Chafing is the most common fit problem I see at the store, and it's almost always one of three things.
1. The inseam is wrong for your body
Shorts with 3-inch inseams don't work for people whose thighs touch. Physics. The fabric has nothing to grab, and it rides up, and then the seam is in the worst possible place.
If your thighs touch, start with a 5-inch inseam and see how that feels. 7-inch is also great, especially for long runs. Not everything has to be a Ranger short.
2. The liner is cheap
Most running shorts have a liner built in. If the liner is cotton-blend or has rough seams, that's the chafe source, not the outer.
Brooks and Patagonia both make good liners. Janji is my favorite for longer runs. Tracksmith if you want to splurge.
If you hate the liner, buy a short without one and pair with your own undershorts. Many of us do this.
3. The waistband gaps
If the waistband is too loose, the short falls slightly with each step, and everything moves in ways it shouldn't. This causes waistline chafe and inner-thigh chafe.
Wear the short for 30 seconds jogging in place in the store. Notice if it slides. If it does, size down or try a different cut.
The glide stick question
Body Glide works. So does Vaseline, which is cheap. So does Aquaphor. All three are fine.
If you need glide stick on every run, something is fitting wrong. A good short shouldn't require lube.
When it's actually the fabric
Rare, but it happens. Cheap spandex blends with large weave gaps will chafe people with sensitive skin. If you've tried three shorts and all chafed in the same places, it might be the fabric family, not the fit.
We stock a lot of brands. Come try a handful on. This is one of those problems where ten minutes of fitting saves you a season of suffering.
