LonsdaleCargo cut6 colourwaysXS to 4XL
In short: Cargo shorts with flap pockets, in camouflage or plain. The everyday piece, the one worn between sessions. 6 colourways, 8 sizes, XS to 4XL. €29.
Cargo, a work garment that became a street garment
The cargo short descends from military fatigue trousers, whose large flap side pockets carried maps, ammunition and kit without occupying the hands. The name comes from there: cargo pockets.
Its move into civilian clothing dates from the 1990s, and it held for the same reason it was invented: on a garment worn all day, pocket capacity is what you actually use.
What the shorts look like
Six colourways: green camouflage, grey camouflage, beige, navy, green and black. The cut is straight and stops below the knee. Two large flap side pockets on the thighs, plus conventional pockets. The waistband adjusts with a drawcord. The Lonsdale logo and its lion sit on the right thigh. Matt finish.
Below the knee, and why that matters here
A cargo pocket sits on the thigh. On a short that stops mid-thigh there is no room for one, which is why the cut runs longer — the length is a consequence of the pockets, not a style choice.
It also means this is the longest short in the collection, and the one that works as ordinary clothing rather than as kit.
Technical specifications
Worth knowing: this is the longest short in the collection and the only one built around pocket capacity. It is the bag short, not the training short.
Getting the size right
European cut — take your usual size. Eight sizes, XS to 4XL. The cargo pockets are positioned per size and stay reachable seated from XS to 4XL. The drawcord adjusts the waist; between two sizes, take the larger.
Also worth a look
Frequently asked questions
Where does the name cargo short come from?
From military fatigue trousers, whose large flap side pockets carried maps, ammunition and kit. They were called cargo pockets, and the name followed the garment into civilian clothing in the 1990s.
Are these suitable for training?
They are made for everyday wear rather than the mat. The pockets that make them useful in town are exactly what a fight short leaves out for safety. For training, an open mesh short or a fight short is the fit.
Do these fit true to size?
Yes. European cut — take your usual size. The pockets are positioned per size. Between two sizes, take the larger.
What colours are available?
Six: green camouflage, grey camouflage, beige, navy, green and black.
