According to Clothing Experts, the 5 Best Workout Leggings for Every Type of Exercise

 Loungewear and athleisure clothing are now staples in most people's wardrobes, but leggings for working out are not your average leggings. Whether you're doing low-impact yoga, high-intensity exercise like running or cycling, or weight-bearing exercises, your workout leggings should be comfortable, moisture-wicking, breathable, and long-lasting. They should also fit well, stay in place, and look good when worn.

To achieve all of these goals, the Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab set out to find the best performance leggings that can withstand any workout. We tested dozens of workout leggings on construction, stretch recovery, moisture management, opacity, pilling resistance, colorfastness, and washability. Following that, over 100 consumer testers wore the leggings during workouts and rated them for fit, breathability, comfort, appearance, and other factors. The picks ahead are test winners, as well as newer styles from brands we love, or ones with unique features and rave user reviews.

Where can I find the best workout leggings?

Examine the fabric. Synthetic performance fibers such as nylon and polyester are superior to cotton for workout pants because they are more moisture-wicking, durable, and stretchy. To avoid chafing during high-impact activities like running, choose a smooth, shiny fabric. Choose a soft, matte fabric for studio workouts like yoga, where there is less friction.

Take a look at the structure. Inside seams should be flat, not raised, because they are more comfortable and help reduce irritation caused by sweat and movement. Check for a gusset (an extra piece of fabric in the crotch area that is typically triangular or diamond-shaped). It keeps leggings from riding up, especially when moving around a lot.

Make your own sweat test. Although the majority of activewear claims to be moisture-wicking, not all fabrics passed our test. Place a small drop of water on the inside of a pair of leggings to see how they handle moisture; it should absorb quickly and spread out wide instead of beading up.

Make sure they aren't see-through. Try on the leggings in bright light for the best results. Bend your knee deeply; if you can see your skin through the fabric, it isn't completely opaque. Return in a few months because fabric can thin and fade over time.

The following are the top workout leggings to buy in 2022:

1.Instill High-Rise Tight

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✅Stay-in-place waistband

✅Soft yet supportive fabric

✅Moisture wicking

$22 AT AMAZON

Lululemon produces high-performance leggings for a variety of activities, but this new style stood out for its smooth fabric, flattering fit, and excellent sweat-wicking abilities. While the brand claims that this style is designed for yoga, we've discovered that it's suitable for a variety of workouts thanks to its "SmoothCover" fabric, which is the perfect blend of training tights and yoga pants: The fabric is slightly compressive for support while remaining buttery soft on the skin.

These have a high waist and an ankle length, as well as a built-in pocket in the back waist. Users love how the waistband stays in place without rolling and how comfortable they are to wear. And, while some Lululemon leggings are known to pill with repeated washings, this pair has held up exceptionally well in our tests.

2.High Waist Yoga Pants with Pockets

✅Affordable

✅Popular on Amazon

✅Spacious pockets

$22 AT AMAZON

It's no secret that workout leggings are expensive (a good pair can cost you $100!), but this style is a fraction of the price and a best-seller on Amazon. The leggings have over 20,000 five-star ratings from reviewers who say they're comfortable and surprisingly good quality for the price. The style is also high-rise and comes in both full length and cropped, plus a variety of colors. And did we mention they have deep pockets that can fit your phone?

3.High Waist Workout Pants

✅High ratings from users

✅Soft and opaque fabric

✅Available in dozens of color

$24 AT AMAZON

These stretchy leggings are best sellers on Amazon with over 53,000 reviews and an average 4.7-star rating despite costing less than 25 bucks. Though we haven't tested these in the Lab yet, the brand says they're ideal for a variety of workouts from yoga to running to weight lifting and more. One thing that users note is that there isn't as much tummy control as they were expecting. Still, they describe these as soft and comfortable, and confirm that they aren't see through.

4.HeatGear Armour Pocketed Leggings

✅Wicks sweat quickly

✅Lightweight yet compressive

✅Stretchy for a good range of motio

$24 AT AMAZON

For exercise that involves a lot of sweat and movement, these leggings are made of a super smooth fabric that wicks moisture and reduces friction. They're also more compressive, which can help with muscle fatigue. Plus, they have pockets that lie flat in case you need the carry anything on the go.

Under Armour leggings are always favorites in our tests, especially for their comfort, breathability and durability. If you're going to be running in cold weather, we recommend the ColdGear Leggings because they're fleece-lined for warmth yet still breathable for your run.

5.Zoom 7/8 Legging

✅Compressive and supportive

✅Smooth and lightweight

✅Sweat-wicking material

$16 AT AMAZON

This Outdoor Voices style uses the brand's signature SuperForm fabric that's lightweight, smooth and compressive, making them supportive and sweat-wicking for intense exercise. They're also incredibly flattering and stay in place well during movement, plus there are pockets big enough to hold your phone on the sides.

If you prefer something for more low-impact activities, the brand's Flow 7/8 legging is more basic and the fabric feels more peachy-soft rather than silky-smooth.