I’m not terribly familiar with bougie active wear brands. I know about Lululemon and that’s about it.
But five months ago, I saw a cool looking pair of $90 running shorts that were 40% off at Backcountry. $90?! That’s $20 more than Lululemon’s bestselling shorts!
I would NEVER spend $90 on a pair of running shorts. (Maybe if I have a mid-life crisis.) But if you can find Roark’s Alta shorts on sale like I did, then you’ve got to try them out!
Solid as a Rock
Roark is totally new to me. Taking a quick look at their website, it’s very clear they’re a high-end outdoor clothing brand with high-end prices that I’m not willing to pay.
Wearing the Alta shorts for the first time, they left a Lululemon-like impression because of how liquidity soft the fabrics are. But as I pulled and stretched different areas and seams, I got a Carhartt vide.
Roark’s construction isn’t just stylistic and performant, it’s resilient.
Even the zipper on the back pocket is larger and stronger than what you see on most brands. I’ve never used a pair of shorts that look and feel so confident and actually back it up with amazing real life use.
Fancy-Like
Nothing against bougie brands, but I swear most of their products aren’t made to last more than a couple months. Instead, they’re made to look and feel outrageously better than anything else on the market but quickly fall apart with average use.
The only way around that is maintaining them with an OCD level of care. Aka you have to baby them.
For example, if we want to keep my wife’s Lululemon leggings in like-new condition, then part of that is a ridiculously long and tedious cleaning process.
(They need to be washed on a delicate setting that must use cold water. You can’t wash them with towels or other clothes made of cotton. Once washed, don’t put them in a dryer. You must air dry the wet leggings.)
And if you don’t “properly” clean luxury clothes like Lulus, then they slowly fall apart; especially around the stitching.
The Roark Alta shorts, I’ve been washing them like a normal piece of clothing and they’re great!
Admittedly, the Altas are supposed to be air dried too. But I can’t be bothered to do to that. I toss them into the washer and dryer with the rest of my dirty clothes, and they’ve held up extremely well.
The exterior material might not be as soft anymore, but I can’t tell. And these are far from falling apart or having loose or broken stitches. And the back pocket is top notch.
It’s big and strong enough to carry my phone and wallet, the two small side back pockets securely holding my AirPods, keys, and anything else I need.
The Recap
Roark’s Alta shorts are flipping great running shorts! If they’re clean, then I’m wearing them.
The soft materials and supremely comfy liner are zero to none. The sturdy back pocket, s-tier construction, and remarkable breathability, and these are an instant favorite… if you can get them on sale.
These are my favorite pair of running shorts yet!