Brooke Bobb Senior Fashion News Writer
Truth be told, I have not yet tried the brand new activewear from PH5, but I did recently talk to designer Wei Lin about the concept. She is an ironman athlete and marathoner, and she swears by the fit, comfort, and durability of sustainably-made knit leggings. These may just be the perfect yoga pants for me, and for anyone else who wants something thats both practical and stylish for practicing their downward dogs.
Womens Health Lab Approved
For extra reassurance that your next pair of leggings will keep any VPLs at bay, look out for the ones that have our Womens Health Lab seal of approval. Shop the pairs that weve rigorously tried, tested and love now:
- Best bamboo yoga leggings:Bamboo Balance Bamboo Leggings
Wondering what the logo actually means? Well, a panel of testers got their sun salutations on, wearing each pair of leggings at least three times for a selection of low-impact exercise. Each pair of leggings was tested by at least four people, and everyone told us how they found the design and fit, as well as whether they performed well on the mat.
We also carried out wash tests in the WH lab to check that they will stay fresh after a spin in the washing machine.
Combined with our editors’ top picks, youll be sure to find a trusty pair. See you on the mat!
Best Pants For Hot Yoga
The Adidas x Karlie Kloss Primeblue High-Waist Long Tights‘ thin and airy design make them perfect for sweaty sessions.
Pros: Lightweight, affordable price, sustainably crafted
Cons: Prominent branding, too thin and airy for cold weather, can’t be tumble dried
- Sizing: XS 2XL
Even with most hot yoga studios temporarily closed, many aficionados find ways to get in a heated practice at home by blasting space heaters and shoving blankets underneath doors. For these steamy classes, the right yoga pants can make a big difference. When drenched, certain fabrics’ compression and thickness lead to too much weight and cling to be comfortable. The Adidas x Karlie Kloss Primeblue High-Waist Long Tights are a great thin option that avoids those pitfalls.
The pants are great for any workout but especially good for sweaty activities like runs and heated classes. They’re made from primeblue, a material partially made of upcycled plastic, which would have otherwise ended up in oceans. They also have elastane.
These pants were comfortable for cardio workouts and unheated yoga as well. But they were less ideal for outside wear, at least in the fall and winter. Each leg has six small holes about halfway down, and there’s a thinner, ribbed fabric interspersed with the main material. These touches made the leggings ideal when my heart was pumping but less so for running errands on a windy day.
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Best Affordable Option: Oalka Power Flex Yoga Pants
These sleek yoga pants from Oalka prove you don’t have to spend a ton of money to get a high-quality pair of pants. The cozy bottoms boast interlock seams that won’t irritate your skin and a high-waisted fit that includes a wide tummy-control panel and a hidden key pocket in the waistband. Plus, with 23 different colors to choose from, you’re bound to find an option or two that you love. “Holy crap these are awesome! I don’t wear leggings on any kind of regular basis, and I don’t do yoga, but I wanted these as comfy travel pants and they really deliver. They’re opaque, long enough, and sturdy,” said one shopper.
To buy: , from $10
Comfortable And Chic With A Splurgeworthy Soft Feel: Beyond Yoga Spacedye Caught In The Midi High Waisted Legging
How they fit: These leggings are stretchy instead of structured, with light compression. They were so comfortable that most of our testers forgot they were wearing them. Our panel consisted of four testers: a 5-foot-2-inch petite tester who typically wears a size 4 a 5-foot-2-inch plus-size tester who typically wears a size 1618 a 5-foot-9-inch tester who wears a size 2 and a 5-foot-10-inch tester who wears a size 68. The Beyond Yoga Spacedye Caught In the Midi High Waisted Legging is available in XXS to 4X and in one length, Midi . And the super-soft fabric has a luxurious, almost sueded texture.
Why theyre great: These leggings are the next best thing to being naked. Our testers unanimously agreed that they were the softest, most comfortable, super-luxe leggings they tried. Put them on in the morning, and you likely wont think about them again all day. The fabric is softer than that of any other pair we triedit feels almost like suede. Theyre thin and stretchy versus structured, and they provide light compression. This pair has a simple, body-conscious silhouette thats seamless down the outside of the legs and a subtler aesthetic that lends itself to daily wear.
I stretched and put these leggings through a 30-minute high-intensity kettlebell workout, and they felt cool, comfortable, and not wholly unsupportive. In fact, I didnt think about them at alla good sign. Another tester wore them for a full day of running errands and forgot about them.
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Athleta Salutation Stash Pocket
Made with Athletas Powervita fabric and complete with pockets, these leggings are the ultimate athleisure apparel. Powervita is an interlocking double-brushed nylon/lycra spandex thats buttery soft and breathable with mild compression. The Salutation can handle a vigorous Power Yoga class and keep you comfortable while youre running errands afterward.
Michi Ny Pulsar Leggings $180
The indie brand’s been a hit for its boudoir-inspired collection, made for someone fashion forward and athletic. The Pulsar Leggings have mesh panels that provide a bit of peek-a-boo and treadmill sex appeal, while serving a flattering function by “carving” out a slimming pattern on your legs. And these black pants aren’t just for show: the almost silky, four-way-stretch fabric is wicking and ideal for dance cardio to Megaformer workouts.
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Best Value: Tsla Yoga Pants
To get the most out of yoga, you need the right equipment. That means picking up a few solid pairs of yoga pants, which can quickly become an expensive investment. TSLA Yoga Pants deliver a stellar product at a bargain price that can fit into even the tightest of budgets. They are also well made with pockets to hold your phone or other essentials while you are working out.
TSLA offers up more than 40 different colors to choose from when you buy their pants. Depending on the color you’ll also get either side pockets or a hidden back pocket to hold valuables. The fabric isn’t sheer and is moisture-wicking, so it will let you get the workout you deserve. The only caveat is that you’ll want to double-check sizes with their chart to ensure you snag the correct size.
Perfect Fit For Any Body Type
Harem Pants are meant to fit any body size and type. Theyre loose and baggy with the wide elastic band on the waist. These pants can be a perfect fit for skinny, slim, slightly-overweight, as well as plus size body types. They have significant stretch ability and fit snuggly making it easier for you and your yoga instructor to monitor your poses well. With such a fit, these yoga pants adapt to easy as well as rigorous yoga poses. Their fit is designed to be much more comfortable than comparable yoga wear such as leggings or tights.
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Reebok X Victoria Beckham Seamless Stretch
How much?£89.00
Why? Tired of missing out on the hottest collabs the activewear world has to offer? These leggings have yet to drop on the Reebok website, but if you throw your reservations to the wind and get bagging, they can be yours before Net-A-Porters notoriously swift shoppers empty the shelves. As for yoga, this green pair are packing performance and stretch in a cosy seamless design, making them ideal yoga leggings material.
Wear for: All your active exploits and then some. If Victoria Beckham thinks theyre worth reclining in, so do we.
How To Find The Best Workout Leggings
- Check the fabric. Synthetic performance fibers like nylon and polyester are better than cotton for workout pants because theyre often moisture-wicking, more durable and have better stretch. Pick a smooth, shiny fabric to reduce chafing in high-impact activities like running. For studio workouts like yoga where there’s less friction, choose a soft fabric that looks matte.
- Look at the construction. The seams on the inside should be flat, not raised they’re more comfortable and help reduce irritation caused by sweat and movement. You should also make sure theres a gusset . It prevents leggings from riding up, especially with lots of motion.
- Do a DIY sweat test. Most activewear claims to be moisture-wicking, but not all fabrics passed our test. To see how a pair of leggings handles moisture, place a small drop of water on the inside of the legging it should absorb quickly and spread out wide instead of beading up.
- Make sure theyre not see-through. Try on the leggings in bright light for best results. Bend your knee deeply if you can see your skin through the fabric, its not fully opaque. Check again in a few months because fabric can thin out or fade over time.
Here are the best workout leggings to buy in 2022:
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Do I Need A Pair Of Yoga Pants If I Already Have Sweatpants/workout Leggings
It is true that nowadays the market is abundant with every type of clothing from harem pants to see-through plastic jackets. This raises the questions of what items you actually need to invest in and which ones you can leave behind. Although sweatpants and workout leggings have the 99% likelihood of already constituting a part of your wardrobe, a pair of yoga pants might be a smart addition for many reasons. While sweatpants are great for lounging around and running errands, workout leggings merely serve the purpose of gym training. Neither one of them is great for a yoga session that can transition into a coffee house meeting with friends afterward. Yoga pants, however, come in handy in these scenarios more than any other type of pants.
Their material is not as thick as one of sweatpants, and they do not have as much elastane as the workout leggings do that makes them look glassy. There is also no drawstring involved and thus no chance of your pants falling down from your hips. Stretching and yoga poses are easier done while wearing a pair of yoga pants due to their lightweight construction that fits like your second skin. You are able to execute more challenging poses and headstands without easily getting sweaty and then run your errands without having to change in a different pair of pants. So yeah, you do need a pair of yoga pants even if you already have sweatpants and workout leggings sitting on your closet shelve.
Spalding Womens Capri Legging
Spaldings capris are made from 57% cotton, 37% polyester, and 6% spandex, making them a golden middle, material wise. They are very thin, but not so thin to be transparent. Panty line might be visible, but their color isnt.
They dont have any kind of rubber at the waist, but they are elastic enough to stay on your hips if you are not doing difficult yoga poses.
They are mostly suited for basic yoga routines that dont include complicated positions or demanding yoga types.
You can wash them in a machine so they are very easy to maintain.
Spalding offers only three colors: black, gray, and navy blue. So if you are looking for some flashy, fluorescent colors or cool designs, youll be disappointed.
But if you dont care about that and just want some simple, inexpensive yoga pants, these might be perfect for you as lots of customers have been satisfied with their performance.
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Why Is Fabric So Important
The basis of a pair of leggings is core-spun yarn, which Preeti Arya, assistant professor of textile development and marketing at the Fashion Institute of Technology, describes as a fine filament of elastane yarn with fiber surrounding it.
No matter the brand, the basic yarn type is often roughly the same, as we found out from reading the tags of our contenders. Whether a pair feels thick and provides adequate coverage comes down to the density of the fabrics knit. Two pairs can have nearly identical fiber content, but if the knit on one is less dense, its opacity will be altered.
Fabrics that wick are meant to keep you dry during a workout. Unlike natural fibers such as cotton or linen, which are known to become waterlogged, synthetic fibers operate similarly to capillary action, with the space between the fibers acting like a capillary tube. So the minute … perspiration touches it, it gets sucked up, explained Arya. From there, it evaporates. Antimicrobial finishes, meant to sidestep stink, can be applied directly to a fabric by dipping it into a chemical bath containing an antimicrobial formulation.
Once a legging is produced, brands usually put it through standardized tests to evaluate how well it holds up to, say, the equivalent of 20 washes, the steadfastness of a dye , and its ability to withstand abrasion, pilling, tensile strength, and stretchability.
Arket Seamless Yoga Tights
How much? £35.00
Why? ARKET’s yoga collection is all sorts of dreamy in neutral tones and soft piqué jersey. Designed to keep you comfortable and supported, with a ribbed elastic waistband and ventilated patterning where you need it most, each piece is made individually to ensure that as little material is wasted as possible.
Wear for: Calming sessions of Yin, Restorative or Meditative yoga.
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Organic Basics Silvertech Active Leggings
How much?£72.00
Why? Yoga may look easy breezy but after a few fiery poses and one too many chaturangas, things can get rather hot and sweaty. Not something youll need to worry about with these yoga leggings on. Treated with a permanent recycled silver salt, that is safe for both you and the environment, odour-causing bacteria will be stopped in their tracks. Leaving you fresh and feeling good in your full length yoga leggings that were ethically made using recycled materials.
Wear for: Heat-building yoga flows that never fail to lure out a little perspiration.
Is Betabrand Worth It
As previously stated, the pricing is definitely on the expensive side of things compared to shopping for sports pants at Fabletics or Victoria’s Secret.
They are, however, a high-end athletic brand that combines two pant designs into one . When you consider how much formal pants cost, it becomes a bit easier to rationalize the purchase.
If you’re used to buying more expensive labels like Lululemon, which are approximately the same price as Betabrand, you should give them a try you get two pairs of trousers for the price of one!
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Lululemon Groove Pant Super High
How much?£78
Why? Lululemon’s much-loved classic has returned, and its just the addition our yoga wardrobe needs. Apart from giving us killer retro vibes, these wide leg yoga pants are as yoga-friendly as their slimmer counterparts, thanks to the sweat-wicking, extra soft Nulu Fabric Lululemon has so kindly blessed us with. With a phone-friendly pocket in the super-high rise waistband, youll be all set to take on both your studio yoga session and post-flow breakfast run.
Wear for: Slower peaceful practices like Hatha yoga where you can channel you inner hippie in spirit and style.
Yoga Pants Make You An Instant Athlete
Yoga pants just seem to make a person look more athletic. Whether it’s the structure or the fit, anyone looking at you will think you’re in the midst of becoming a full-time Planet Fitness trainer even if youre just walking to a drive through. Yoga pants are built for instructors and fitness models so once you’re donning a pair you’re bound to be associated with fitness. A number of celebs swear by yoga pants including Zoe Saldana, Katy Perry and Arianna Grande just to name a few. As celebrities, they are constantly in the public eye so they need to keep up an ‘ideal’ image of constantly maintaining a fit bod. So seeing them in yoga pants leaves us to believe that their next stop is probably the big gym on the hill and not the Dairy Queen by their house.
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Best Capri: Sirhao Yoga Pants
Wearing ankle length yoga pants doesn’t work year-round. During spring and summer months you may want to opt for capris instead, especially if you live in a particularly hot or humid region. The Sirhao Yoga Pants are above the knee capris that still offer up an excellent experience.
These yoga pants use 4-way stretch fabric to ensure that you get a good fit. With a high waist, the material is moisture-wicking and thick enough that you don’t need to worry about tears or being able to see through it. Compression material makes it easy to drop into advanced poses without extra material getting in your way. The only catch is that you’ll want to ensure you order the right size by taking your measurements at home.
H& m Seamless Sports Tights
How much?£17.99
Why? For £17.99, do you even need to ask? Whilst not explicitly classed as yoga leggings, these sports leggings have all the qualities youd want from material covering your limbs during yoga, from the first pose right through to the last. The functional fabric is quick drying to keep you cool and comfortable, fewer seams have been used to ensure you have total freedom of movement without the fear of chafing or inadequate stretch to slow you down, and the wide waistband is there to ensure you feel supported throughout the sequence.
Wear for: Your first time at yoga. At such an affordable price, theyre perfect for when youre just starting out. Youll want to make sure you have a steady hand when getting your caffeine fix before or after though.
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