Best Leggings For Women 2023

The best leggings for women should be supportive, comfortable and breathable to help enhance your workouts. Crucially, they should not squeeze your waist, sag at the knees or generally prove unlikable for all-day wear. I spent 10 weeks testing 14 different leggings to find the absolute best: Some pairs were geared toward running, yoga or circuit workouts. Many had convenient features, such as hidden pockets, compression zones or zippers. And a few were made for specific temperatures and climates. After putting the contenders through the paces, I determined Lululemon's SenseKnit High-Rise Running Tights to be the overall winner, with ventilation and compression panels knit into the fabric and a wide, high-waist design that's superior for just about any activity I tried.

The best leggings for women perform well for sweaty workouts and are comfortable for everyday wear, ... [+] too.

If you’re looking for a budget pick, the IUGA High Waist Yoga Pants boast comparable features as higher-end leggings for around $25, and they’re well suited for cardio workouts and low-key lounging. If you’re practicing yoga specifically, I found the Zella Studio Luxe High Waist Pocket Leggings to be the best option for soft, buttery-feeling leggings with a no-roll waistband that's great for moving between poses. And I chose Tracksmith's Turnover Tights as the best running leggings for speed and comfort.

The following is a list of all the winners from my testing process:

While I started out as a sprinter, hurdler and long jumper, I primarily competed as a middle-distance runner during high school. I ran cross-country in college at the Division III level, and afterward, I trained for two marathons. In the past 20 years, I’ve run 10 half-marathons and competed in several triathlons. Recently, I switched from road to trail running, which better suits the conditions for where I live in rural Vermont. I log about 750 miles year-round, especially when the weather is too inclement to ride my mountain or road bike, which is my other preferred workout. I also practice vinyasa-style yoga about 5 days a week to help me recover in between higher impact activities. As a writer, I specialize in health and fitness for outlets including Outside, Backpacker, Wirecutter and National Geographic. Over the years, I’ve tested and written about dozens of products ranging from bike lights to backpacking boots, base layers to raincoats.

For this piece, I talked with Deborah Beard, an associate professor and chair of technical design and patternmaking at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, about the elements that go into a good pair of leggings—from the width of the waistband, to the construction of the inseam and gusset (otherwise known as the crotch), to how you can tell if a pair of pants will fit well without trying them on. I also consulted Susan Sokolowski, a sports product researcher and inventor with patents for sports bras, shoes and athletic apparel—as well as founding director of and professor in the sports product design master's program at the University of Oregon. Sokolowski explained the role of different fabric blends and technologies in creating a hard-working pair of leggings. Finally, I spoke with Katrina Olivares, a longtime hot-yoga instructor at Modo Yoga in New York City and former dancer who wears leggings 7 days a week, about the features she looks for as a yoga instructor.

I put 14 pairs of leggings through the paces to find which ones performed best, road-testing them on ... [+] the trails around the Vermont town where I live.

When considering which leggings to test, I looked for ones that could handle sweaty, intense workouts such as running, bend and move with me during yoga class and be extremely comfortable for everyday wear as well. During the 2 months I spent testing, I considered fabric blends, construction techniques, waistband and gusset design, warmth and breathability. Fit proved to be paramount, of course. According to Beard, "With any garment, it doesn't matter how beautiful the design is, or how well it's sewn or if the product is technically perfect—if the garment doesn't fit well, it won't work for you." Also, it's worth noting that "leggings" and "tights" refer to the stretchy, opaque pants typically worn as outerwear, and the terms are largely interchangeable. For the purpose of this review, I went with "leggings."

I put 14 leggings to the test over a period of 2 months, evaluating each pair on the following criteria:

Fit: How well leggings fit your body largely depends on the waist and gusset design—so much so that designers can apply for waistband design patents, according to Sokolowski. I evaluated whether leggings stayed put without riding up in the inseam area while running a minimum of 3 miles, hiking for at least an hour and doing 20 squats during a HIIT workout. I also checked to be sure the waistband was snug without cutting into my skin, that it didn't roll over when I leaned down to touch my toes and that the knees weren't baggy or wrinkly.

Performance: I put all my leggings through a 20-minute sprint interval workout, in addition to longer, slower runs up to 6 miles and 15- to 60-minute yoga classes. Sprinting in a pair of leggings will quickly reveal any performance flaws; assuming you’re wearing the correct size, you shouldn't need to stop mid-workout to pull or tug at your leggings. I worked out in temperatures ranging from 35 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit, and in both wet and dry conditions, so I could evaluate how well the leggings breathed or provided insulation.

Fabric: Leggings come in a variety of fabric blends, but the most common materials are cotton, polyester and nylon, according to Sokolowski. Because they lack buttons, zip flies or belt loops, all leggings need spandex or elastane to hold their shape, and many contain other fibers designed to insulate, wick moisture or help with odor control, depending on the activity and temperature they’re intended for. I took note of each fabric blend and tested all the leggings under similar weather conditions, with the exception of the five pairs intended for use in colder climates, which I tested in temperatures of less than 40 degrees.

Durability: Leggings sacrifice some durability for breathability and performance in motion, as it's challenging to find fabrics that breathe well and can take abuse from external elements, but it's reasonable to expect them to withstand the friction of running and circuit workouts without excessive pilling or tearing. I rubbed a medium-textured nail file across the shin of each pair to check for pilling, and I also brushed up against a prickly raspberry patch during my runs, without taking undue care, checking for snags or pills after each session.

I analyzed everything from performance to texture to odor-controlling features on leggings.

Odor Control: Most companies have an odor-control system (a proprietary blend of ingredients designed to curb the smell of your body's natural oils), whether it's woven into the fabric or applied via a topical wash or finish. The question here is how long it works, as most odor-control measures are only tested an average of 25 washes in the lab (the industry average) before they can go to market with the claim, according to Sokolowski. With this in mind, I did a "nose test" before and after each run to detect any odors, and I washed each pair an average of 15 times over the course of testing. (Note: I washed everything in warm water and hung each pair up to dry.)

Aesthetics: Running leggings used to be all about performance, but they’ve turned into such a wardrobe staple that I wanted each pair to look good enough to wear post-workout. Fit is an important part of this, but I also checked for unflattering seams, pocket placement and, most importantly, that the fabric wasn't see-through in downward dog or while unloading the lowest reaches of the grocery cart.

Features: Just two out of the 14 leggings I tested had ankle zippers for ventilation—which once came standard with running tights—but I did keep an eye out for other functional features like pockets for phones (which I wanted to be large enough to fit at least an iPhone 8), keys or credit cards, and drawstrings to adjust the waist.

Value: Leggings cost way more than they used to. The least expensive pair I tested was $25, while the most expensive was $198. In order to judge whether a pair of leggings was worth it, I considered cost-to-performance ratios, asking myself how much I valued having a pair that could handle below-freezing runs without making me cold because my skin was sweaty and damp, or whether I’d do a hot-yoga class if my leggings started stinking up the room.

Use Case: Finally, I considered the ideal use-case scenario for each pair of leggings. I looked at fabric content, fit, durability and warmth to evaluate whether a pair of leggings was better suited for a sprint workout or a yoga class, or something in between.

lululemon

Fabric: Knee panel fabric: 80% polyimide, 20% elastane; waistband fabric: 78% nylon, 22% elastane; body fabric: 76% nylon, 24% elastane | Size range: 0-14 | Colors: Smoked Spruce, Rhino Grey, black

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The Lululemon SenseKnit High-Rise Running Tights are sleek, compressive and supportive, without sacrificing breathability, making them perfect for high-impact activities. When wearing this pair, I felt fast. I started testing the SenseKnits when I was 6 weeks postpartum, and "fast" was not how I’d have described myself on the trails in those early days. Yet in these leggings, I felt more like the runner who could easily clock 7:40 miles in a half-marathon again.

Here's why: Unlike most of the other leggings I tested, these have compression zones knit right into the material, made with a proprietary fabric blend called SenseKnit. If you’ve ever worked out in compression tights, you know that extra support often means extra sweat, but this pair has ventilation zones to minimize dampness. When I took these out for a 5-mile spin on my local trails in 60 degree weather, I didn't have to think about them. While there are plenty of metrics you can use to judge performance, fit and comfort, one of the best is feeling like you’re not actually wearing anything at all.

The Lululemon SenseKnit High-Rise Running Tight was my top pick overall.

Unlike many of the other leggings I tested, the SenseKnits are made exclusively for running. After talking to Sokolowski, I learned that's not just a marketing claim. The larger brands—Lululemon, Nike, Adidas—typically have design teams dedicated to certain sports and gender groups, and those teams are laser-focused on specific details by category. You can see that play out in the SenseKnits, from the lack of an inseam (no inner-thigh chafing!), to the low-profile (but functional) envelope pockets that tuck valuables away without bouncing, to the targeted ventilation and compression zones. It's all been carefully thought out, and as a runner, I appreciated each and every feature. Still, there are more comfortable leggings out there, made of softer, stretchier fabric for lounging and athleisure wear. But on the days I wanted to feel fast and strong during my workouts, the SenseKnits were my top choice.

Amazon

Fabric: 77% polyester, 23% spandex | Size range: XS-XXXL | Colors: 30+ colors

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One of the best things about leggings becoming so popular is the trickle-down technology effect. Out of the box, these leggings (which you can often find on sale on Amazon for $25 or less) have nearly all the same features as the pricier leggings I tested for $100 or more—the waistband stash pocket for keys, the handy phone pocket on the hips, the flatlock seams, the opaque fabric, the array of colors—it's all there. And for $30, that's really a bargain. The IUGA High-Waist Yoga Pants are flattering, stay put in motion and are soft and comfortable. The 4-inch waistband is even wider than the norm, which makes these incredibly nice to lounge around in, and far comfier than some of the more performance-oriented leggings I tried.

Given all those factors, you might be wondering why you’d ever spend more than $30 on a pair of leggings, and the short answer is: You might not need to. If you’re looking for a pair of soft, comfortable, fashionable leggings that can handle the occasional run or yoga class, the IUGAs are perfectly wonderful, and a total steal. However, as your demands—or your workouts—ratchet up in intensity, these leggings start to fail in some aspects. I noticed this mostly during interval training, as sprinting builds up heat fast, even in 55 degree weather. My legs quickly grew hot and sweaty and stayed that way for the duration of the workout. Under similar circumstances, more performance-oriented (and also more expensive) leggings wicked the moisture away and also breathed better, leaving my legs cool even while sweating.

The IUGA High Waist Yoga Pants have features you find on more expensive pairs, like drop-in side ... [+] pockets.

While the simple solution might be to wear the IUGA leggings in colder temperatures, I’d hesitate to do so, as the lack of breathability would cause any sweat to get trapped next to your skin, ultimately causing you to feel chilly and clammy. I also noticed that these pilled and snagged quite a bit between the thighs (they also developed a hole after my nail file test) despite the weighty-feeling fabric. That said, if you live in a temperate climate, don't tend to work out with intensity or are simply looking for a casual pair of leggings that aren't see-through, these provide excellent value for far less money than it takes to fill up your car's gas tank.

Tracksmith

Fabric: 80% nylon, 20% elastane | Size range: XS-XL | Colors: Wine, Forest, navy, black, Tamarind

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As a year-round runner who lives in Vermont, I’ve gotten used to cold-weather running gear that is heavy and stiff, forcing me to choose between being warm and being comfortable. Over the years, I’ve had winter-weight leggings that were cozy and fleecy but that sagged since they didn't have enough stretch to hug my body. I’ve also had comfortable leggings that lacked insulation and left me with cold-to-the-touch bright-red patches on my thighs and rear after chilly runs.

By contrast, the Tracksmith Turnover Tights avoided all those pitfalls: I put them on and had no idea they were winter-weight leggings—the fabric is incredibly stretchy and lightweight. Unlike a typical pair of high-pile fleece leggings, Tracksmith's proprietary Inverno Blend fabric has a soft, low-profile, and the brushed-back fleece gives them a sleeker feel than traditional fleece. On a chilly fall trail run, this pair also easily flicked off the mud and light rain I encountered, thanks to its smooth yet durable finish.

While the Turnover leggings eschew ankle zippers or oversized pockets (there's just one small rear zipper pocket big enough for a credit card, keys and a moderately sized phone), there are several standout design features. One is the 1.5-inch waistband that's sewn into the top of the tights to minimize sagging and lend extra stability without adding bulk. While Tracksmith is the only brand I tested with this design—every other pair had a waistband that was at least 3 inches wide—it did an excellent job of keeping these winter-weight tights in place without me needing to tug or pull them up.

The waistband on the Tracksmith Turnovers is sewn into the top of the leggings to minimize sagging ... [+] and is the only brand I tested with this design.

The inseam is also unique, in that it's a U-shaped panel that runs continuously from ankle to ankle, through the crotch, creating an unbroken line that's extremely comfortable while in motion. It's a step up from the traditional V-shaped inseam that only goes down the inside of the legs below the crotch, which can lead to riding up. Instead, the Turnover leggings stay exactly where they’re supposed to and keep you warm while doing it. Plus, at $128, they provide an excellent warmth-to-cost ratio in my opinion. One potential drawback: These leggings skew closer to a runner's aesthetic than to an all-around fashion aesthetic (meaning they’re shiny, and not in a fashion-forward faux-leather way). Still, Tracksmith has established its own retro vibe, marked by saturated hues and a classic style.

Nordstrom

Fabric: 74% nylon, 26% spandex | Size range: XXS-XXL | Colors: Blue Clematis, Purple Nebula, Pink Rouge, Black

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If you’re looking for all-day comfort in leggings that can also handle a daily workout or yoga practice, the Zella Studio Luxe High Waist Pocket Leggings are an excellent option. The fabric, surprisingly, is not cotton-based—which is often found in "comfort" leggings since it's so soft—but instead, a blend of 74% nylon and 26% spandex, which is typical of sleeker, more performance-oriented leggings. Yet somehow this pair still has a luxurious hand feel that's smooth, buttery and supportive. Also great: The fabric is completely opaque without feeling heavy or bulky—a metric I tested using a mirror and direct sunlight—which makes the Zella Studio Luxe a top pick for many activities, and especially for yoga, where a round of cat-cows or a sun salutation can leave you wondering just how much is on display to your fellow yogis.

As a busy person, I appreciated that I could throw these on in the morning to drop my infant off at daycare, then immediately hit the yoga mat before sitting down at my desk, still wearing these leggings. At just 6 weeks postpartum, I particularly liked how the flexible, high-waisted style didn't roll, pinch, gap or bind as I moved through an hourlong flow practice or pelvic-floor rehab, which involves a variety of guided body-weight exercises. When I put my daughter in a baby carrier for a 5-mile hike with a friend in muggy summer heat, I also loved how the curved flatlock seams kept everything smooth beneath the straps of our carrier. And after I started running again, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Zella Studio Luxe handled high-impact interval-training workouts as well without sagging or chafing.

Zella Studio Luxe High Waist Pocket Leggings were my top pick for yoga specifically, since they stay ... [+] put yet move with you during poses.

At $79, the Zella Studio Luxe leggings have the same suede-like, buttery feel as popular (and far pricier) offerings from other brands that cost $100 or more. They’re not tricked out with clever little pockets, zippers, or other bells and whistles, but the hip pockets have a flattering curve and keep a phone tucked neatly inside without bouncing or causing gapping. The only drawback is the length; I’m relatively tall at 5 foot 6 and still felt the 26.5-inch inseam could be a touch shorter. But, if you like full-length leggings that can tackle anything, these are up to the challenge.

As noted above, the right leggings for you are the ones that fit you the best. While these leggings weren't my top choices, they may work well for you and better suit the activities you’re looking to do in them.

Zella Live In High Waist Leggings : While many people love these moderately priced leggings, they didn't strike the right balance between performance and comfort for me, since they didn't wick well enough to pass my interval-running test, nor were they soft enough for me to want to wear them casually. Plus the gusset wasn't sized correctly to stay put during everyday wear.

Lululemon Fast And Free High-Rise Tight: Made of Lululemon's proprietary Nulux blend of 84% nylon and 16% Lycra, these are very flattering tights with a ton of hidden storage—via pockets around the waistband and hip—for your phone. If I were testing a category just for trail running, these would win, as I like to carry extra food when I’m logging backcountry miles, and I loved the weightless feel of the Nulux. However, the SenseKnits were just a notch better at providing support while ensuring maximum breathability.

Lululemon Base Pace High-Rise Running Tight : Also featuring Lululemon's lightweight Nulux blend, the Base Pace tights are a hot-weather runner's dream, since there's no inseam to chafe and they have a roomy mesh-lined waistband pocket to keep your phone snug and secure without adding fabric to an already sweat-prone part of your body. While these did have some compression, I preferred the targeted compression zones of the SenseKnits—yet these are an excellent choice for runners looking for weightless coverage.

Outdoor Voices SuperForm 7/8 Legging : I loved the sleek feel of these high-impact leggings, but I had to stop my workout three times to hike them up. I also noticed some friction in the crotch area and excessive wrinkling at the hip flexor area.

Athleta Elation Train 7/8 Tight : Featuring SuperSonic fabric made from recycled polyester and Lycra, these leggings were very breathable and supportive, but not as comfortable as the others. Despite consulting the size chart (and buying my regular Athleta size), they felt tight yet still sagged and chafed during a run. Consider sizing up.

Girlfriend Collective Compressive High-Rise Legging : I love the commitment to sustainable materials and size-inclusive options in these leggings—and the moss-green color is gorgeous. These are soft and supple but compressive, with a waistband that doesn't fold down when you stretch or do yoga. I did hear some seams pop when I pulled them on—even though I’m squarely within the suggested size—but overall these were top contenders for best leggings overall, and worth considering.

Tracksmith NDO Tights : The "NDO" here stands for "No Days Off," and if you have these winter running tights in your arsenal, you have literally no reason to skip a workout for bad weather. These are far and above the best tights I’ve ever tested for deep cold, but you sacrifice some freedom of motion for warmth. For that reason, I recommend the Tracksmith Turnover Tights for most people—unless, of course, you live somewhere that's exceptionally cold.

Tracksmith Thaw Tights : Inspired by the raw, slushy, sloppy, early-spring weather known as "mud season" here in Vermont, the Thaw tights shed water and mud impressively well. I know these tights will be my daily drivers this spring, but unless you also run somewhere riddled with slush puddles, a more versatile pair of tights may serve you better—and be lighter on your wallet, too.

Baleaf Women's Fleece Lined Winter Leggings : For about $30, the price just seemed too good to be true for a pair of fleece-lined winter leggings, and—sadly!—it was. While these leggings were quite warm, they also sagged and bagged so badly by the end of my run that I was praying I didn't encounter anyone I knew on the trail. They also don't breathe very well. They’d be fine in a pinch, but if you can splurge on a pair of Tracksmith tights, they’ll last longer and you’ll be both warmer and happier.

Artilect Goldhill 125 Zoned Base Layer Leggings : Merino wool is having a much-deserved comeback in the outdoor industry as people realize it's superfine, naturally odor-resistant and much softer than the scratchy, coarse wool used for old-school sweaters. I love merino wool, and I really liked these leggings made from Nuyarn (an engineered merino-fiber designed for better stretch and durability)—but ultimately felt they were better base layers than outer layers, as they’re a touch see-through and don't stretch quite as much as other leggings I tested.

Finding the best leggings for you will depend on your needs and overall fit. While none of the experts I talked to could tell me exactly what leggings would be best for me, they were able to educate me about some features to look for in a great pair.

You’ll know immediately if a pair fits poorly by the way they feel when you move in them, but according to Beard, the most important fit metric is dictated by the fabrication of the crotch shape, which she says needs to be U-shaped rather than V-shaped, so it doesn't pull or bind. "A lot of pants get made in a V-shape because that's how you cut and sew a pattern," she says. "But designers need to fix that V-shape in the fitting stage. If you don't, you might get the pants or leggings on, but it won't be a good fit, and it will wear more in those areas because it's being stretched." She also recommends checking for wrinkles or "drag lines" across the backside and at the back of the knee, which indicate a poor fit. "The backside can be tight, but it should be totally flat, without creases or wrinkles," she advises.

According to Sokolowski, leggings are typically made of one of three fiber mixes: cotton and spandex, polyester and spandex or nylon and spandex. And while Sokolowski says you can't necessarily judge a legging by its fabric blend, you "tend to see more cotton in loungewear pieces versus high-performance leggings, as cotton has a nice hand feel but absorbs a lot of water and sweat—up to 8% its weight in water. If you want a lightweight running tight, you don't want to carry water with you," she says. Polyester, on the other hand, absorbs just 0.4% of its weight in water, making it the traditional fabric of choice for sports apparel, she notes. Nylon offers a compromise—it absorbs 4% of its weight in water but looks and feels better than polyester. "Nylon has become Lululemon's point of differentiation, as it has a luxurious feel and hand," says Sokolowski. And to minimize any dampness from sweat, brands like Lululemon often apply a moisture-wicking finish to help the leggings stay dry.

Depending on how you intend to use your leggings, you’ll want to prioritize certain features. Runners—particularly long-distance runners—need pockets for food, credit cards and phones, while yogis typically don't. If you prefer calming yin yoga classes, you might want a warmer, softer, full-length legging, while those practicing vinyasa or hot yoga will want a lighter-weight legging with moisture-wicking properties to keep sweat at bay.

As a year-round runner in Vermont, I need leggings that will keep me warm down to 0 degrees and ones ... [+] that will keep me cool up to around 80 degrees.

As a year-round runner in Vermont, I need leggings that will keep me warm down to 0 degrees and ones that will keep me cool up to around 80 degrees, when I swap leggings for shorts. In the course of testing 14 pairs of leggings over a 2-month period that spanned the end of summer and beginning of fall, I learned that the fabric content is not indicative of how well a fabric will insulate or breathe—many leggings have similar fabric blends—but I could typically tell the difference between a summer-weight legging and a winter-weight legging by its hand feel and overall bulk. Winter leggings will have more heft to them and may also have two layers of fabric, like the Tracksmith NDOs, which are lined in front to help block the wind.

Olivares has practiced hot yoga since 2011, and she has been a hot-yoga instructor at Modo Yoga in New York City since 2016. While she wants tights that "feel like a second skin" and that move with her during her practice, she also places a high value on odor control. "With hot yoga, I notice that if I’m wearing a low-quality fabric, it smells faster and I have to replace the leggings more often," she says. According to Sokolowski, that's because odors are caused when fiber absorbs the oil in your sweat. "Polyester—which is made from petroleum, which is an oil—is the worst about absorbing odor, as oil loves oil," she says. "Cotton is the best at not absorbing oil, so it's less likely to stink." Most higher-quality leggings are treated with an odor-resistant finish. The compositions are proprietary—so you’ll see all sorts of different names for brands’ odor-control methods—but know that whether it's applied topically or integrated into the fabric, most odor resistance is likely to wear or wash off eventually, Sokolowski says.

Unless you primarily want to use your leggings for lounging, you’ll want to consider breathability. According to Sokolowski, there are a few main strategies leggings companies use to ensure this factor: They incorporate breathable materials such as mesh into the construction, they make laser-cut or die-cut perforations through the material or they engineer knit mesh panels into the leggings, such as with the Lululemon SenseKnit.