Choose the original Tech Short if you want maximum storage, with open side pockets, interior heat-sealed zip gel pockets and a large rear heat-sealed zip phone pocket. Choose the Tech Short v2 if you want a lighter, cleaner short with flat side pockets built purely around repeated high-output work. Both use 4-way stretch polyester/elastane and a racing-specific fit.
- The original Tech Short prioritises storage: open side pockets, interior gel pockets and a rear zip phone pocket.
- The Tech Short v2 prioritises simplicity and weight, with flat side pockets and no bouncing storage.
- Both were built by the race team to remove the failure points HYROX training exposes, and both use 4-way stretch.
What does the original Tech Short offer?
The obvious objection to a heavily featured short is that pockets add weight and things to go wrong, and normally that would be fair. The original Tech Short earns them. It uses polyester/elastane 4-way stretch with fused seams and a premium elasticated waistband, and it carries open side pockets plus interior heat-sealed zip pockets for gels and a large rear heat-sealed zip phone pocket. That suits athletes who train outdoors or want to carry fuel and a phone. The fitness-racing-specific fit keeps everything close to the body, and the heat-sealed zips resist sweat far better than exposed stitched zips. If your sessions involve carrying essentials, this is the more practical short.
The storage is engineered rather than simply added, which is what separates it from a standard training short with a token pocket. The interior heat-sealed zip pockets are sized and placed for gels so fuel sits flat against the body rather than swinging, and the large rear zip pocket is built to hold a phone securely through running without bouncing at the base of the spine. Heat-sealing those zips matters because a stitched-in zip is a classic failure point once it is soaked in sweat every session, corroding and snagging over time. For an athlete who genuinely needs to carry things on long outdoor runs or wants fuel secured on a race course, that considered storage is the whole reason to choose the original.
What changed with the Tech Short v2?
You might reasonably suspect a v2 is just a marketing refresh. It is not, and the change is a genuine trade-off rather than a straight upgrade. The Tech Short v2 is a lighter, stripped-back evolution built for repeated high-output work such as runs, sleds and lunges. It uses durable polyester/elastane 4-way stretch with flat side pockets and was designed around removing the exact failure points HYROX training exposes, including sketchy zips and bouncing pockets. The v2 reads as a cleaner, more race-oriented short because it removes storage that most athletes do not use once they are deep into a session. As of 2026 it is the default pick for athletes who want less short getting in the way.
The v2 is a good example of how THETA's design loop actually works, the race team wears prototypes through real HYROX training and races, then feeds back on anything that gets in the way once they are deep into a session, and the short is revised from there. The two features that kept surfacing as problems were zips that felt sketchy under load and pockets that bounced during running and lunges, so the v2 removed both rather than iterating on them. What is left is a short built purely around the movement, the 4-way stretch handles the deep squat of wall balls and the long stride of the sandbag lunges, and the flat pockets stay quiet and close through burpee broad jumps. It is less short getting in the way, by design.
What neither short solves
Be clear about the limits before you buy. Neither short carries everything and stays weightless at the same time, and no amount of engineering resolves that tension. If you want secure phone and gel storage, you accept the extra material of the original; if you want the lightest, quietest short, you accept that the v2 has almost nowhere to put a phone. A short also will not fix a fit problem, so oversizing either one to chase looseness undoes the racing-specific cut. The honest summary is that the choice is a compromise you make on purpose, not a feature one short has and the other lacks by accident.
| Feature | Tech Short | Tech Short v2 |
|---|---|---|
| Side pockets | Open, plus interior zip gel pockets | Flat, secure |
| Phone storage | Rear heat-sealed zip pocket | Minimal |
| Weight feel | Fuller featured | Lighter, stripped-back |
| Best for | Outdoor runs, carrying fuel | Gym sessions, race sims |
How to make the call
Run through a short checklist rather than guessing on features.
- Do you carry gels, keys or a phone on runs? Choose the original Tech Short.
- Do you train mostly indoors and leave kit in a bag? Choose the v2.
- Do you want the lightest, quietest short for lunges and jumps? Choose the v2.
- Do you race and want secured fuel on course? The original short helps.
- Bundle with a top to take the Training Collection discount either way.
"The original short is for people who carry things. The v2 is for people who want to forget they are wearing shorts. We kept both because athletes genuinely split down the middle," says the THETA coaching team.
Common questions
Is the Tech Short v2 better than the original?
Neither is strictly better; they solve different problems. The v2 is lighter and cleaner for high-output gym work, while the original carries more with its heat-sealed zip pockets, so the right choice depends on whether you need storage.
Can I carry my phone in the Tech Short v2?
The v2 uses flat side pockets rather than a dedicated large phone pocket, so it is not built for carrying a phone during hard efforts. If secure phone storage matters, the original Tech Short with its rear heat-sealed zip pocket is the better fit.
Do both shorts use the same fabric?
Both use durable polyester/elastane with 4-way stretch and a racing-specific fit. The main differences are in construction and storage rather than the core fabric system, so both hold shape through lunges and wall balls.
Which short is better for racing?
The v2 suits racing where you want minimal weight and nothing bouncing, while the original suits races where you want to carry gels securely on course. As of 2026 many athletes race in the v2 and keep the original for training runs.
Will the pockets bounce during running?
The v2's flat pockets are designed to stay close to the body so nothing bounces, which was a specific target during its development. The original's heat-sealed zip pockets keep contents secure, though a loaded phone pocket will always be slightly more noticeable.
Are the zips reliable under sweat?
Yes, the original Tech Short uses heat-sealed zip pockets, which resist sweat far better than exposed stitched zips that can corrode or snag. Removing sketchy zips entirely was one reason the v2 moved to flat pockets.
How was the Tech Short v2 developed?
Through THETA's design loop, where the race team wears prototypes in real HYROX training and races and feeds back on anything that gets in the way. Sketchy zips and bouncing pockets kept surfacing, so the v2 removed both rather than iterating on them.
Do both shorts hold shape better than loose run shorts?
Yes, both use a fitness-racing-specific fit and 4-way stretch that holds structure through deep squats and lunges, unlike loose run shorts that lose shape during deep movement. The difference between the two THETA shorts is storage and weight, not shape retention.
Sources
- HYROX official race format and rulebook (hyrox.com)
- THETA Tech line and Training Collection specifications
- THETA coaching and race-team testing data, 2024–2026
Compare both shorts and match the storage to how you train with THETA performance kit.