We love these Lululemon legging options from Amazon

This text is a part of our collection Battle of the Brands, through which we evaluate category-leading merchandise to their counterparts to find out which are literally price your cash.

Between the self-care explosion — from yoga and Pilates to meditation — and the pandemic’s resultant work-from-home state of affairs, ladies are carrying leggings longer and extra typically than ever earlier than. As such, we’ve grow to be extra considered about which leggings are literally price investing our cash in. Match, consolation, design and elegance are musts, as are identify model and price.

Lately, Lululemon’s Align Pants have grow to be a cult-favorite merchandise due to their “buttery mushy” material that makes carrying them 24/7 a simple resolution, and a match that skims the physique somewhat than pinches or droops. Want proof? The pants have greater than 20,000 critiques and the #Lululemonalign hashtag on Instagram has greater than 9,000 posts hooked up to it, starting from influencers’ exercise movies and try-on classes to on-the-go road shoots. Whereas reviewers are hard-pressed to search out fault in Align, the worth would probably be excessive on the “cons” listing — every pair sometimes runs between $98 and $128.

Equally fashionable on Amazon are Colorfulkoala’s Buttery Soft High-Waisted Yoga Pants, which have a whopping 46,000 constructive critiques — a whole lot of which liken the pants to Align — and a a lot (a lot) cheaper price ticket at $23 per pair.

What’s so nice about these leggings, which we named the most effective exercise leggings? They’re mushy and slinky and actually skim your curves, from waist to ankle. Second, there’s the material. Referred to as Nulu, the fabric is über-soft, sweat-wicking and has a four-way stretch. You may transfer in these pants — whether or not you’re doing scorching yoga or hopping out and in of your automobile doing errands.

Our decide for the most effective price range leggings of the 12 months, the Colorfulkoalas can be found in additional than 40 colours and are simply as mushy as Lululemons, however at a fraction of the associated fee.

Lululemon’s Align and Colorfulkoala’s Buttery Smooth are each ultra-popular pants designed for yoga. The chief promoting level of each choices is the super-soft material they’re fabricated from.

Align is comprised of the model’s proprietary “Nulu” material, which is a mixture of nylon and lycra that’s sweat-wicking, stretchy and, as I’ve talked about various instances, buttery mushy. I’ve been an Align devotee for years and may attest that the leggings are nice for low-impact train like Pilates or yoga — and that they’re so comfy (and flattering) that I find yourself carrying them the entire day after my morning exercise. In contrast to different yoga pants, the Align material doesn’t constrict, squeeze or pinch your physique, as a substitute it skims over your form with out creating any form of muffin-top state of affairs.

Having examined Colorfulkoala’s Buttery Smooth pants as properly, I can say that the nylon/spandex material is the closest I’ve ever seen to the Nulu softness, however it’s not fairly as buttery because the Align and so they have a sheen to them. I didn’t thoughts the sheen in any respect, however the Align leggings positively have a softer, matte texture. Curiously sufficient, the Colorfulkoala pants are brushed on the inside and that texture is almost precise to Align — in order that they do really feel similar on the within of the leggings, however on the outside they’re shinier.

Given Align’s matte texture, the material will be susceptible to catching lint or stray hairs, which is extra seen on darker colours and patterns. I didn’t expertise this with the Colorfulkoala leggings, nonetheless, as a result of the material’s slight sheen doesn’t appeal to particles.

Extra about that material: Align’s Nulu material is totally opaque. Possibly it’s attributable to the brand’s “see-through pants scandal” from a decade in the past, however you’re by no means going to see somebody’s underwear throughout a downward-facing canine in the event that they’re carrying Align. And these days, Lululemon can also be double-lining its lighter hues to triple-confirm the protection (which ends up in a thicker, cozier really feel to the legging). Lingerie apart, the material density additionally camouflages the opposite bits you would possibly wish to conceal (learn: cellulite, a tummy roll, no matter).

The identical can’t be mentioned for Colorfulkoala’s protection. I attempted the leggings in each black and a lighter mauve pink hue and whereas the black had me lined, the pink was very see-through. I truly wore the pants to Pilates and spent a lot of the category feeling overexposed. Not simply on account of my underwear strains being seen, but additionally these aforementioned bits that I’m not dying to indicate off — the pant material is so skinny that, particularly in a lighter colour, you’ll be able to see each element of your tush, legs and past. I did respect that the waistband is lined, which offers respectable tummy management.

When it comes to design, each pants are just about similar, with flat, uncovered seams lower precisely the identical means. I didn’t expertise any drooping or sagging with both pair — each keep put all day lengthy. The Align waistband is a little more beneficiant, coming in at 3/8 inches longer than the Colorfulkoala pants’ and thus offering barely extra tummy protection. Align leggings even have a hidden waistband pocket for keys, money or bank card, which is a considerate element.

Each the Lululemon Align and Colorfulkoala Excessive Waisted Yoga Pants are very comfy to put on all day lengthy. I wasn’t racing to take both pair off after figuring out, which is an efficient signal! Whereas their materials aren’t similar, each are extremely mushy, and on condition that their designs are so comparable, they match the identical means, contouring your curves somewhat than pinching or squeezing. Sure, the Colorfulkoala pair are thinner, which impacts protection, however it doesn’t have an effect on consolation in any respect.

Lululemon’s Align leggings are the certain wager and well worth the funding. Sure, you should buy 4 to 5 pairs of Colorfulkoala pants for each one pair of Align, however the high quality of Align far outweighs the competitors. I’m scripting this story whereas carrying a pair of five-year-old Align leggings that also look and match like they’re brand-new — the ROI is legit.

In the end what it got here right down to for me is that I can’t endorse Colorfulkoala’s inconsistent protection. Whereas the black pair did present opaqueness, the material continues to be thinner than Align’s Nulu, and that left me feeling extra weak, particularly as I used to be doing squats and lunges on a reformer machine. The Align material is bulletproof relating to protection and leaves me feeling extra assured once I put on them. As a mother of 4 in my 40s, that’s well worth the worth of admission.

If price range is a priority, nonetheless, Colorfulkoala is a good legging to purchase, however I’d advise sticking to the darker colours and patterns to be secure.