Looking for a pair of the best gym leggings for your next yoga class, 5km, or weight training session but don’t know where to start? There are quite literally thousands of different types available – which is where this handy round-up of MC UK‘s all-time favourite pairs comes in.
I’m Ally Head, Marie Claire UK‘s Senior Health Editor, and I run marathons and sweat test workout kit for a living. Lucky for you, I’m constantly testing the newest workout leggings to decipher which actually support and sweat-wick through a workout and are genuinely worth your investment, too – not a crotch sweat patch or saggy waistband in sight.
A bit of background for you, before jumping into my recommendations: I’m a nine-time marathon runner who loves strength training, Pilates, and yoga. I’ve also been testing gym kit for eight years now, so it’s fair to say I know what to look for in a good workout tight. The below are, in my humble opinion, the very best gym leggings you can buy – that is, the ones I rave about to my friends and genuinely wear day in, day out. ?I’ve also roped in Junior Shopping Editor Valeza Bakolli to share her go-to pairs.
Keep scrolling for the gym legging designs that fit well, sweat-wick better, and will last the long run, making them worth the investment. Keen to shop the best petite leggings, high waisted workout leggings, leggings with pockets, or patterned leggings? We’ve tested those for you, too.
These are the best gym leggings you can buy, according to a Health Editor
What did I look for when deciding the best gym leggings?
Workout leggings are a bit like household appliances: if you’re using them often, it may be wiser to opt for a mid-range price point to guarantee you’ve made a good investment, in my opinion.
That said, there are also some must-look-out-fors – see below.
- Are the leggings well-fitting (no crinkly knees or baggy bums), and do they run true to size?
- Are they sweat-wicking and non-see-through?
- Are they supportive and do they offer compression?
- Is the material prone to bobbling or piling?
- How well do the leggings retain their structure over time, and do they wash well?
- Is the product a reasonable price? We know times are tough right now, and the below get my seal of approval as fit kit that actually lasts the long run.
- Are they designed for working out and not for fashion purposes only? Check the fabric pre-investing – cotton leggings won’t make the cut here. You’ll want to opt for leggings made from fabrics like nylon or polyester as they sweat-wick better.
- Similarly, you’ll want to check the seams are as flat as possible to avoid any chafing and that there’s a gusset – aka a bit of material covering your crotch – sewn in, again to minimise and reduce any movement or thigh chafe (read our round-up of the best chafing creams, here).
Health Editor Ally Head testing some of the leggings featured in this round up
(Image credit: Ally Head)
Testing process
Keen to know how team MC test all of the products we include? All of the below products have been personally tested by me and are leggings that I’d buy myself. There are no products included that I haven’t tried personally.
The leggings below were tested over a minimum of one three-mile run and one gym session, but most of them were worn for at least four to five workouts before the reviews were written.
1. Best Adanola gym leggings
(Image credit: Adanola)
What I thought when testing? Adanola has long been my top recommendation for affordable but seriously impressive quality workout leggings that’ll support you through all forms of workout. They’re high waisted, offer a flattering fit, and also don’t roll down or cut you in half. Worth noting: the lighter colours might show slight sweat patches, that said, I’ve always been impressed with how well the chocolate brown and black colourways that I own sweat-wick.
I’ve worn these for Pilates, strength training, yoga, Barre and runs, and love that they’re versatile and stylish, too. There’s a reason Adanola kit sells out fast… it’ll become a firm favourite of yours.
2. Best lululemon leggings
(Image credit: lululemon)
What I thought when testing? Sure, the different style names of lululemon leggings might be confusing, but having tried pretty much all of their designs now, know this: they’re all great, they just serve different purposes. The softer Aligns are designed for yoga flows, whereas the sweat-wicking Wunder Train – my personal favourite – have been crafted with sweat and support in mind.
Having run countless half marathons and training runs in these Wunder Under tights and the London Marathon 2021 in the Fast and Free shorts made from similar Nulux sweat-wicking fabric, I can confirm their bottoms are some of the best. They sweat-wick effortlessly meaning you’re always the right temperature (never sweaty, too hot, or too cold), they compress your legs without feeling restrictive, and they wash well, making them a great investment for years to come.
While the lulu jargon can be a little confusing, the number next to the product name simply means how long the leg length will be on your legging – for example, a leg length 21 is the shortest length option, and 28 is the longest. They’re also listed in US sizing – so for a UK size 10, you’d need to opt for a lulu 6. Check out their sizing guide, here.
3. Best Sweaty Betty leggings
(Image credit: Sweaty Betty)
What I thought when testing? Team Sweaty Betty has been adapting their designs to create the perfect workout legging for over 20 years now. Enter stage right, the Power tight.
If you’re into yoga, Pilates, or Barre, you’ll live in these. I’ve tried a few of the SB styles and the Power leggings truly are the best. Why? They’re not as tightly fitted (read: constricting) as other styles in this roundup, uber-comfortable, and I’ve also never noticed any unwanted sweat patches. Their main USP is that they promise to be bum-sculpting, and while I can’t confirm or deny if this is true, they did make me feel confident enough kitted out to smash my workout head-on.
In my experience, they do run slightly big, and stretch after a few years, too, so I’d opt for a size down.
4. Best Gymshark leggings
(Image credit: Gymshark)
What I thought when testing? Gymshark owner Ben Francis made headlines when The Sunday Times featured him on their “Rich List” and reported the company is worth a whopping £138 million. Not bad for a relatively new company that launched only nine years ago.
I loved that the Gymshark Adapt leggings are seamless, supportive, and comfortable, too – they hug you around the stomach area and are soft to the touch while also sweat-wicking. On me, they fit well and were squat-proof, plus didn’t pile or bobble. Plus, I like that the design doesn’t have a seam down the crotch, meaning any camel toe issues are swerved.
I tested the dark grey, which didn’t show sweat patches too badly, but I have found lighter options in the past slight sweat patch prone. I like the concept of their new butterfly detail – a ruched detail on the bum which promises a more flattering fit – and while it wouldn’t stop me from buying them, it would benefit from being slightly longer.
5. Best PE Nation gym leggings
(Image credit: PE Nation)
What I thought when testing? I’ll admit that I initially wrote off PE Nation kit – I couldn’t believe that kit that looks that good could actually perform well, too. Spoiler alert: it does both and is now firmly cemented as one of my go-to kit brands. One of my favourite buys form the brand are these Free Play leggings. They tick all the right boxes – not only do they look great, but they fit well, don’t sag or roll down, and run true to size, too. Most impressive in my opinion is how well they keep their shape after seriously sweaty workout sessions and rounds and rounds of washing (not something that can be said of some other competitors). I also rate the amount of compression they offer, making them great for cardio workouts.
6. Best Vuori gym leggings
(Image credit: Vuori)
What I thought when testing? As someone who often chooses low-impact workouts over HIIT and running, I prefer buttery soft brushed cotton over shiny and stretchy materials. The only problem? The softer-material leggings I crave rarely ever come with pockets. These ones from Vuori hit every nail on the head – they’re incredibly soft, stretchy and comfortable, come in a few chic colours and feature deep, secure pockets. They’re definitely best for low-intensity workouts as sweat may show through with the lighter shades, but for fit, comfort and functionality, I can’t fault them. – Valeza Bakolli, Junior Shopping Editor
7. Best Nike gym leggings
(Image credit: Nike)
What I thought when testing? When it comes to workout leggings, Nike knows how to do them the right way. They’re worn by most of the top athletes, and if it’s good enough for the pros, it’s good enough for us.
Trialling Nike’s One Luxe leggings, they feel slightly thinner than other alternatives but offer the same amount of support. Their most stand-out feature is how soft they are – when reviewers said butter, they weren’t wrong – and they passed the sweat-wicking and non-see-through tests, too.
They do show a small amount of sweat, but not enough to deter me from wearing them again.
8. Best gym leggings with pockets
(Image credit: LNDR)
What I thought when testing? LNDR believe in quality over quantity: producing better quality products and less of them for the sake of our planet. As a sustainable business, fun fact: it takes factories up to 20 times longer to knit LNDR seamless leggings compared to other mainstream brands. Hence the price tag.
That said, they’re definitely worth the investment. They’re butter soft, uber supportive without being restrictive, and top-tier in terms of quality. They don’t roll up or down, sag or bag, and I found them to have great moisture-wicking capabilities, too. Plus, I loved the practicality of the zip pocket, making them a good option for runs where you don’t want your belongings flying out.
As I’ve mentioned, a sizeable price tag, but I reckon they’re worth the investment. Read our round up of all the best gym leggings with pockets, here.
9. Best affordable gym leggings
(Image credit: ASOS)
What I thought when testing? You’ll all have heard of ASOS – but did you know they have their own range of gym wear that starts at as little as £8.40?
I think that the ASOS 4505 range is great value for money, and comes in lots of fun styles and colours, too. I was pleasantly surprised by both the fit and sweat-wicking abilities of the pair I tried, and they were seamless, too – great to avoid chafing.
At such a low price point, I can’t imagine they’d last for years and might end up smelling, too, but from the handful of times I tested them, they were a good bargain option if you’re someone who works out once or twice a week.
10. Best gym leggings for running
(Image credit: ON)
What I thought when testing? Runners, these ones are for you. ON’s kit is top tier: made with high-quality materials and designed by runners, for runners, they’ve been working on their workout clothes for years and you can tell.
I love the black ON active tights for both winter workouts and gym sessions. They’re soft to the touch and support you through a wide range of workouts without feeling like they’re cutting you in half. Also to note: they have a back pocket big enough for both your keys and phone and a clip for your house keys, too.
They do run long – worth noting if you’re under 5 foot 5″ like me.
11. Best adidas gym leggings
(Image credit: adidas)
What I thought when testing? I love – I repeat, LOVE – gym leggings that not only look but feel great and don’t cost the earth – like the Training Essentials design from adidas.
My first impression of the leggings? They’re thick, high-waisted, and so feel super supportive when you first put them on. Having run in them, they sweat-wicked perfectly, keeping me warm but also cool. While they’re not super stretchy, you feel as if they’ve been engineered to help you feel supported and, well, designed to move.
Again, they run long, and I’d also suggest sizing down, as I found the sizing a little on the large size.
12. Best M&S gym leggings
(Image credit: M&S)
What I thought when testing? M&S is one of my go-to options for gym leggings that don’t break the bank but also sweat-wick and support, too.
First off, they look good and feel more expensive than they are. They feel supportive, don’t slip down, and are a good level of high-waisted, too – I’m 5 foot 2 and they sit above my belly button.
I would have preferred if these leggings had a pocket somewhere to store my phone and keys. Plus, while they withstood a strength training test session, they’re actually designed for yoga, so I wouldn’t recommend for distance runs and HIIT.
13. Best non see through gym leggings
(Image credit: Pocket Sport)
What I thought when testing? Pocket Sport may be the company of Louise Thompson of Made in Chelsea fame, but that’s not all they’re noteworthy for. Having worn my pair for the best part of two years now, I’d say they’ve been tested pretty extensively, and I can confirm that they’re some of the best on the market – plus, promise no sweat patches, despite the jazzy colours.
I rave about the Pocket Sport leggings for a reason – workout-wise, every pair I’ve tried are made from breathable and quick-drying fabric with a super flattering high waist and squat-proof fabric, too. I’ve never found workout leggings in such bright colours that genuinely don’t show any sweat patches (and I’ve worn them for marathon training long runs). Another feature I love: they have an elasticated waistband with an inner rubber grip so that they really – and I mean really – don’t move mid-session.
If you’re not a fan of, well, mega bright workout leggings, you probably won’t be a fan of the Pocket Sport collections. We, on the other hand, love them.
14. Best squat proof gym leggings
(Image credit: Varley)
What I thought when testing? Varley’s gym leggings are more of an investment, but they are really great quality. A little like the Nike One Luxe, they’re slightly on the thinner side, shiny, and soft, yet they supported me through sweatier sessions, too. When I tried them, they flattered in all the right places and I didn’t think twice about them falling down or giving me camel toe mid-workout. I also love that, thanks to the fun print and high quality, I can (and do) throw on an oversized gym t shirt and wear it for coffee at the weekend.
They’re a higher price point but trust me – they’re worth it. They also come in pretty stand-out prints, so as with the Pocket Sport styles, if you’re after a more traditional black, these aren’t for you.
15. Best black gym leggings
(Image credit: New Balance)
What I thought when testing? I’ve long been a fan of New Balance kit – they’re the sponsor of the London Marathon and so always design styles that really function in sweaty situations.
These leggings fit me really well and moisture-wick, too – I wore them on a 10-mile long run and they were cool yet kept me at a good temperature. I found them to be stretchy – I didn’t have to jump to get into them, as with other leggings – and camel toe-free, too.
Best gym leggings: frequently asked questions
How do I know which gym leggings are the best?
Short answer: it’ll depend on what workout you’re doing and what your personal preferences are.
I’ve indicated above which leggings I think are best from each brand and further, which are the best high-waisted, petite, flattering leggings, and so on.
Which gym leggings are most flattering?
Health Editor Ally Head’s personal favourites in terms of how flattering they looked and were to workout in are the Lululemon Wunder Under leggings, (£88), Adanola Ultimate leggings (£39.99), and Pocket Sport Claude leggings, (£55).
What are the best leggings for HIIT workouts?
For a HIIT session, you’ll need leggings that are sweat-wicking, non-see-through, high waisted and offer compression, too. My recommendation? Try the Nike One Luxe leggings, (£69.95).
