From high-waisted styles that keep everything sucked in during a workout to stretchy, comfortable fabrics that keep you cool and dry during your sweat session, leggings are a gym essential. But with so many pairs available, it can be tricky to decide which ones are right for you – whether you want to buy an ultra-stretchy pair that won’t slip as you move, a seamless pair that won’t dig in, or something in between. Plus, the design features on offer can be confusing – high-tech fabrics that promise to speed up recovery times and reduce muscle soreness, for example, or anti-chafing seams and tags that will prevent chaffing.
Rise Above the Rest: A Guide to High-Waisted Gym Leggings for Enhanced Comfort and Confidence
For the best high-street gym legging, look no further than Sweaty Betty’s iconic Power leggings. They’re the ultimate fusion of style and function, with bum-sculpting seams, no chafing and no pinching, and they come in an array of bright and pastel colours. They also pass the squat test with flying colours and, according to our lab evaluations, are durable, showing minimal shrinkage after laundering.
Another option is the Nike One leggings, which are buttery soft on the skin and have a supportive waistband that doesn’t ride up. They’re 90% squat proof and are super-slick and cool to the touch (although they do show sweat patches, so don’t wear them if you want to avoid looking like a walking advert). They’ve got side pockets that can easily fit your phone and a drawcord waist, plus they’re easy to wash and haven’t pilled in our tests.