Testing and Reviewing the Top 12 Athleta Leggings in 2023

29 September 2023 2883

Jump to a Section

When it comes to high-quality workout leggings, Athleta is a clear winner. Their range of squat-proof, long-distance, and yoga-friendly leggings come in classic colorways that won’t be off-trend in just a few months, and the fits are just chef’s kiss.

But if you’re new to working out or you’ve never shopped at Athleta before, you might be overwhelmed by the (literally) hundreds of options available. We did the legwork for you and tested dozens of Athleta leggings to find the best ones for every type of activity. These are the best Athleta leggings to shop right now.

The Salutation Stash legging is a staple in the Athleta universe. The second-skin fit and soft material was designed for yoga and studio classes and the wide waistband helps prevent rolling. The thick, never-see-through fabric also makes it a go-to for our editors during weight training. “I even wear these to run,” says senior commerce editor Shannon Bauer. “The level of compression means I never need to do the mid-run tug without it being too restrictive.” The two side pockets are also plenty deep for your phone or other essentials.

While we found the size chart true to size, due to the wide waistband and structured design, the waist on these leggings fit tighter than some Athleta styles. Keep that in mind when determining size and fit.

Whether millennial or Gen Z, team yoga pants or team flare leggings, we can all come together and agree this is one trend that was worthy of coming back into fashion. Flared leggings are made from the same material as leggings, like this Athleta version is in their soft Elation fabric.

Unlike some yoga pants that feel like your favorite pair of sweatpants, these are a sleeker, more body-hugging fit. The high waistband and design do mean that panty lines are fairly visible — we found these are best worn commando if you want to avoid them completely. While you could wear them for yoga flows and walks thanks to the breathable, sweat-wicking fabric (in our testing they were rated best flare leggings for low impact workouts), we found these to be best suited for athleisure activities. “During testing, these became my first choice for running errands and travel. It felt more intentional than baggy sweats but still incredibly comfortable,” Bauer says. She paired them with quarter-zip pullovers or cropped sweaters and white sneakers.

The size chart was accurate for sizing but may close attention to the lengths too. These run a bit long (our tester is 5’4”, bought the regular length, and needed to hem them). We do wish the long and petite versions came in the same wide size range as the regulars, too.

Finding the Goldilocks of leggings is trickiest for running, IMO. You want compression but not so much as to be uncomfortable or restrict movement. They need to be sweat-wicking but not so thin that they lose structure and shape as the miles increase. Finally, you want ample pocket space. These Ultimate leggings are, well, the ultimate find, and our pick for best running leggings. Two large side drop-in pockets and a slip pocket on the back waistband provides plenty of hidey holes for phone, energy gus, lip balm, and more.

The fabric pulls sweat away from the body and evaporates it quickly to keep you cool and dry on your runs. It also offers UPF 50+ protection for sunny runs. Even the lightest colors are fully opaque, too.

The sizing is true to size and 7/8 length with options for petite, tall, and standard lengths. While this is more of an added bonus than a must-have, we loved that the seaming really highlights, ahem, assets — perfect for that final kick in your 10K when you pass the competition. “I wore these most for running but I loved how they look on my body that I often wore for walks, errands, and more,” Bauer says.

If you’re an equal opportunity studio workout person, this is the pair of leggings to add to your closet. The high-stretch fabric moves with you — in plies or squats, child’s pose, or chaturanga — for full comfort and mobility. This is also the lightest fabric that Athleta sells to keep you feeling cool during your sweatiest workouts.

Not only do these perform well during studio workouts (they’re one of our best leggings for women, according to our testing), but they’re our editors’ pick for travel, too. “I have worn these on almost every flight I’ve taken in the last year,” Bauer says. “The super stretch waist keeps me comfortable even on long haul plane rides. And the large pocket keeps my phone handy through security and boarding.”

If a pick that’s sleek and stylish is on your workout leggings wishlist, this pair should be at the top. The rib knit fabric is distinctive and rare in the leggings world. We like the texture for our workout ‘fits in studio classes or worn casually with hoodies and puffer vests. FWIW, the ribbing is subtler in the darker colors.

These leggings were created with very few seams for a streamlined fit and lengthening effect on the legs. A downside to the seamlessness is that these will show panty lines if you’re not careful about where your underwear hits on your hips. This pair also features an extra high waistband and full-length design; be aware it only comes in one length so may hit at 7/8 or above for taller folks.

With a lightweight feel and tons of stretch, Elation tights are our selection for low-impact workouts, like yoga or pilates. We found we had full mobility in all poses and postures without the leggings rolling or bunching. Don’t let the thin fabric fool you, the quality is high and they’re durable as well. Since they were designed for studio classes, these only have a small slip-in pocket in the back waistband.

The nylon and lycra blend is sweat-wicking, quick-drying, and machine washable. The waistband and V seam in the back is super flattering on the butt; however, we do wish Athleta had more options without a front crotch seam — it can sometimes create a camel toe in the thinner leggings materials.

With a soft, brushed fleece interior and a thick, durable fabric, the Rainier Tights are the best Athleta leggings for your winter workouts. But don’t just take our word for it. “I live in Chicago, where winter lasts approximately nine months, and I also have a dog that loves the snow,” says Kristen Geil, Shape senior commerce editor. “I own three pairs of these fleece-lined leggings, and they’ve stood up to tromping through snowy parks and sub-freezing temps.” She also loves the convenience of the side zipper pocket, which is easier to reach than a waistband pocket when you’re wearing a heavy jacket and gloves.

The recycled nylon and Lycra fabric blend is thicker than the Salutation or Transcend leggings, but not in a way that overly constricts your movement. Just know that it’s going to feel a bit more compressive, which we view as a pro in this case — after all, any increased blood flow in the legs will keep you that much warmer.

Whether your preferred practice is a challenging Vinyasa or a bolster-supported restorative class, the Salutation Stash Tight is our pick for best leggings for yoga from Athleta. The Powervita fabric is designed to wick sweat and dry quickly, so it’s perfect for hot yoga classes. The Salutation Stash Tight is a little more compressive than the Transcend Tight, especially in the high-rise waistband, which doesn’t roll an inch throughout your flow. We felt able to move fluidly from asana to asana.

While you may not need pockets during your yoga class, we’ve never felt like the deep side pockets were an obstacle to our practice (we barely noticed them, TBH). They’re perfect if you like to travel light from home to studio and back.

If you chafe — literally — at the thought of wearing leggings that squeeze you or pinch and pull around the seams, we’ve got the solution: the Transcend ⅞ Tights. The Vitafree fabric feels thin, but it’s not see-through at all (and trust us, we’ve put it to the squat test). Every single part of these leggings stretches like a dream, and the seams are minimal and unobtrusive.

In fact, the all-around stretch leads us to think the Transcend Tight would be a great pseudo-maternity pant for pregnancy and postpartum (or anyone whose weight fluctuates often). In our experience, the fabric gently hugs your body, so you’ll get plenty of mileage out of your usual size.

Price at time of publish: $99

Let’s be honest. Most hiking pants look like you’re about to go on a dinosaur hunt in Jurassic Park. But for the slightly more style-conscious hiker, we highly recommend the Headlands Hybrid Cargo II Tight. They look very similar to the Rainier Tight, but with even more functionality: they’re water-repellant, rated UPF 50+, and abrasion-resistant, with six secure zip pockets. And to be totally honest, we appreciate the seams along the backside to enhance the natural curve (translation: your butt will look good).

Price at time of publish: $119

For hot, humid runs or packed HIIT classes at the gym, you need a pair of leggings to stand up to the sweat. Enter: the Ultimate Stash Mesh ⅞ Tight. Let’s talk about the fabric first. The Super Sonic fabric is meant to stay put, with more compression than Athleta’s other leggings. The fabric pulls sweat away from the body and then dries quickly so you’re not drenched in your own sweat.

You might be worried that compression fabric = overheating quickly, but that’s not the case in our experience. The mesh panels help enhance airflow for a refreshing breeze, making these our go-leggings for high-intensity workouts.

Price at time of publish: $119

Post-pandemic, joggers are an essential part of our wardrobes. We love Athleta’s Venice Jogger for its just-slim-enough fit and ribbed waistband. In fact, we’d call it one of the most versatile pieces in our wardrobe. The Sculptek Light fabric is fully stretchy but still has full coverage. The fit is looser in the thighs and tapers around the calves, and there’s just enough structure that if you work in a casual office, you can pass these off as Real Pants.

While we wouldn’t necessarily reach for these first for workouts, they’re versatile enough to work for most activities (and fit true to size, like all of Athleta’s leggings we’ve tried). The fabric is sweat-wicking and quick-drying, and the looser fit lets air flow easily around your legs.

Price at time of publish: $98

To make sure we picked the best Athleta leggings, we combined editor testing with real-world testing led by our lab. Shape’s commerce editors each tested several pairs of Athleta leggings for 6 weeks, wearing each pair at least once a week for a total of over 75 hours of testing. We wore them for running, pickleball, yoga, stretching, and strength training, as well as in our everyday lives. After wearing these leggings nonstop, we took detailed notes on how we felt and how the leggings performed.

We also utilized Shape’s previous legging testing for workouts, running, and yoga to incorporate those insights into our picks. The Shape researching and testing team requires testing periods of at least four weeks and asks the testers to perform a variety of activities in their leggings. They also ask testers to wash and dry the leggings according to manufacturer directions so we can get a sense of how durable the leggings are over time.

Once the research periods were over, we compiled our notes and met to discuss which leggings were best for which uses. We took into account fit, value, comfort, support, sweat-wicking, and durability. With that, we chose the best Athleta leggings.

Powervita: This fabric offers medium compression and is described as “feeling like a gentle hug.” We like it best for yoga and low-impact workouts. It’s found in the Elation Flares and Salutation Stash 7/8.

Supersonic: This is a sleeker fabric made of recycled polyester and lycra, the material also has a bit more shine than the brushed matte Powervita fabric. The medium compression is great for running or high-impact workouts. It is also sweat-wicking and quick-drying for sweat-soaked exercise sessions. The Ultimate Tights are our favorite leggings in this material. The Rainier Tights are also made of this material in the plush, brushed finish.

Vitafree: The thinnest and lightest weight leggings in the Athleta catalog, VitaFree offer extreme stretch and a barely-there feel. These are ideal for yoga, travel, or daily casual wear. All of the Transcend leggings — and the rest of the Transcend line — is made of this fabric.

Sculptek: For a durable material that still offers four-way stretch, look no further than the Sculptek fabric. It’s often used for Athleta’s lifestyle collections, like their jeans, Venice Joggers, and more.

Athleta regularly offers leggings in sizes XXS to 3X with a variety of inseam lengths. In our experience, Athleta leggings fit true to size. We’ve found sizing to be consistent across different types of leggings and pants. Most of their leggings are also sold in standard, petite, and tall lengths for different heights.

Athleta offers free returns and exchanges when you use a prepaid shipping label or when you return in store. You have up to 60 days from ship date to return or exchange items. View their full return policy here.

Shannon Bauer has been an editor in the wellness space for eight years and has a degree in fashion design. She’s an avid runner and workout class enthusiast. She has loved Athleta workout gear for years and has personally sweat-tested many of the leggings on this list, including Salutation, Elation Flare, Transcend, and Ultimate Tights.

Kristen Geil is the Senior Commerce Editor at Shape, where she tests, reviews, and analyzes all the products and gear that can help enhance your wellness journey. As a NASM-certified personal trainer, she's particularly passionate about testing new fitness equipment and finding her next favorite pair of running shoes. Before moving to Commerce, Kristen was Shape's Senior Fitness Editor, where she oversaw the Fitness category and covered workout trends, exercise tips, recovery, and more. For this article, Kristen tested the Ultimate, Transcend, and Rainier Tights.

New research helps explain why people move slower as they get older...

Exercising to keep the brain young: Latest research and expert opinions...