Adidas Terrex Parley Agravic All-Around Shorts review: traditional running shorts with thoughtful features

First impressions

Adidas has partnered with Parley for the Oceans to produce these Adidas Terrex Parley Agravic All-Around Shorts. Available for men and women, they are made with 100% recycled polyester plain weave fabric sourced from discarded plastic bottles. The brand states: “Together we are working to prevent plastic polluting our oceans by cleaning up remote islands, beaches, coastal communities, and shorelines and transforming waste into high-performance sportswear.” Just one of the reasons you’ll find them in our selection of best women’s running shorts.

The lightweight ‘Aeroready’ fabric absorbs moisture and there is an inner brief made of a mesh fabric. These are a well-featured pair of shorts, and other details include a zip pocket on back waist and side mesh pockets, as well as waistband loops at the rear for holding running poles or stashing a lightweight jacket. They are designed with a relaxed cut, to allow for unrestricted movement.

On the trails

On test we found these shorts really easy to wear, thanks to the lovely lightweight fabric. There is some potential for chafing if you are prone to this, because the inners are briefs and not longer shorts – in this way, this product is more like a traditional athletics short.

The shorts are rather baggy and this isn’t too flattering. If looks matter then you might want to consider going down a size or choosing a less voluminous short (or checking out our article on running shorts vs capris vs leggings). However, the sizing seems fairly accurate with a ‘Small’ being similar to an UK8 to UK10. Some people will like a baggier-style short, while others will prefer something neater fitting. (For more on this, see out feature on running shorts versus skorts).

There are some good features, such as a zipped rear pocket and two front pockets in the waistband for stashing gels. The loops at the rear are useful if you use running poles or you prefer to run without a pack and need a place to carry a spare lightweight layer.

The waistband is quite high, which some people will prefer to a lower waistband. This means the shorts are more likely to stay up when running.

The price is middle of the road for the products on test and it seems a little high for what you get. Sometimes you pay extra for certain brands. However, there are a good range of features and sometimes it is better to pay more for a product with good eco-credentials.