Technical details Open Accordion
- Shorts weigh 127 grams
- Outer material made in Italy: 78% nylon, 22% elastane
- Outer material weighs 85g/m2
- Inner lining made in Italy: 86% polyester, 14% elastane
- Inner lining weighs 105g/m2
- Inner lining treated with silver-based antimicrobial treatment
- Integrated packable mesh pocket with bungee hanging loop
- 4 way stretch throughout
- Water repellent
- Breathable
- Quick-drying
- Laser cut and bonded hem
- Bonded seams to reduce chafing
- Back pocket with concealed lockable zipper
- Breathable and elastic rope tied waistband with rubber tipped rope
- Machine wash max 30°C
Size + fit Open Accordion
Fit guide: The Race to Zero Shorts are designed with a regular fit, and an elastic rope tied waistband.
Model wears: Greg Kheel is 6ft 2 / 188cm with a 32 inch / 81cm waist. Greg wears the Race to Zero Shorts in size Medium.
Personalised advice: See our size guide for more advice on sizing, or you can ask us for personalised sizing advice here.
Returns and exchanges: Don’t worry if you order something and it doesn’t fit – we have a free, no hassle 30 day return and exchange period.
| XS | S | M | L | XL | XXL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fits waist | 71-76 | 76-81 | 81-86 | 86-91 | 91-96 | 96-101 |
| XS | S | M | L | XL | XXL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fits waist | 28-30 | 30-32 | 32-34 | 34-36 | 36-38 | 38-40 |
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Also available in
The race to zero
There are some very simple rules of running. Rule one: lighter is nearly always better. Weight is the enemy – whether it’s your body or your kit. It’s the enemy of going fast. It’s the enemy of going long. And it’s the enemy of running like you ran when you were a kid. Your gear should feel weightless. So we’re building the lightest running system in the world. The mission is to get as close to zero as we can on the weighing scales, so once you put it on you forget it’s there.
A minimalist system of running gear
Race to Zero is an ultralight packable system built for running 5km or 5 days straight. We’re starting with four pieces – a t shirt, shorts, jacket and puffer. Each piece is built with advanced materials, packs down into itself and fits into the palm of your hand. The entire system weighs just 600 grams.
Every piece packs into itself
Every piece in the system packs down into itself in exactly the same way. On the hem of the shorts you’ll find a black, zero-shaped pocket. It’s the same black, zero-shaped pocket you’ll find on the t shirt and the jackets as well. To pack the shorts up you turn the pocket inside out and push the shorts into it until you’re left with a pouch that fits into the palm of your hand. Once it’s packed down, you can stuff it into your race bag or clip it on using the elastic hanging loop.
Why simplicity matters
Running brings amazing clarity. It simplifies your decision making. And once you start running through entire days or nights, your thinking is often reduced to the very basics: I am hungry. I hurt. I am tired. I would like to sleep now. So we’re building the ultimate minimalist system to reduce your thinking and decision making to a minimum. You won’t have to think about what you pack. And you won’t have to think about what you carry with you.
Works for 5km or 5 days
Ultramarathons are a really fast way of finding out who you are and what you’re capable of. They’re also a really quick way of finding out if your kit works. So the Race to Zero system is designed to see you through the toughest races on Earth. Even the smallest failure point can be enough to drive you slightly crazy on a long enough timescale. If it rubs the first time, you can bet the 10,000th time is going to feel like torture. That’s why we’re building gear that’s quiet, seamless, stretchy, lightweight, and fast drying. It’s designed to not be noticed.
Made with a lightweight material that feels like silk
The shorts weigh just 127 grams so once you’ve put them on you won’t notice them again. Built from densely-woven nylon microfibres that are engineered to be the same thickness as silk, the shorts are ultra soft and lightweight, while being durable enough to work in the toughest races.
A super soft Italian material sits next to your skin
The inner linings of running shorts are typically a failure point. They’re normally made from cheaper materials as you don’t see them, and then they’re stitched as that saves money too. Instead, our inner lining is so good we’ve used it to make the entire Race to Zero T Shirt. It’s an ultra-soft Italian material which is engineered with thousands of tiny perforations to create airflow. And all of the seams in the lining are bonded rather than stitched to reduce the chance of chafing.
Antibacterial technology made from silver
We treat the inner lining of the shorts with a silver-based antimicrobial treatment to fight the odour molecules created by sweat. Silver shares properties with copper – the supermaterial we use to build our Copper Baselayer. So when it comes into contact with a microbe, it releases ions to break down the microbe’s membrane before wiping it out. As it’s the build-up of bacteria on clothes that causes them to smell, the silver keeps the shorts fresher for longer by stopping microbes multiplying.
Helps keep you cool you in crazy temperatures
With the temperatures at some races climbing to over 50°C – California’s ‘Badwater 135’ possibly being the craziest – we’ve designed the Race to Zero Shorts to maximise the amount of cool air that can get to your body. Both the outer material and the inner lining are highly breathable. And the waistband is engineered with tiny perforations to increase the air flowing in and out.
Designed for complete freedom of movement
The shorts are a loose cut around your thigh so that you’ll barely notice you’re wearing them while running. The outside of the shorts is built with 22% elastane, which means they can stretch in any direction. The inner lining is also highly elastic, so you’ll never feel restricted. Whichever way you stretch, pull, turn or sprint, they will simply go with you.
Water repellent and fast drying
The way your gear handles moisture on a long race is crucial. Wet kit can sap your energy, cling to you in weird ways, and chafe your skin. So the outside of the shorts is treated with a water repellent coating to make light rain roll off them and keep you drier for longer. If you do get caught in a flash storm or have to wade across a river you’ll still dry quickly, as the shorts are so light they’re super fast-drying.
Zipped back pocket
The shorts come with a concealed back pocket that will fit your keys, cards or phone. The pocket closes with a lockable, rubberised zip pull that fastens into position.
Works with the Race to Zero T Shirt
Engineered with thousands of tiny perforations to let air flow in and out, the Race to Zero T Shirt is built to take on the world’s toughest races or your daily training run. Weighing just 113 grams, it’s built with exactly the same ultra-soft Italian material we use to build the inner lining of the Race to Zero Shorts. It’s high-wicking, fast-drying, and stretches with you whatever you’re doing. And a silver-based antimicrobial treatment on the t shirt fights the odour molecules created by sweat, to keep you comfortable whether you’re 5km or 5 days into your run.
Works with the Race to Zero Jacket
At just 85 grams the Race to Zero Jacket is the lightest of all four pieces in the system. It’s water repellent and wind resistant, comes with 27 laser cut vents and deep storage pockets, making it the ultimate utility layer to take with you on any adventure.
Works with the Race to Zero Puffer
The Race to Zero Puffer is the warmest layer in the system. It’s built with super-compact synthetic insulation that’s compressed down to a third of its normal size, while retaining 80% of its thermal properties. And while insulated jackets are normally constructed with big puffy baffles to keep the insulation in place, the Race to Zero Puffer is built with continuous sheets of insulation anchored down with stitched bartacks to reduce weight, bulk and the potential for cold spots. The outer shell and inner lining are made from an ultra-lightweight, recycled nylon engineered to be the same thickness as silk. And the puffer weighs just 277 grams.
Vollebak started life on a run
While startups normally begin with two kids in a garage with a dream, the idea for Vollebak started life while we were running through the Amazon, Alps and Namib Desert. While surviving heatstroke, broken bones, bullet ants, angry snakes, tarantulas, hallucinations, and falling asleep while running, we decided that setting up our own company wouldn’t be so hard. We’d always have access to running water, a toilet and a bed. And we could try and tackle some of the challenges we’d faced. Today we make some of the most advanced gear on the planet. And it now includes the Race to Zero gear we’d loved to have raced in.
