The Gym People leggings were new to us, but they were such a pleasant surprise given the lowest price point we’ve seen, ringing in at just $27.99. They are among Amazon’s best selling yoga leggings, as well as the number one top seller for women’s running pants.
While these leggings are okay for yoga, they seem to be better suited for high intensity workouts than some of the other options we have covered. The smooth, spandex-like material provides a higher compression that is less prone to pilling when exposed to moisture or prolonged friction that comes from running or other activities. The cool hand feel and breathability makes them a solid option for anyone who’s really working up a sweat.
These leggings lean towards the bargain end of the spectrum, and are pretty middle-of-the-road in terms of comfort, performance and quality. Read on to see what we liked and didn’t like about these leggings.
Our Overall Review
We have thoroughly tested - and read reviews from other experts and users. In summary, this is what we think:
Things we like:
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Excellent coverage
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Material doesn’t pill
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Doesn’t attract lint or pet hair
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Doesn’t show sweat
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Functional pockets
Things we don't like:
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Waistband and crotch sags as you move
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Inconsistent material between colorways – hard to know exactly what you’re getting
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Not the most comfortable
Rating
DiveIn Score: 3.5/5
Quality: 3.5/5
Comfort: 3/5
Performance: 3.5/5
Price/Quality: 4/5
Some Important Notes
While these pants were all around pretty solid, it’s important to note right off the bat that these were not what were advertised. In the description on Amazon, the material is listed as 88% Polyester, 12% Spandex. This is a pretty substantial difference from what is listed on the tag, 80% Polyamide and 20% Spandex. Upon further investigation in the customer reviews, it seems as though different color options come in entirely different fabrics, leaving each pair with completely different sets of pros and cons. The lack of consistency makes it hard to buy with any peace of mind, and hard to really stand behind this brand. So for clarity and so not to make this review completely arbitrary, we will be exclusively discussing the “Graffiti” colorway.
Keeping this in mind, the pair we tried were not the best, but not the worst. There are some really strong selling points that had us leaning towards The Gym People, but they were accompanied by a couple detrimental issues here that makes them hard to endorse.
Features
The first thing we noticed about the Gym People yoga pants was the surplus of pockets. Not only are there three pockets in these leggings, but they are all large and actually functional. Many brands like Manduka and Lululemon feature small pockets hidden in the waistband, but they are only large enough to hold a key or a credit car. There’s a large pocket in the back of the waistband and one on the outside of either thigh, and each pocket is large enough to hold the largest phones on the market, or even a small water bottle.
These yoga pants, like many others, are moisture wicking and feature a 4-way stretch. The fabric used is durable and passes the squat test, though it has a lighter sheen as the material is stretched.
Quality
The fabric and construction is high quality. These leggings have a bit more spandex in the blend, so they have a nice sheen. The smooth texture helps to prevent any significant pilling issues, making them a popular pick for runners. In addition to being durable, The material is thick enough to be cellulite friendly and remain opaque when stretched. We will note, while they do pass the squat test, the sheen on the pattern becomes a little lighter when stretched.
These are a great option for pet owners – pet hair and lint basically just fall away. The smooth texture of these leggings don’t give lint or hair anything to really stick to, keeping them nice and clean all day long.
Comfort
The Gym People yoga pants are fairly middle of the road in terms of comfort. They have a nice cool feel to them, which is nice for the summer months and hot yoga, but they can’t hold a candle to the Manduka Evolves or the Yogalicious Nude Techs. It is clear, even by looking at these leggings, they were designed with performance in mind – not comfort.
That being said, they are far more comfortable than say jeans or even some sweatpants. Yoga pants are inherently comfortable, allowing our fullest range of motion, and these are no exception.
Performance
As we mentioned, you can tell by looking at these leggings that they were designed with performance in mind. The spandex type feel and finish, the high compression, the surplus of pockets, and the breathability of the fabric all point in the direction of high performance. These are the kind of leggings you can throw on for the gym to go lift weights.
Runners seem to love these as well, we imagine because of the lightweight feel and cool breathability, although they weren’t our first pick for running. We tried them out on a run, and had to stop to pull them up several times over the course of a single mile.These are high performing yoga leggings in a lot of ways, but their tendency to slide down during exercise really hurt their score.
Price/Quality
The Gym People High Waisted Leggings are really great for the price. It’s far from the worst way to spend $30 – they are suitable for most any workout, the materials and construction are solid, the fabric is durable, breathable, provides full coverage and doesn’t show sweat. However, between the sagging during movement and the inconsistencies brought up in customer reviews, these might not be your best option if you’re looking for something reliable to keep up with your practice.
Do We Recommend Them
Unfortunately, as we mentioned, it’s hard to stand behind a brand that is inconsistent. While the ones we tried have some great selling points, if we recommend you to purchase, you could end up with an entirely different pair of leggings. That being said, the ones we tried are certainly the most affordable option, but it comes at the price of quality in some important areas.
These leggings sag as you move, making them pretty inconvenient for most physical activities. It’s hard enough to get yourself to the gym, the track, or the studio, having a constant interruption to your workout is enough to kill anyone’s motivation.
We recommend several pairs in place of these if you’re looking for quality, comfort and performance, read more about them on our buyer’s guide.
Our Overall Review
We have thoroughly tested - and read reviews from other experts and users. In summary, this is what we think:
Things we like:
-
Excellent coverage
-
Material doesn’t pill
-
Doesn’t attract lint or pet hair
-
Doesn’t show sweat
-
Functional pockets
Things we don't like:
-
Waistband and crotch sags as you move
-
Inconsistent material between colorways – hard to know exactly what you’re getting
-
Not the most comfortable
Frequently asked questions
Yoga leggings are designed to be lightweight, breathable and above all, stretchy. Yogi’s needs are different to that of a runner or a lifter; where yogis need flexibility, runners need durability, weightlifters may want more compression. While many people routinely wear yoga pants to the gym and gym pants to the yoga studio, the subtleties are what makes the greatest difference between the two.
It’s hard to say what exactly spiked the popularity in yoga pants, but the rise in popularity of yoga in collaboration with the trend of athleisure likely had a lot to do with it.
Our most flattering pick would be the Manduka Evolve leggings. The extra high waist keeps everything cinched and enhances the idyllic hourglass shape. Additionally, the material is thick enough to hide most cellulite and remain opaque. These are also a top pick for women who are concerned about the infamous camel toe because the front panel is seamless which completely eliminates the problem.
Funny enough, the Gym People leggings are one of the best options for gym people. Their spandex-like finish and durability makes them a great option for runners, and the higher compression helps to increase blood pressure and alleviate muscle soreness after a tough workout.
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