Compression Shorts for Special Forces Training

We get this question from military athletes about once a month.

“Coach, what are good compression shorts to use for Special Forces training?”.

Did you wear these in Navy SEAL training at BUDS?

Do athletes wear them in Kokoro or GoRuck?

Or did you just go “Commando” and not tell anybody? The answer is Yes.

Question: What are a good pair of compression shorts for ruck marching?

I like the Nike Pro Core 6 Inch Compression Shorts. They fit tight but don’t cut off circulation.

They keep sand and mud out of your crotch most of the time. For a long event i would have 2 pairs.

I also use them for wrestling Ji-Jitsu. Add body glide to your crotch before putting them on.

Nike Pro Combat Compression Shorts Review

Several of the guys at SEALFIT Kokoro camp this past summer recommend Under Armour Men’s HeatGear Sonic Compression Shorts

Under Armour Men’s HeatGear® Sonic Compression Shorts
Bought these for the Tough Mudder because all of my other compression shorts weren’t for hot weather.

They worked great, dried quickly, no chaffing. Top quality.

They are also good as new after a wash.

Another pair that gets good reviews are the Skins A200 Men’s Compression Half Tights. They are a little more expensive buy get great reviews.

Skins A200 Men’s Compression Half Tights Review
Having been a 2XU-only user for a number of years, I decided to give Skins a try after reading extensively about their products, as well as numerous external websites that did a side-by-side comparison that I decided to give it a shot myself.

They work really well and as a frequent runner, these are really good compression tights and on par with 2XU.

They are also exceptionally great at wicking away sweat (I perspire a lot – normal running shorts will be drenched wet after a short 5km run – hence this is very critical for me).

If your going to take the time to wear compression shorts then you may as well go ahead and add the finishing touch by adding Bodyglide Original Anti-Chafe Balm to your crotch and legs.

Also add to your nipples and under arms to prevent chafing on longer endurance events.

I use the body glide on my feet and add double socks for longer hikes.

Question: Why do you wear compression shorts in BUDS? The main reason is to keep the sand out of your crotch.

Question: What brand of socks do you wear at buds Navy SEAL training?

Many years ago we wore the wool/cotton blend dive socks but now BUDS trainees wear Darn Tough Merino Wool socks at BUDS.

I also have a pair of the Darn tough socks and recommend them. I wear these socks for trail running and mtn biking and they work great.

Question: Do you use an anti-chafe cream before you put on the compression shorts? Yes; I like to use Bodyglide Anti-chafe Balm and put it all over my crotch and inner legs.

I also put body glide on my nipples and under arms as this helps a lot.

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