30 Best Gym Leggings To Live And Breathe In For The Foreseeable

Relatively fresh to the activewear scene, put Pocket Sport on your radar. These stylish leggings left our testers in raptures by fitting to perfection and never falling down, thanks to the brand’s trademark grippy waistband. Their breathable design helped them excel in our sweat-wicking tests and our panel liked the fabric’s premium feel.

Lululemon has quite the reputation to uphold, but happily, these luxe leggings lived up to our panel’s sky high expectations. Soft, stretchy and almost seamless, one tester declared them the comfiest pair they’d ever worn.

There are lots of head-turning colours to browse, but sweat did show up on the lighter shades, so consider your workout of choice before you buy.

These recycled polyester leggings are the best for sweat-wicking, making them a reliable pair to keep on rotation for high-impact sessions. The sizing comes up small, but they fitted our panellists comfortably, with no bunching or slipping to distract you during spin. The thick yet flexi fabric proved squat-proof, too.

Remember the name CRZ – its leggings are silky soft and easily rival far pricier brands. Our testers found them blissfully breathable, even during hot yoga sessions, and as stretchy as a second skin.

They proved a touch too long for our petite panellists and the waistband jiggled about a bit for some, but take our advice and add multiple pairs to your trolley.

Behold, the LBD of leggings. This all-black pair will go with everything and take you from the sofa to the studio in minutes. The flexible fabric fitted our testers snugly, allowing them to tackle squats and bends with ease, but some felt they clung uncomfortably to their skin once things got sweaty. Others bemoaned the lack of a pocket, but they’re indisputable classics.

Chafing won’t be an issue with these high-rise, full-length, ultra-tight leggings that won’t budge no matter how quickly you run. The thick fabric will keep you cosy during chilly mornings and there’s a useful side pocket for stashing your keys and phone.

Though unlikely to appeal to petite runners, they scored highly for sweat-wicking, and would also be suitable for cycling.

Scoring highly with our petite and plus size panellists alike, these low-impact leggings can be worn comfortably all day, every day. Though on the thicker side, the material afforded full mobility to our testers, making it ideal for Pilates.

They slipped down for some and felt tight after a few hours of wear for others, but once you nail the fit, they’ll hug your body in all the right places.

Low impact and high-end, these seamless leggings look sleek and feel luxurious. Our testers found their high-waisted design supportive, but the sizing came up small. Still, LNDR is all about creating products that will last, and this recycled polyamide pair is one we’d happily be seen in for many years to come.

If you spend longer trying to get your leggings on than actually working out, try this soft and stretchy (but reassuringly opaque) pair. Our testers loved them for relaxing, low impact exercise but also found them flexible enough for higher energy yoga classes.

They’re better suited to summer as the material is thin, but the built-in pocket is handy. Unfortunately, some panellists found the waistband too low and they lost some elasticity after the first wash, too.

We love the colour of these leggings as much we do the fact it's made of a moisture-wicking four-way stretchy fabric that makes them perfect for a sweaty run or hot yoga sessions.

Our fave athleisure brand has good news: it just dropped a ribcage-high waist version of its iconic power leggings and launched the Sweaty Betty foundation. All the profit from these playful printed gym leggings goes to helping underprivileged girls stay active throughout their teenage years.

Obviously part of the reason we're coveting Nike's gym leggings is because of their hot pink hue, but they're also incredibly functional too. This pair is knitted from recycled sweat-wicking fabrics and made with minimal seams to create a streamlined fit that won't chafe.

Modibodi's gym leggings are about as sustainable as it gets RN. Not only are they made from 78% recycled yarns, you can also skip the period products when you're wearing them. Yes, the fabric is designed to absorb moderate to heavy menstruation, while preventing stains, leakage and being totally odour and bacteria resistant.

We get that it's a little bit out there, but considering two million sanitary towels and tampons are being flushed down our toilets every year in the UK, we reckon it's the future.

If you feel like swagging out on your next jog (because, let's face it, there's nowhere else to do it), designer gym leggings are just the ticket. This pink and yellow pair is printed with Pucci's instantly recognisable 1960s swirls and – if you look closely enough – the brand's cursive logo.

Ernest Leoty was once famed for its corsetry, and now its taking that brand signature into sportswear. The contrast flat seams on these gym leggings are angled to create the illusion of a smaller waist.

Another great option from the Girlfriend Collective, these 7/8 leggings have been made from recycled plastic water bottles. Not only are they eco-friendly and come in this gorgeous green colour, but they are high-waisted - providing extra comfort - and are quick-drying. Need we say more?

Amongst a sea of all-black sports kit, DKNY's 'lake' coloured leggings are a breath of fresh air. We like the ribcage-high waistband and mesh inserts.