football shorts come in a variety of different fabrics. Each of these fabrics has many different variables that determine if they are the best flag football shorts. While some of the fabrics come down to preference there are a few universal things about shorts fabric that athletes can consider. The major concern with the fabric is wicking ability. Flag football shorts should have the ability to wick moisture away from the athlete’s body so that they remain comfortable throughout the game. This will allow them to perform at their highest level. Cotton, sweat pant like, shorts have begun to get popular as casual shorts. These are very comfortable but do not make good flag football shorts because they retain water and get very heavy as the get wet. The other major universal feature of fabric is that it should allow air to circulate to keep the athlete cool. Most flag football shorts allow for some sort of airflow to keep the athlete cool. It is important to pick a pair of flag football shorts that allow air to circulate especially on hot days.

• Length: The length of the short can vary a lot based on preference. As styles have changed over the years, the length of shorts has gone from mid-thigh to below the knee. When picking the best flag football shorts it is critical to pick shorts that allow the athlete to have a full range of motion. The wide variety of length is based largely on comfort and preference but in order for these shorts to be effective they need to fall within a certain range. The most important thing when picking flag football shorts is finding shorts that allow the athlete to have a full range of motion. If the athlete’s stride is restricted because of the design of the shorts, they will not be able to play as fast as they possibly could. To ensure that athletes can make all of the necessary moves in a game it is best to have shorts that fall somewhere between just above the knee. This will allow the athlete to take a full stride without the shorts constricting his movement.

• Durability: The last consideration that must be thought about when picking flag football shorts is the durability of the shorts. While people do not typically think of flag football as a physical sport, because of all the attempts to grab flags, flag football shorts must be made of durable material. If the material is, too thin it will tear the first time someone grabs it, forcing you to buy another pair of flag football shorts. The durability of shorts is an important consideration. It’s key to find the right combination of durability and weight. There are several shorts that are very light but do not have the durability to last a full game, let alone a full season. On the other hand, some shorts are very durable but are also very heavy. The key for any athlete is to find the flag football shorts the have the right balance between durability and weight.

Why are pocketless shorts important and often required for organized flag football leagues?

One major component of flag football shorts is that they must have no pockets. In just about every league that is run with a responsible set of rules, there is a specific rule saying that athletes must wear shorts without pockets. Likewise, for younger players, the best youth football shorts should be pocketless. If the shorts the athlete has on have pockets they have the option to either tape the pockets or turn the shorts inside out. To avoid this, it is much easier to wear flag football shorts that do not have pockets.

The reason why flag football shorts cannot have pockets comes back to the safety of the players. When players are reaching for flags, they are extending their hands and opening their hand up to grasp the flag. If the person who is running the ball has exposed pockets, the person going to pull the flag risks getting a finger injured and caught in one of these pockets. If a finger is caught in one of the pockets while the ball carrier is running full speed there is a high probability that the person going to grab the flag will break his finger. To avoid this situation players should ensure that their flag football shorts do not have pockets.

Best Shorts for Flag Football (2023 Buyers Guide):

Final Thoughts on Finding the Best Shorts for Flag Football:

Picking the right flag football shorts is critical to having a great season. There are a variety of different options available to the consumer so it’s important to be aware of the important variables. By understanding the importance or material, length and durability, you can pick the best flag football shorts for your season.