We Wear-Tested Every Style of lululemon Leggings—These 5 Are Actually Worth Your Money (2024)

Best known for its ultra-comfortable leggings, lululemon has cultivated a fiercely loyal community around its fashionable and functional activewear. From sports bras to joggers and even socks, lululemon offers a range of products that blend style with performance. But the best lululemon leggings are what truly set the brand apart. While lower-cost options exist, they often fall short in durability and need to be replaced more frequently. The premium price tag on lululemon leggings comes with a commitment to comfort, performance, quality, and value. (Plus, we have some tricks fornavigating the lululemon "We Made Too Much" section.)

To find the best lululemon leggings, we first spoke with certified personal trainers to learn more about what features they look for and avoid while shopping. Then, we tested 23 pairs of leggings while running, working out, lounging, and more. Our top picks earned high scores for their material, opacity, fit, hold, durability, and value.

Our Top Picks

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lululemon Fabrics, Explained

• Luon: A comfy, cottony soft fabric with four-way stretch and sweat-wicking breathability. It has a soft, lightly-brushed feel and is best suited for lower-impact studio classes like yoga, Pilates, barre, and casual wear.
• Luxtreme: A compressive fabric that feels silky smooth and cool to the touch, fitting like a second skin. This supportive, sweat-wicking fabric features four-way stretch with excellent shape retention. The lightweight fabric is highly resistant to pilling and is a strong choice for high-impact workouts.
• Everlux: lululemon’s fastest-drying fabric, best for hot and sweaty studio classes and high-intensity workouts. The sleek and cool sensation on the inside wicks away sweat with a comfortable, buttery soft exterior. Everlux is super lightweight, stretchy, durable, and provides squat-proof coverage.
• Nulu: Known for its "naked sensation," the weightless, buttery-soft Nulu fabric fits like a glove and is ultra-lightweight and breathable. It also offers unbelievable stretch and shape retention. Nulu is not a compressive fabric and is best for lower-impact workouts and casual wear.
• Nulux: Engineered for running with a weightless, ultra-soft feel. The stretchy, quick-drying fabric is soft and smooth against the skin with light compression and support. It's also durable, flexible, and supportive so you can run your best race with comfort and ease.
• SmoothCover: A soft, supportive, matte fabric that effortlessly contours to your body. Its four-way stretch and sweat-wicking properties ensure you’ll stay dry and comfortable, even during the toughest workouts.
• SenseKnit: Features targeted support right where you need it the most. Meant for running, this fabric is sweat-wicking and quick-drying. It’s lightweight enough to keep you cool and will perform well, no matter how many miles you take on.

So, Are lululemon Leggings Worth It?

A pair of lululemon leggings typically cost between $98-$158. They are by no means the cheapest leggings on the market, but we think they're worth the price given the high quality materials and superior fit. After testing dozens of pairs of lululemon leggings, we confidently recommend the options on this list.

What to Look for When Shopping for lululemon Leggings

• Rise: lululemon leggings come in mid-rise, high-rise, and super-high-rise. The rise refers to how far up the waistband comes when you put the leggings on. The higher the rise, the higher up the waistband will sit. Higher rise leggings will also offer more support, since the waistband comes up farther. Choose the rise that reflects the style and level of support you like the most.
• Length: The inseam length determines how long the leggings will be. lululemon offers a range of inseam lengths, to help you find the right fit. Cropped styles range from 17- to 23-inch inseams. Ankle to full-length styles range from 25- to 31-inch inseams, depending on your height.
• Fit: Most of the brand’s leggings fit true to size. Leggings should be fitted, but not so tight that you can’t move easily in them. Make sure the waistband doesn’t dig into your skin and stays up during wear with no gaping. Look for high- waisted leggings if you want a better fit so you won’t have to worry about pulling your pants up, says certified personal trainer Holly Roser, CPT.
• Compression: Many of lululemon’s leggings offer compression, or the snug-fitting feel that provides a held-in sensation and a more streamlined fit. You might choose compression leggings if you plan to participate in sports or high intensity workouts (like running or HIIT). Leggings made from the brand’s Luxtreme fabric will usually offer this type of compression, but you can find it in other options as well.
• Pockets: Plenty of lululemon leggings come with one or more pockets, so you can choose the pair that meets your needs for whatever you need to carry. Waistband pockets are typically for small items, like a key or credit card. Drop-in pockets on the sides or back are often large enough to hold your phone. Some leggings have zippered or fold-over pockets for added security.

How We Tested the lululemon Leggings

To find the best lululemon leggings, we tested 23 different pairs both in The Verywell Testing Lab and at home in the real world. We wore each pair of leggings for low- and high-impact workouts and everyday wear. During testing, we evaluate each pair of leggings based on the following criteria:

• Material: When we first try on the leggings, we pay attention to how the material feels: Is it soft? Smoothing? Compressive? Stretchy? As we workout in the leggings, we also note whether they’re breathable and sweat-wicking. We prioritize leggings that combine comfortable and functional materials.
• Opacity: To test the opacity, we look for sheer spots prior to putting the leggings on. Then, we complete different variations of bends and squats to see if there is any sheering at the knee and glutes. Finally, a month after consistent use, we do the same opacity to test to ensure the quality holds up overtime.
• Fit: Leggings are supposed to feel like a second skin and should be snug in the right places—like the butt, thighs, and calves—without causing discomfort. When trying each pair on, we consider if they fit true to size: Do they bunch up or pinch anywhere? We also note if the seams are discreet and whether the cut is proportionate in size.
• Hold: Hold is arguably one of the most important factors to keep in mind when looking for a pair of leggings—you want them to stay in place, especially for workouts. To test the hold, draw a line with a pen where the top of the waistband sits on our stomach. Then, we set a timer for 60 seconds to jog in place, do some squats, lunges, jumping jacks, and more. When time is up, we check to see if the waistband slid down.
• Durability: lululemon leggings are not cheap, which means you’ll want them to withstand continuous workouts and wash cycles. Throughout testing, we follow the brand’s wash and dry guidelines. After each wear and wash, we evaluate the legging to check for any changes in overall quality: Have they maintained their shape, color, opacity, seams? We only recommend leggings that show little to know signs of wear.
• Value: Finally, to determine the value of each lululemon legging, we wait to look at its price until after testing. Then, taking into consideration each of the above-tested categories, we determine if they’re worth the price. We only include leggings that we would personally purchase or recommend to a friend.

Our Experts

To ensure the best recommendations, we consulted experts during our research, testing, and reporting for this story. Some experts helped us determine how lululemon leggings should fit and feel, while others explained which features to look for and how to find a pair that’ll work for your needs. Although we choose the products independently, we use expert input to influence our choices.

• Holly Roser, CPT, certified personal trainer, sports nutritionist, and founder of Holly Roser Fitness
• Anna Whalen, yoga sculpt instructor at CorePower Yoga in New York City
• Rachel Vaziralli, group fitness instructor and director of fitness design at Orangetheory Fitness

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most popular lululemon leggings?

The most popular lululemon leggings are the Align, Wunder Train, and Swift Speed Tights.

What size lululemon leggings am I?

Determine your lululemon leggings size by using the brand’s size chart or book a video chat appointment with a lululemon educator who can help you find your size.

Do lululemon leggings run small?

We found that most lululemon leggings run true to size—and shoppers agree. In styles with less compression, you can try one size down from your usual for a comfortable fit.

Why Trust Verywell Fit

Casey Clark is a freelance writer from NYC who specializes in mental health, fitness, and beauty. She researches products for Verywell Fit and other fitness-centric publications with a keen eye for size-inclusivity and comfort. As someone who works out three times a week, she likes to wear leggings that don’t ride down and stay put at the waist. Her favorite pair is the Invigorate High Rise Tight which she wears on the stair climber and rowing machine.