Alo Yoga High-Waist Airbrush - Review 2023

Rating 3/5

DiveIn Score: 3/5

Quality: 3/5

Comfort: 4/5

Performance: 3/5

Price/Quality: 2/5

Fits like a Dream – a $100 Dream

The Alo High-Waist Airbrush Leggings have a thick, stiff, cotton-y feel to them – very similar in feel to the 90 Degrees by Reflex leggings. Our first thought was that they don’t feel especially soft or breathable.

While the material is quite thick and doesn’t seem ideal for exercise, they fit like a dream, giving you a really nice, strong compression. The fabric hugs and lifts you in all the right spots. They may not be the most breathable, but they’re perfect for leisure and would make a great base layer in colder climates.

While we thought these were a decent option for low intensity activity, we had a hard time seeing past the price tag. It’s not unheard of to pay $90+ on a pair of leggings, but the value in the Alo Airbrush leggings was a bit lost on us – they are 90 Degrees by Reflex quality with a Lululemon price tag.

Features

The Alo High-Waist Airbrush leggings have, as the name suggests, a high waist that hits above the navel with an “airbrushed” finish. Similar to The Gym People yoga pants, the compression is amazing. It gives you a nice hug without too much of a squeeze, and sinches you in all the right spots.

One of our favorite features here was actually the lack of pockets. While that may seem like the opposite of a feature, the absence of pockets really aided in the seamless appearance of the legging. Many other brands put a small pocket in the waistband, which is almost always too small to be functional. With the Alo Airbrush yoga pants you’ll need to carry a bag, but at least you won’t have an unsightly, useless excess of fabric from a “hidden” pocket.

These leggings feature a 4-way stretch, flat seam construction and no side seams. There are also options, albeit limited options, for the inseam. Sizes XXS-S feature a 28” inseam, while M-XL is a little longer at 28.5”

Quality

While the shape and fit of these leggings may be flattering, the quality of the material leaves a lot to be desired. The material is noticeably thick and a bit stiff, but it slims out as it is stretched. While it does pass the squat test, the material isn’t the best at hiding cellulite.

The Airbrush leggings are prone to pilling, and darker colors show significant wear even after just one wash. The pilling is severe enough that holes will eventually develop in areas that see a lot of friction.

Typical of leggings that struggle with pilling, these also pick up any lint or pet hair that might be laying around – we suggest keeping a lint roller handy.

The quality of these leggings is comparable to many yoga pants on Amazon like 90 Degrees by Reflex or ODODOS, both of which are listed under $25. The quality is decent, but it doesn’t justify the luxury price point.

Comfort

The Alo Airbrush leggings aren’t the most comfortable yoga pants on the market, but they have some redeeming qualities in this category. The fabric is fairly stiff and can be a bit scratchy, but the high compression almost makes up for the abrasive feel of the material. It gives you a nice hug and really pulls everything together.

The material is thick and can be a bit warm – not the most comfortable for workouts. They would be great in colder climates, but we suggest wearing something a bit more cool and comfortable for hot yoga.

Performance

After feeling the thick, constrictive material we were unsurprised to find that these leggings are not even remotely sweat-proof. Several customer review photos depict women post-workout, with bikini bottoms of sweat outlined on their pants. It should go without saything, but sweat should not be an issue for clothing marketed as active-wear.

We thought that the thick material would indicate some level of durability, but unfortunately that was not the case. In addition to the moisture-wicking issue, these yoga pants also pill terribly. The pilling is an issue all over the garment, and in some cases, it is even prone to holes in areas of high friction.

Frankly, we would hardly consider the Alo Airbrush leggings to be active wear. These leggings simply aren’t made with yogis in mind, and are best left for brunch and errands.

Price/Quality

The Alo High-Waist Airbrush Leggings are in the same high-end price category as the Manduka Evolves, the Lululemon Aligns, and the Beyond Yoga High Waisted Midi Leggings, but their quality certainly wouldn’t suggest that. With Manduka, Lululemon and Beyond, you are paying for quality – quality that you can feel and see. With Alo, the quality doesn’t quite stack up, and it seems that you are mostly paying for a brand. While these pants may be worth the money if you are looking for the trendiest yoga pants you can find, all of the other high-budget brands far surpass Alo in the categories of performance, comfort and quality, and would be a much better investment in your yoga practice.

Do We Recommend Them

The Alo brand is extremely transparent that fashion is their main priority when designing and manufacturing their yoga-wear. In this sense, if you’re looking for the trendiest brand with the most instagram appeal, these would be the pair to opt for.

However if you are a yogi looking for a comfortable, breathable, enduring pair of yoga pants to support you in your practice, these will likely leave you feeling disappointed and we would not recommend them. There are a handful of other options we strongly recommend for practicing yogis listed here on our buyers guide.