A Definitive Ranking Of The 6 Most Popular Yoga Pants And Leggings Brands
Whether you like to wear yoga pants for yoga, cardio, to run errands, or just because they look cute, they aren't always the cheapest.
So I tried different brands' versions of yoga pants and weighed the good and the bad in all of them.
1. Lululemon
SCORE: 9/10
Wunder Under Hi-Rise Tight, $98, Lululemon
Everybody has heard of Lululemon and how great their clothes are. Considering they are a brand that focuses on fitness attire, they have a reputation to keep up. So let's get real for a minute; yoga pants aren't cheap. The price is an investment however. You can bring leggings back to any Lululemon store and they will fix any defects for free.
Aside from the price, there is another downside of the brand. The biggest size they carry is 12. If you are between a 0 and 12 then this is no problem for you, but for those that need a bigger size, you may be out of luck.
The bright side (for those who do fit into the sizes) is they have a large variety of yoga pants. Whether you want shorts, crops, leggings, or plain yoga pants, they will have it.
Another thing that is great about this brand is that the fabric is thick enough so that when you go to do a downward facing dog in yoga class, you're covered.
2. Nike
SCORE: 7/10
I know, that looks like a lower score than expected, but let me explain. Nike has really great clothes to workout in.
But when it comes to yoga pants or leggings, the quality depends on what style you get and what size you are.
For example, my friend who is a size small never has any issues with her Nike bottoms, but considering I am a size large, the fabric always seems to get a little see-through whenever I bend over — which is really the last thing I want when it comes to my workout gear.
Bonus side of this brand is that they have a bunch of different styles and their clothes are great if you don't plan on bending over.
3. Under Armour
SCORE: 7/10
Comfort is the biggest asset with these yoga pants. They are not only extremely comfortable but they aren't too expensive either.
Of course the prices range and can be more expensive than some of the other brands depending on the item, but in general, they are pretty reasonable.
A downside to this comfortable brand is that Under Armour leggings/yoga pants rip somewhat easily.
The pants that I had purchased were crops and after about 5 months of wearing them while working out, they ripped.
So even though they were a good price, they didn't last a fraction of the time my more expensive yoga pants did.
4. Adidas
SCORE: 6/10
Adidas Warpknit Climate Tights, $100, Nordstrom
Let's start with the bad news: they never seem to have a full stock of all their bottoms.
Whether it's a large or small, in-store or online, they always seem to be sold out of the best styles.
That inconvenience aside, the yoga pants/leggings they have are great. Again, sizing is somewhat of an issue, but that seems to be a pattern with fitness brands.
The pants themselves are very comfy and come in a variety of styles, but unless you have really great legs without a single flaw, some of their bottoms are not very forgiving.
The littlest bit of cellulite or the tiniest bit of fat shows right through on Adidas yoga pants.
5. New Balance
SCORE: 6/10
Printed Premium Impact Tight, $55, 6pm
Although New Balance has great yoga pants, the only issue I have is that there are only 4 different styles. That is not nearly enough to cater to the variety of people and their tastes.
With that being said, the sizes they have ranged from extra small to extra large, which is great because it gives people the opportunity to have cute fitness attire no matter what size they are.
6. Victoria's Secret
SCORE: 5/10
Knockout by Victoria Sport Low-Rise Tight, $67, Victoria's Secret
When it comes to style, this brand takes the cake. Most of their yoga pants have huge letters on them letting everybody know what brand you're wearing, which could be a good or bad thing depending on your personal taste.
When it comes to structure, they have a lot of work to do.
The fabric is quite thin, once again does that weird thing where you bend over and everybody can see what underwear you're wearing.
Also, they only carry sizes extra small to large, and their sizes fit a little snug most of the time, so it really doesn't cater to everybody.
With all of that being said, yoga pants are like everything else in life, how much you like them depends on what you're looking for.
It all comes down to personal comfort. Try before you buy, do a few light stretches, and see how you feel!
**This article was originally published on ReadUnwritten.com
