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.
Lululemon
SCORE: 9/10
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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; they aren’t cheap. But they are expensive because if the fabric on your pants rips, you can bring them back to any Lululemon store and they will fix them for free. Also, the biggest size they carry is 12. If you are a 12 and under then that is no problem for you, but for those that need a bigger size, you may be out of luck with this brand. Now the bright side is they have a large variety of yoga pants; whether you want shorts, crops, leggings, or plain yoga pants, they will have it and it will be extremely comfortable. 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, your butt doesn’t show through the fabric.
Nike
SCORE: 7/10
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I know, that looks like a lower score than expected, but let me explain why. Nike has really great clothes to workout in, they have amazing sweaters, shoes, and pretty much anything you can think of. But when it comes to yoga pants/leggings, it depends on what style you get and what size you are. For example, my friend that’s 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, and that 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 super cute to wear if you don’t plan on bending over… ever.
Adidas
SCORE: 6/10
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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. Which I guess is expected, but you would hope they make enough stock for you to be able to buy things at your own pace. Now with that put 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.
Under Armour
SCORE: 7/10
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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. The only bad thing that I have ever experienced with Under Armour leggings/yoga pants is that they 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.
New Balance
SCORE: 6/10
https://www.instagram.com/p/BOPTkuZBIUn/
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.
Victoria’s Secret
SCORE: 5/10
When it comes to style, this brand takes the cake. While most of their yoga pants have huge letters on them letting everybody know you’re wearing Victoria’s Secret clothes, this could be a good or bad thing depending on your personal taste. When it comes to everything else, 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 depend on what you look for in them and what you’re using them for. It comes down to personal comfort. Try them on before you buy, do a few light stretches, and see how you feel!
Featured image via Wesley Tingey on Unsplash
