Muay Thai Shorts

There is no “best” brand of Muay Thai shorts. Every brand has their own unique materials, fits, style and designs. As long as you’re buying from top Muay Thai brands like Fairtex, then you can be sure of the quality and durability of the shorts as long as they are authentic products like the ones we stock at Fight Quarters with a 100% genuine guarantee.

We also always recommend people buying from different brands to see which one has shorts that fit them the best. And whichever brand has the best designs and style that fit your preferences and personality, that is the best brand for you!

Muay Thai short sizes use the standard, XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL measurement system as opposed to waist measurement sizes. It is important to note, that Muay Thai shorts sizing are Asian size and as a result the corresponding western size will be larger. If you are M size in the west, and you buy a M size muay thai short, it will most likely be too small for you.Always refer to the size guides by the brands, they generally will have the corresponding traditional waist measurement size for your reference to help determine the right size. Also, most Muay Thai shorts will feel a bit tight around the waist when you first buy them and are completely normal, as the elastic hasn't stretched and been broken in yet. You’ll find that after a few weeks of wear - the waistband will comfortably conform and sit on your waist.

Muay Thai shorts are either made from Satin, Polyester or Nylon or a blend of those materials. 

Most Muay Thai shorts that you see with shiny and sleek finishes are most likely made from Satin or a Satin blend which are comfortable on the skin and minimizes friction when striking.

Nylon shorts have made a re-emergence, due to the “matte” appearance it provides when the right colors are used. They are also lightweight and can be dried quite easily, but bear in mind they can become somewhat transparent when drenched in sweat, especially lighter colors like yellow, orange, pink, cream & etc, meaning your undergarments will be on full display!

In more recent years, Polyester and Polyester-Mix (sometimes referred to as Microfiber or Microsatin when mixed with Satin) shorts have become increasingly popular due to the sweat-wicking, breathability and quick dry properties whilst being able to print graphic designs on easily - the best examples are Fairtex’s Muay Thai Shorts.

Most of the time, you will see “มวยไทย” written which is simply “Muay Thai” in Thai. Often different Thai fonts and scripts are used, which can make recognizing the text harder but gives each pair of shorts their unique style and flair. At times, especially for custom shorts, the Thai writing can be the name of the fighter or the gym that they are fighting out of.

Traditional Muay Thai shorts are the iconic style of flashy shorts associated with the “Golden Era” of Muay Thai. They typically fit loosely with flared, "skirt-like" leg holes with wide waistbands, featuring 8 or more rows of elastic that secures around the midriff. Design-wise, they feature Thai culture patterns and symbols paired with Thai script fonts, providing an extremely stylish old-school Thai aesthetic. Although most brands have modernized their designs, Top King Muay Thai Shorts still maintain the iconic look and fits of traditional Muay Thai shorts.

On the other hand, "Retro" Muay Thai shorts adopt a more modern design philosophy despite its name. The leg openings are streamlined, smaller and fit closer towards the body. As a result, they have taller side slits to compensate to still allow for unrestricted kicking and kneeing movements. Waist bands are generally more narrow, although not always the case, and can feature anywhere from 4-8 rows of elastic depending on the brand, model and design. You’ll also find that most of these shorts will also have more modern design patterns and graphics either printed or embroidered on. 

The vast majority of Muay Thai shorts are unisex which generally means sizing down if you’re female. Always refer to the brands size guide and go by waist circumference to determine your fit. At the moment, we’re starting to see more Thai brands are coming out with female orientated designs which is a great sign for the sport!

Simply wearing underwear, briefs is enough, you can also opt for compression undergarments as well such as leggings. Whichever undergarments you choose, it is generally recommended to wear ones that are polyester-cotton mixes as they provide breathable-properties and cause less friction meaning you're less likely to cause chafing from frequently kicking.

Also, if you’re training in Nylon Muay Thai Shorts in a hot or humid environment, we also advise wearing appropriate undergarments like boxer briefs to provide adequate body coverage. This is because Nylon becomes transparent when drenched in sweat and wet, meaning whatever you're wearing underneath will be on full display!

We won’t say you can’t, because you definitely can depending on the short design! Some people actually find the right running shorts to be enjoyable to train in - us included!. However you need to make sure your shorts have enough spacing and freedom around the legs, groin and waist area to allow you to kick, knee and move around without restrictions.

We generally don’t like seeing basketball shorts in the gym, as they can be a bit long with them reaching below the knee which can be bothersome when throwing kicks and knees. If you are wearing non-muay thai shorts for training, make sure they’re short enough and can accommodate all movements.

But nothing beats the feeling of freedom, style and confidence you get when training Muay Thai in proper authentic Muay Thai shorts!