Lululemon officially has the best leggings: Our detailed ranking of 10 workout pants
Some workout pants look super-cute in the store, and even in the dressing room mirror. But after a vigorous workout they sometimes turn into a saggy pair of awkward sweat stains. So how's a girl decide which leggings to purchase, without turning a fitting room into your personal gym?
By reading this post.
Here's my detailed ranking of 10 workout pants based on sweat absorbency, waistband shape, ankle/calf width, ability to stay up, print and panty line visibility. Each category is out of 5, and the overall scores are out of 30. (I'm lookin' out, girl: I even did an embarrassing photo shoot for you!)
1. Lululemon
$92; Inspire Tight II (Mesh); shop.lululemon.com
Sweat absorbency: 5
I wore these to a sweaty trampoline park, which is a real thing... but you would've never known I jumped at all. My pants showed no trace of sweat.
Waistband: 5
It's thick and cozy, and hits right above that love-handle-area, which makes it flattering!
Ankle/calf width: 5
The leggings clung to my ankles, but weren't so tight that they left marks.
Stay up: 5+
Did I mention I wore these to a trampoline park? I was jumping for an hour, and didn't have to readjust my pants once. I gave the pants the "+" because not only did they stay up, but they actually, comfortably, compressed my thigh jiggle. Bravo, Lululemon.
Print: 5
The pair I tested were a simple black, but the mesh strips at the shins and zippers made them fun. Those pockets are also functional and great for keys.
VPL: 5
No visible panty line.
Overall: 30+/30
Yep, they're pretty perfect.
2. Calia by Carrie Underwood
$65; essential printed tight fit capris; dickssportinggoods.com
Sweat absorbency: 5
I was profusely sweating when I worked out in these pants, outside, in the hot sun. But the leggings stayed completely dry.
Waistband: 5
It was thick, flattering and had a nifty zipper pocket for my keys.
Ankle/calf width: 5
The fabric was cinched at the calf, which made sure that it fit snuggly.
Stay up: 5
There was no tugging required for these pants!
Print: 5
A fun, floral pattern for spring.
VPL: 5
I wore normal underwear (not a thong), but you couldn't tell.
Overall: 30/30
The compression factor was the only reason the Lululemon topped these decently-priced pants. Go Carrie Underwood!
3. PrismSport
$86; kaleidoscope capri; prismsport.com
Sweat absorbency: 5
These were the lightest, thinnest pants I tried on. Still, you couldn't see my sweat during a boot camp class. Magic!
Waistband: 5
It was really cozy! I like the purple.
Ankle/calf width: 5
Again, it felt like I was wearing nothing, so I think that means it was perfect.
Stay up: 4.5
Here's the only deduction, because I had to yank my pants up once or twice.
Print: 5
It's called kaleidoscope, and it's awesome.
VPL: 5
Miraculously, these were not see-through.
Overall: 29.5/30
After working out, I didn't want to take these off.
4. Under Armour
$54.99; fly-by printed; dickssportinggoods.com
Sweat absorbency: 5
The mesh behind the knee actually help air out my sweaty legs.
Waistband: 5
It's thick with a convenient back zip pocket for keys. No awkward hip rolls here.
Ankle/calf width: 5
Not too tight, not too loose; just right.
Stay up: 4
Before I started moving around, I had to lift and adjust the pants a few times.
Print: 4.5
The pink tie-dye is cute, and a like the mesh, but both is a lot going on.
VPL: 5
Though there was white in the pants, they weren't see-through at all.
Overall: 28.5/30
5. Marshalls
$14.99; printed stretch capri pant; marshallsonline.com for store locations
Sweat absorbency: 5
They stayed dry and super-soft.
Waistband: 5
It's a good width and hits a flattering part of the waist.
Ankle/calf width: 5
Tight, but not uncomfortable, because it felt like a blanket. I even wore these as pajamas.
Stay up: 5
No adjustment necessary.
Print: 5
Fun and bright!
VPL: 2
If you're concerned about VPL, you should probably go commando in these.
Overall: 27/30
These are a steal!
6. American Eagle
$19.95; high-rise printed legging; ae.com
Sweat absorbency: 3
You can't see sweat marks, but I definitely wanted to peel off my sticky pants right after exercising.
Waistband: 5
Another thick, flattering band that hits above the hip.
Ankle/calf width: 4
It's nice and loose. I have small ankles, so the pants flared out a bit at the bottom.
Stay up: 5
I was pleasantly surprising by how well they stayed put through burpees.
Print: 5
Someone at the gym actually asked me if I was wearing a more expensive pair of pants, because the print was so nice.
VPL: 5
The pattern is so busy that it prevents you from seeing any panty line.
Overall: 27/30
For only $20, these are pretty solid pants. They are probably better for yoga than running.
7. Nike
$44.99; just do it racer three-quarter running pants; dickssportinggoods.com
Sweat absorbency: 5
The pants live up to the Dri-Fit name.
Waistband: 3.5
I wasn't so enthusiastic about the drawstring hidden inside of the waistband. The back pocket is a nice feature, though.
Ankle/calf width: 5
No complaints!
Stay up: 5
I guess I have to thank the weird drawstring for that.
Print: 5
I like the details on the calf and hip.
VPL: 3
The royal purple color somehow looks painted on, so that you can see every curve of my body. A bold, all-over print would help reduce the "look at my butt" factor of these pants.
Overall: 26.5/30
If you're happy to show off your booty, these pants are great for a high-intensity workout.
8. Forever 21
$22.99; abstract print workout leggings; forever21.com
Sweat absorbency: 3
Compared to the other leggings, these weren't as breathable.
Waistband: 5
I'm pleased to find nice, thick bands on most activewear. These are no exception
Ankle/calf width: 5
Fit perfectly around my ankles.
Stay up: 4
I had to jump and lift them up once, so a deduction was necessary.
Print: 5
The black stripe on the side is a cute, slimming touch.
VPL: 4
Even though the pants were white, they weren't terribly see-through.
Overall: 26/30
A really trendy design, but you wouldn't want to keep these on long after you sweat.
9. Vimmia
$94; blue crush capri; vimmia.com
Sweat absorbency: 5
I definitely sweat, but my pants were 100% dry.
Waistband: 5
It's a nice band that doesn't cut off your hips.
Ankle/calf width: 3
The capris have extra elastic at the calves, and felt a bit too snug.
Stay up: 3
I had to yank them up a few times.
Print: 5
One of my favorite patterns of the bunch!
VPL: 4
You couldn't see my underwear, but you could definitely see a line.
Overall: 25/30
These are meant for a sweaty workout, but only if you have small calves.
10. T.J. Maxx
$19.99; reversible leggings; tjmaxx.com for store locations
Sweat absorbency: 5
Good job, pants.
Waistband: 2
The waistband was too high, but also looked weird when it was folded down.
Ankle/calf width: 3
Since the capris were too loose on my calves, they flared.
Stay up: 3
They didn't stay in place the whole time, perhaps because of a low crotch.
Print: 5
And, hey, they're reversible!
VPL: 4
You could see a line, but that was about it.
Overall: 22/30
Great watercolor pattern (it's stripes on the underside), but the top and bottom parts of the pants didn't fit as well as they should.