12 Best Workout Leggings for Every Type of Exercise

The highly compressive sleek exterior of these Lululemon leggings help support you during strenuous, high-impact exercise like running or CrossFit. The hidden drawcord in the waistband holds this pair perfectly in place with one tester saying "when I bent my body and moved around, the leggings stayed put." For a variety of options, you can choose between 25-, 28- and 31-inch inseams and 10 shades, including pinks, blues and greens.

"These are my new favorite leggings," exclaimed multiple testers. Testers loved the soft, smooth fabric that offers comfortable compression that isn't see-through at all and totally "squat proof," but some testers preferred a less compressive fit. Up to the challenge of your sweatiest high-impact workouts, this pair of leggings proved to be durable: it showed minimal shrinkage after laundering and no pilling in Lab evaluations. The fabric immediately wicked away moisture, helping to keep you dry.

At an unbeatable price, these affordable Colorfulkoala leggings outperformed styles quadruple the price. The soft polyester/spandex fabric makes this a great pick for low impact workouts with comfy compression. Staying in pristine condition workout after workout, the fabric maintained its shape after being stretched in the Lab, but had lower moisture management scores and wasn't fully opaque. With the highest consumer score, one tester exclaims that "I like them better than my other high-end expensive workout leggings." With over 49,000 Amazon reviewers, we love that this pick has convenient side pockets and over 30 color options to show off your personality while at the gym.

These stretchy leggings are best sellers on Amazon with more than 57,000 reviews and an average 4.6-star rating out of five despite costing less than $25. Though we haven't tested these in the Lab yet, the brand says they're ideal for a variety of workouts from yoga to running to weight lifting and more. One thing that users note is that there isn't as much tummy control as they were expecting. Still, they describe these as soft and comfortable, and confirm that they aren't see-through.

For exercise that involves a lot of sweat and movement, these leggings are made of a super-smooth fabric that wicks moisture and reduces friction. They're also more compressive, which can help with muscle fatigue. Plus, they have pockets that lie flat in case you need to carry anything on the go.

Under Armour leggings are always favorites in our tests, especially for their comfort, breathability and durability. If you're going to be running in cold weather, we recommend the Cold Weather Leggings because they're fleece-lined for warmth yet still breathable for your run.

Super popular, these leggings have the features you should look for in leggings for weight lifting days: A high waist, opaque fabric and a stretchy yet compressive fit. They're also moisture-wicking to help you manage sweat and there are flat seams to avoid friction and irritation from repetitive movements. On top of that, users say they're so comfortable that you'll want to wear them every single day — not just to the gym.

Compression leggings can help increase blood flow, reduce muscle fatigue and prevent strain before, during and after workouts. These capris are super popular and they're praised by real users, especially those with knee issues. They're a bit harder to get on than regular leggings and you need to make sure they're properly aligned, but the support panels make it easy for you to find the right fit. They're also made with a wicking material to prevent overheating.

Studio loyalists will appreciate the compressive fit of this Athleta pair. Optimal for yoga, Pilates and barre classes, the brand's signature Powervita nylon/lycra fabric is the perfect combination of soft and smooth. This pair has two spacious side pockets and is available in tall and petite sizing options.

All testers agree that this pair is "extremely flattering" and "supportive while still being comfortable," offering great coverage for group fitness classes. Looking good as new out of the wash, we noticed no changes in appearance with only slight shrinkage. The fabric proved to be pill-resistant and moisture-wicking too, but stretched out a bit during stretch recovery tests.

A bit of sheen makes this pair of Alo Yoga leggings a trendy option for workouts and casual wear alike. The sleek material is lightweight to easily move with you through exercises. One tester reported that they were "very comfortable for everyday loungewear and almost any workout" and another said, "the shiny material made my legs look long and lean."

The material aced stretch recovery testing and showed no pilling whatsoever during Lab evaluations, but did shrink a bit after extensive laundering. While it overall received high scores for comfort and breathability, some testers found them a bit see-through during squats (we agreed in Lab testing).

Ideal for chilly weather workouts and lounging at home, these Champion tights feature double-brushed polyester/spandex fabric to trap heat while moving with you. This pair has a 25-inch inseam for a versatile cropped length and a hidden waistband pocket. We love that this pair uses 80% recycled content for a more sustainable buy.

The cozy fabric proved to be fully opaque (even during squats!). Testers raved that this pair feels "soft" and "thick," making it "best suited for winter workouts" while still having a flattering fit. Like most brushed leggings, the fabric wasn't very moisture-wicking.

The fabric uses about 25 plastic bottles per pair and this pair of Girlfriend leggings was a tester favorite. The thicker material offers snug compression ideal for higher impact activities that testers said is "more comfortable than my other leggings." The fabric showed some pilling but maintained its shape during stretch recovery evaluations and after extensive laundering (note this pair is hang dry only).

The brand offers a variety of options for this style, including lots of colors, three inseam lengths and sizes ranging from XXS through 6XL. "I appreciate that the brand is very size-inclusive; I like being able to support an ethical fashion line whose ideals align with mine," raved one tester. Testers especially liked that the waistband stayed put with one tester saying "I even reach for these over running shorts because I know the waistband will stay in place no matter how fast I sprint."

The yoga pants you'll never want to take off, the good news is you don't have to. They're comfortable enough to wear as loungewear yet they perform well during workouts. The fabric is incredibly lightweight and smooth, and like The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants these magically fit everyone perfectly without digging in or rolling at the waist.

They are known to pill a bit more than other workout leggings, but we suggest washing them inside out on the delicate cycle and letting them air dry to prevent that. Since they're more lightweight, they're best suited for lower-impact exercise.

We have all worn leggings when we are not actually planning on working out that day. Leggings can be the ideal comfy lounge pant, but too compressive or restrictive styles will be uncomfortable when relaxing. Testers raved that this pair of Aerie leggings is extremely comfy when lounging with a "super soft" feel and "comfy fit." Loving the crossover waistband, one tester exclaimed "the overall fit of them is very flattering, as it accentuates the waist." In Lab evaluations, we found this pair to be less suited for exercise, stretching out after stretch recovery tests and being a bit see-through.