Vuori produces many men's go to workout short. We’ll do an in-depth review of two of their most popular styles and compare them to our Active Workout Shorts. Are both shorts worth $68?
If you read this review and wanted to try a pair of our premium athleisure activewear shorts, use promo code: VUKOBANK30 for 30% off). Free returns, risk-free trial.
When I ask people if they have ever heard of Vuori, there are usually two responses. “V-what?” and “Of course! I love their gear.” Created as a direct competitor to Lululemon, Vuori has taken the athleisure market by storm by creating high-quality, stylish activewear for men.
Today, I’m reviewing some of their most popular shorts, the Kore and the Bank. It’s the perfect product to compare to our Active Workout Short. Let’s get started.
The Tale of the Tape
Vuori Kore Short
Price
$68
Rather than evaluating whether shorts are expensive, it will be more helpful to list 4 most comparable products from other athleisure brands with similar styles.
I’ve talked about this before. Value is subjective. Prestige pricing, brand perception, and alignment with a brand’s mission will affect whether you “value” the price paid.
Vuori’s offerings fall in the middle of the pack when it comes to high-end workout shorts.
Reviews
10,000+ reviews with a 4.8 rating
When you see a product has over 10,000 reviews, popular is an understatement. But it’s hard to comb through the reviews and get a sense of what customers love about these shorts. An overwhelming amount of their reviews have no comments.
Combing through what comments I could find, Vuori has done a great job creating an all-around workhorse. Vuori Kore come in 13+ color options and liner options.
The Good (5-star reviews):
- “Super comfortable. I have put my other set of [Vuori] Kore shorts through 30+ washes and they show very little signs of wear.”
- “Love the soft liner and comfort that these shorts afford while doing anything. From day-to-day activities to more strenuous workouts, these shorts have held up!”
- “Great for casual wear, does not wrinkle, great skin feel, would like a longer inseam option.”
The Bad (1-3 star reviews):
- “These shorts did not fit my body well.”
- “Pockets are extremely shallow. Phone and wallet easily fall out.”
- “I thought they would be worth the price…you can find equal at a far lower price…”
The Fit and Feel
I’m a big guy with big legs. With most of Vuori shorts, everything is tight. I’m not saying I have a dump truck. But for dudes who don’t skip leg day, both the Vuori Kore and Banks shorts will be tight around the butt.
If you are a big guy above 6 feet, I would opt for the longer 9” inseam option. For me, being 6’2” the Kore Shorts hit about 3.5 inches above my knee. For most, that’s not a big deal. But if you want to wear these out and not in the gym, the extra length is valued for most.
While the traditional workout short uses a compression liner, the Kore Short opts for a loose liner. It feels more like boxers rather than boxer briefs. The liner is about 3.5 inches shorter than the bottom. Brands such as Lululemon and Chubbies have liners that are longer than the bottom of the short.
My initial impression after wearing these workout shorts for about 3 months is positive.
The fabric feels lightweight, super breathable, and technical. It’s a woven fabric, so it’s more performance-focused rather than comfort-focused. The fabric balances strength and comfort well.
The fabric composition is a woven fabric–46% Recycled Polyester, 44% Polyester, and 10% Spandex (Elastane).
Other features include being anti odor, moisture wicking, and quick drying.
Uses and Design
“One short for every sport,” is the tagline for the Kore Shorts. These shorts are clearly an upgrade from the polyester gym shorts. I play a lot of basketball and run while a bit. The stretchiness and breathability of the fabric allowed for great movement and shape retention.
Although they don’t look like typical gym attire, they are performance enough to wear to the gym. And are fashionable enough to wear having a drink on a patio or running errands.
The minimalist design is great. It seems like Vuori wanted to create a generalist short that is good in everything not great at anything. For instance, if these were workout focused, I would have wanted zippered pockets all around. A lot of men will probably want to use these as running shorts.
Summary
The bottom line is Vuori’s Kore Shorts are some of the best all-around shorts you can buy. They struck a great balance of performance and comfort. Good for the gym. Good for wearing out. The fabric is lightweight and breathable. The materials feel high quality. The boxer brief liner is comfortable. The design is simple but have thoughtful details that make it stand out.
From my own biased opinion, backed up by the reviews, the only negatives would be the price, the stitching (see pics below), tight fit (for big guys), and lack of at least one zip pocket.
Vuori Banks Short
Price
$68
The Vuori Banks Shorts are the same price as the Kore Shorts but less expensive than the Sunday Performance Shorts ($84) and Course Run Short ($78).
Reviews
4,000+ reviews with a 4.7 rating
While not as popular as the Vuori Kore Shorts, the Banks Shorts shares the same high and low points as the Kore Shorts.
The positive reviews centered around the lightweight, durability, and style.
The negative reviews centered around the tight fit, rough fabric, and quality control.
The Good (5-star reviews):
- “These shorts are fantastic! Love the material, perfect for tough WODs. Breaths well, and light enough to move with you not getting in the way with bulk…”
- “The Banks short provides plenty of stretch and is super comfortable. I like the flexibility of being able to wear these on land or in water…”
- “The look of these shorts is breathtaking. Literally. Some people that see me in these shorts faint from the beauty.”
The Bad (1-3 star reviews):
- “Definitely not an XL even by the size chart measurements. Even if the waist was a better fit these are not on par for an athletic build.”
- “The material is very rough and stiff. Consequently, they don’t move well. Although they are good looking…”
- “I generally compare Vuori to Lululemon as they seem to be their primary competitor. Vuori competes well but sometimes, and in this case, there's lots of stitching issues with their clothing. Essentially quality control just doesn't compete. When I buy a $70-80 pair of shorts there's an expectation of quality that Vuori fails to meet.”
The Fit and Feel
As stated before, the Vuori Banks Shorts are definitely for men who have a slender build.
One reviewer noted, if you have an athletic build, they will be tight around the legs. I’m not saying I don’t need to lose a few pounds, but for most brands (even Lululemon), an XXL fits a 38” waist.
The same thinking goes for men who are over 6 feet. These shorts will be significantly above your knee. For me, it was over 3” over my knee. Unlike the Kore Shorts, the Banks Shorts don’t have 5” and 9” inseam options. So, you are stuck with the 7.5” inseam with the Banks Shorts.
Another difference between the Vuori Kore and the Banks is the Kore has lined and unlined options. The Banks Shorts only have unlined shorts.
My impression after wearing these is neutral.
They aren’t the best activewear shorts I’ve worn. But they are far from the worst. Looking at you Nike.
I don't think these are fitness shorts made for sport. Summer shorts definitely.
Fabric-wise, holding both the Vuori Kore and Banks blindfolded, I could easily tell the Banks from the Kore even though the fabric material is almost the same.
The Banks Shorts’ fabric feels mid weight and technical.
I echo what other reviewers were saying. The fabric is not comfortable. They feel more durable than the Kore. They are essentially board shorts made for water.
The fabric composition is a woven fabric–44% Recycled Polyester, 44% Polyester, and 12% Spandex (Elastane).
Uses and Design
“The ultimate in versatility,” is the tagline for the Vuori Banks Short. Although the materials seem stiff and have very little stretch, I can see why guys love wearing these Vuori shorts to the gym, swimming, or meeting up with friends. Surprisingly, these shorts aren’t comfortable enough just to wear around the house like the Vuori Kore Shorts.
Out of all the high-end shorts I’ve reviewed, these have the lowest marks for lounging use.
The design is where the Banks shines. Two features sets them apart—the zip pocket on the front hip and the scalloped bottom opening.
They also have a few interesting colorways such as the black and gray camo, camel lumen (almost turtle print), and the mismatch color combos such as the maroon/black, striped gray/white, etc. Bringing fashion to the gym.
Like the Vuori Kore, the Banks have anti odor, 4 way stretch, and sun blocking as features.
Summary
The bottom line is Vuori Banks Short are a great pair of durable, technical shorts. The fabric is mid weight and durable. But they don't have a lot of stretch, so they can be a little uncomfortable in a gym setting.
I can see these being popular in sunny California beach crowd, which is Vuori bread and butter. I would definitely rock these on the beach or near the pool. But not running shorts. They are essentially board shorts.
Just like the Kore Shorts, my negative points still stand—the price and fit (for big guys) are reasons I didn’t personally like them and rated them neutral.
If you are deciding between the Vuori Kore and the Banks, design preferences aside, I would go with the Kore Shorts. The fabric feels better and has more color and size options.
Active Workout Shorts by Rugged Black
Price
$49
RuggedBlack’s Active Workout Shorts are around $20 cheaper than Vuori Banks and Kore Training Shorts.
Reviews
Our Active Workout Shorts have seven reviews, all verified as genuine. All of them 5 stars.
The Good (5-star reviews):
- “These shorts are the best I’ve found by a country mile…Moves great, feels soft, and breathes”
- “Dig these shorts…Lightweight and comfy. ”
- “I never knew that wearing the right pair of shorts can have such a dramatic effect on my workout until I tried out the active shorts.”
The Bad (1-3 star reviews):
- No negative reviews to date.
- My areas of improvement for this product…add dedicated phone and key pocket on the inside and add more color options.
In addition, we offer a money-back guarantee, free returns, and exchanges for all of our products.
The Fit and Feel
There are three main differences comparing our shorts to Vuori Kore and Banks shorts other than design.
- Fit
- Fabric
- Features
As a brand, RuggedBlack caters to a more athletic build rather than the traditional slender profile that other athleisure brands do. I had trouble fitting into both pair of Vuori’s shorts. They weren’t unwearable. But even in their biggest sizes, the waist and thighs were too tight for me to workout in comfortably.
If you are a guy under 6’0” and/or under 175 lbs, this won’t be a problem. Being a big guy, I appreciate more generous cut sizing especially around the quads. That generous cuts give you more comfort during your workout. Whether you are squatting, running or interval training.
The fabric feel is very similar to the Vuori Kore. The lightweight, comfortable, stretch fabric is perfect for workouts. While the Kore and Banks uses polyester, the Active Workout, like Lululemon, utilizes nylon.
Nylon is known to be superior to polyester in a number of ways—softness, durability, and stretchiness. Polyester dries faster and less likely to pill.
Uses and Design
Similar to the Vuori Kore and Banks Shorts, the Active Workout shorts are made for training.
We designed these fitness shorts for intense, physically demanding workouts. Whether going for a run, interval training, playing basketball, practicing yoga, or any other activity that calls for constant mobility, comfort, and flexibility.
Many men feel their current pair of mesh shorts aren’t cutting it. Hence the thousands of reviews for the most popular brands of high end workout gear.
The Active Workout Shorts have a few unique features—side and back zip pockets, waterproof finish, breathable, and compression liner.
Summary
Our Active Workout Shorts are a great all-around pair of training shorts. When compared to the bestselling Vuori workout shorts, the Active Shorts compete on equal footing at a much better price. You save $20 per pair.
The additional features such as the zippered pockets, waterproof finish, and compression liner make our shorts a little more workout focused.
Purchase these shorts if you want the best exercise shorts available. If you exercise more than once a week, consider purchasing a few pairs. You won't regret doing so.
Who Has The Best Training Shorts?
If you are a guy with a muscular, athletic build, I believe you will appreciate the better sizing and compression liner.
I will admit both Vuori pairs of shorts have more versatility than the Active Workout Shorts. Their great design offers a viable replacement to more casual athleisure shorts from brands such as Chubbies and Lululemon.
But the shortcomings in workout-focused features, when compared to gym brands such as Ten Thousand, makes it hard for me to recommend these as athletic shorts.
Here are the scenarios I would wear each of these shorts:
- For the gym: RuggedBlack Active Workout
- For day-drinking on a patio: Vuori Kore
- For a day at the beach: Vuori Banks
If you liked this review and wanted to try a pair of our workout shorts, use VUKOBANK30 for 30% off a couple pairs.
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