Wearing the right attire when you’re on a run is vital for the best results.
Pants, in particular, need to have appropriate features for running so you can exercise without missing a beat.
To help you find the best running pants…
I’ve found a range of different products and looked at their positives and negatives.
See them below…
After considering all the options our top picks were…
Best Women’s Running Leggings for Comfort
What Makes the Best Running Pants?
There are a few different factors you should keep in mind when shopping for the best running pants.
Let’s take a look at some of the key things you should look for in pants designed for running…
Materials
The fabric the running pants are made from is vital for ensuring you choose the best attire for running purposes.
The most common materials running pants are constructed from are polyester and spandex lycra.
Pants composed of synthetic fabric often have moisture wicking properties that are useful for repelling sweat.
Polyester
Polyester running pants come in varying levels of thickness, so you can find styles for both hot weather and cold weather use.
They’re also fairly flexible so you can move around in them with ease.
Cotton
Cotton running pants aren’t great for running as the fabric doesn’t dry quickly when it’s wet. If you’re sweating buckets, you obviously don’t want to be stuck in damp clothes that take ages to dry.
Products that contain fleece are normally targeted for cold weather to help you keep warm, but they’re not ideal for everyday use.
Features
Running leggings that have features like pockets and reflective logos are useful.
While you can place items like your keys, phone, and purse in a backpack, this extra weight can slow you down considerably.
Having your belongings in pockets on your pants where they’re easily accessible is convenient as you don’t need to stop to open your bag to retrieve your stuff.
If you run early in the morning or late in the evenings, it can be hard for other people to see you.
Running pants that have reflective logos or designs stitched on them can increase your visibility and keep you safer.
Breathability
Pants that are made from a breathable fabric can make a huge difference to your running routine.
As I mentioned earlier, pants that are lightweight and fast-drying keep you cooler and more comfortable.
In addition to this, tights or leggings that have ventilation ankle zippers can be greatly beneficial.
When you’re becoming too hot on a run, you can simply open these zippers to allow for more airflow in the pants.
Style
Lastly, the style of your running pants is another aspect you want to consider.
While comfort is important during a run, you also want to look great too!
Running pants come in a variety of patterns, colors, and designs, so there’s bound to be a pair that suits your style.
Why Wear Running Pants?
Pants or leggings for running have a compressive fit that supports your muscles, increases blood circulation, and reduces the amount of time it takes to recover after exercising.
Furthermore, running pants are flexible and stretchy in material so they stay close to your body. This allows you to move around freely without being restricted.
What Pants to Wear for Running?
The pants you wear when you’re on a run are important to ensure you have the best performance possible.
They need to be flexible, stretchy, and tight-fitting so you can achieve maximum results out of your workout.
Pants or leggings that offer compression features are also a good idea to support your muscles.
Should Running Pants Be Tight?
It’s best to use leggings, tights, or pants that fit snugly around your body so they don’t hinder your movement.
A looser pair of pants could restrict your range of motion and slow you down.
Can You Run in Track Pants?
Wearing track pants for running isn’t recommended as their loose and thick material can make them more difficult to run in.
They also don’t offer much in terms of aerodynamics so you’re likely to get hot pretty quickly during a run.
This is especially true if you live in a hot country.
Pants or attire made from thick fabrics lack breathability, which can increase your risk of developing heatstroke.
Can You Run in Joggers?
Similar to track pants, joggers are not the best gear to wear when you’re on a run.
They might be comfortable, but they can increase your risk of dehydration as they can’t effectively air out body heat.
For this reason alone, I would avoid joggers and stick to running pants, tights, or leggings.
Should I Wear Tight Clothes When Running?
Personally, I think it’s best to wear tight clothes when running as they support your muscles by offering compression.
They also aid with the recovery process after you’ve completed a run.
Lastly, tight clothes stay firmly on your body and don’t move around, which helps prevent chafing.
Best Running Pants for Women Reviews
Best Women’s Running Leggings for Comfort
Saucony Women’s Siberius Tights
Constructed from a combination of polyester and spandex, which makes them soft and flexible to wear.
Saucony Women’s Siberius Tights
These women’s running tights are my personal favorite pair to use during a run as they have a nice fit and look great.
Construction
The tights are constructed from a combination of polyester and spandex, which makes them soft and flexible to wear.
They have a 29-inch inseam for optimal comfort and an interior drawcord to ensure they perfectly fit over your body.
Features
They also have a drawstring closure for extra security.
This pair of tights feature zippered leg openings and grippers to help you effectively cool down when you’re on a run, which is an aspect I really like.
To keep you warm during cold weather, the tights have a plush cozy interior.
Temperature Indicator
Another feature I appreciate on these tights is the temperature gauge indicator they come with. The gauge changes color depending on the temperature outside to make sure you’re prepared for all types of weather.
However, these tights can lack stretchability, which could make them a little too close-fitting, but this is mostly based on your specific body frame.
Specs
- Dimensions: 12.5” x 6.6” x 1.5”
- Construction: Polyester and Spandex
- Style: Full Length
- Color: Black
Pros
- Soft and comfortable
- Zippered leg openings
- Temperature gauge indicator
- Plush interior
Cons
- Can lack stretchability
Best Women’s Running Tights for Recovery
2XU Women Elite MCS Compression Fit Pants
They’re designed from nylon and elastane, alongside MCS (Muscle-Containment-Stamping) properties to target compression to your calves and quads. This reduces muscle fatigue and enhances stability so you recover faster after an intense run.
2XU Women Elite MCS Compression Fit Pants
Compression pants are one of the best styles for recovery and this pair of tights from ZXU are no exception.
They’re designed from nylon and elastane, alongside MCS (Muscle-Containment-Stamping) properties to target compression to your calves and quads.
Reduces Fatigue
This reduces muscle fatigue and enhances stability so you recover faster after an intense run.
The pants have a drawstring closure to give them a tighter fit, as well as flexible fabric to assist and support dynamic movements.
The pants also have flat seams to limit chafing and rubbing.
Lightweight and Durable
I really like how lightweight these running leggings for women are as they’re very comfortable to wear.
Despite being hand wash only, the pants are surprisingly durable and long-lasting.
Another helpful feature that this pair of pants come with are the inner pockets. This is handy for stashing away valuables during a run.
However, the fit on the waistband can be a little tight. Additionally, the material of this pair of trousers is a little thin.
Specs
- Dimensions: 10” x 6” x2”
- Full Length: Nylon and Elastane
- Style and Fit: Compression
- Color: Black/Gold
Pros
- Great for reducing muscle fatigue and increasing stability
- Flexible fit
- Flat seams to reduce chafing
- Inner pockets
Cons
- Waistband can be bit tight
- Material is a little thin
Best Women’s Sweat-Wicking Running Pants
Nike Women’s Pro Tights
One of the best running pants for repelling sweat and moisture are these tights from Nike. The fabrics used are polyester and spandex combined with Dri-FIT technology.
Nike Women’s Pro Tights
Repels Sweat
One of the best running pants for repelling sweat and moisture are these tights from Nike. The fabrics used in the running trousers are polyester and spandex combined with Dri-FIT technology.
The latter works exceptionally well for keeping you dry and cool.
Mesh panels are located on the lower legs of the pants to improve ventilation, which also adds to their great breathability.
Fits Well
The tights are close-fitting for a body-hugging feel.
This allows them to stay firmly on your body without falling down.
The waistband on the tights is thicker than previous styles to heighten your comfort while wearing them.
You can select the tights in a variety of color options like black, navy, and red.
However, these tights from Nike can be a bit see-through, especially the white-colored style.
Specs
- Package Dimensions: 9.84” x 8.58” x 1.26”
- Construction: Polyester and Spandex
- Style: Full Length
- Color: Varied
Pros
- Package Dimensions: 9.84” x 8.58” x 1.26”
- Package Dimensions: 9.84” x 8.58” x 1.26”
- Body-hugging fit
- Thick waistband for comfort
Cons
- Fabric can be a little see-through
Best Women’s High-Waisted Running Tights
ASICS Women’s High-Waisted Pants for Running
Constructed from polyester and elastane for flexibility and comfort to ensure you get the best out of your run.
ASICS Women’s High-Waisted Pants for Running
This ASICS pair of running tights are a great choice if you need practical but high-waisted pants.
They’re constructed from polyester and elastane for flexibility and comfort to ensure you get the best out of your run.
Breathable Material
To make them breathable, the tights are designed using moisture wicking and quick-drying fabric.
There’s also a mesh panel at the back of the trousers to increase airflow.
Design Options
The tights come in a large range of attractive colors and have a reflective logo to increase your visibility when you’re running.
My only issue with these tights is their fairly thick fabric, which can make them a little stiff.
Specs
- Package Dimensions: 12.8” x 4.2” x 2.7”
- Construction: Polyester and Elastane
- Style and Fit: High-Waisted
- Color: Varied
Pros
- Mesh panel for breathability
- High-waisted for comfort
- Moisture wicking and quick-drying fabric
Cons
- Fabric is a little thick
Best Women’s Running Tights for Cold Weather
BALEAF Women’s Thermal Fleece Running Leggings
Made with breathable fabric and has a quick-dry design that wicks moisture to keep you damp-free.
BALEAF Women’s Thermal Fleece Running Leggings
BALEAF thermal running pants are one of the best options for cold weather due to their fleece interior.
This pair of tights is made from polyester and spandex, so they’re incredibly lightweight.
Breathable Material
The fabric is also breathable and has a quick-dry design that wicks moisture to keep you damp-free.
Reflective elements are also included in the construction for great visibility in low light.
Made For Cold Weather
As these tights are targeted for cold weather, they have soft fleece sewn inside to provide you with long-lasting warmth.
Leg zippers are also attached to the tights to help you cool down if you get too hot.
One of my favorite features of these thermal running pants are their secure pockets.
Having pockets on your leggings comes in handy for storing away small items like keys and earphones.
Secured Pockets
The best part about the pockets on these tights is that they come with a zipper so there’s no risk of your items falling out without you noticing.
You can choose the pants in a variety of simple designs, too.
However, these running pants are prone to a couple of problems.
For one, the waistband is a little tight and itchy.
And secondly, the pants are a little short in length and often fall just above your ankle. This isn’t a huge issue unless you prefer a longer length.
Specs
- Construction: Polyester and Spandex
- Style and Fit: Full Length
- Color: Varied
Pros
- Snug fit
- Fleecy interior for warmth and comfort
- Back zippered pockets
- Moisture wicking fabric
Cons
- Waistband can be a bit tight and itchy
- Leg length is a little short
Adidas Originals Women’s 3 Stripe Leggings
These pants have excellent flexibility, the fit allows you to move freely so you can make the most of your run and get the right results.
Adidas Originals Women’s 3 Stripe Leggings
Next up is this pair of running pants from Adidas made from cotton and elastane.
They’re ultra comfortable to wear as they’re made from a soft cotton jersey.
Flexible Material
These pants have excellent flexibility, the fit allows you to move freely so you can make the most of your run and get the right results.
The elastic waistband also stays firmly in place and doesn’t fall down when you’re exercising, which is a great bonus.
Comfortable To Wear
Even though these pants are stretchy, they still retain the right level of softness for comfort during use.
They also come in a variety of colors like black, purple, red as well as many patterns.
However, the fabric of these pants isn’t the best quality and can tear easily. In addition to this, they can be a little see-through.
Specs
- Package Dimensions: 5” x 5” x 0.7”
- Construction: Cotton and Elastane
- Style and Fit: Full Length
- Color: Varied
Pros
- Flexible fabric
- Tight-fitting
- Soft fabric
Cons
- Material isn’t the best quality and can tear easily
- Fabric can be a bit see-through
Oalka Women’s Running Pants
Made from nylon and spandex to give them the right level of flexibility.
Oalka Women’s Running Pants
To improve your performance on your run, this pair of tights is a decent choice.
The trousers are made from nylon and spandex to give them the right level of flexibility.
They feature a high-waist and wide waistband to help with form.
Reduces Skin Irritation
The running tights have interlock seams to reduce chafing and skin irritation, which is perfect for when you’re on a particularly long run.
They also have hidden inner pockets so you can store items like keys and cards.
I like the large number of designs and colors the pants come in so you can discover a style that’s right for you.
Gusset
The pants have a gusseted crotch to allow for ample movement, alongside quick-drying properties to keep you cool.
Unfortunately, the waistband on these trousers is quite wide.
If you require a tighter fitting waistband, then these pants might not be the right or best choice for you.
Additionally, the fabric in general is a little thick and loose, which affects their stretchability.
Specs
- Construction: Nylon and Polyester
- Style and Fit: Full Length
- Color: Varied
Pros
- Made from breathable and quick-drying fabric
- Interlock seams to reduce chafing
- Hidden inner pockets
Cons
- Waistband is a little wide
- Fabric is a bit loose and thick
Reebok Women’s Printed Capri Running Leggings
Ideal for many types of exercises, including running and jogging. Made from quick-drying fabric they’re designed to repel moisture.
Reebok Women’s Printed Capri Running Leggings
Made from polyester and spandex, these Reebok pants are ideal for many types of exercises, including running and jogging. Made from quick-drying fabric they’re designed to repel moisture.
This enables you to have the best run possible without being slowed down by sweat.
Great Fit
The pants have a compression fit that hugs your legs as you move, so they’re extremely comfortable to wear. The fabric also helps increase blood circulation and reduces muscle fatigue.
As the tights are very lightweight and have a 20-inch inseam, they give you a lot of space to move through your workout.
Color Options
You can select the leggings in a wide range of colors, so they’re practical and stylish!
Despite their positives, these pants do have a couple of drawbacks
For one, the seams on the pants can cause a bit of chafing.
Secondly, the fabric isn’t as stretchy as some of the other products I’ve reviewed.
Specs
- Construction: Polyester and Spandex
- Style: Capri
- Color: Varied
Pros
- Quick-drying
- Offers compression
- Lightweight
- Available in a variety of colors
Cons
- Can cause chafing
- Fabric lacks stretchability
UURUN High Waist Yoga Pants Workout Running Leggings with Pockets
High-waisted style which provides tummy control thanks to the unique cut. This design provides you with a comfortable but tight fit and smooths out your body.
UURUN High Waist Yoga Pants Workout Running Leggings with Pockets
Another great pair of running leggings are the UURUN workout pants.
They come with two side pockets, which is convenient for storing valuables while you’re on a run.
Stylish Fit
I really like the high-waisted style which provides tummy control thanks to the unique cut. This design provides you with a comfortable but tight fit and smooths out your body.
The leggings are very stretchy due to their 4-way stretch material.
Anti-Sweat
The fabric is also moisture-wicking, breathable, and durable to provide maximum comfort and mobility.
In addition to all these features, the leggings have a gusset crotch to give you as much room as possible to move when you’re on a run.
Color Options
I like that these tights come in a variety of stylish colors as this lets you be creative with your athletic gear.
However, the seams on these tights can lack a little stretch, which can make the material feel a bit stiff.
The gusset crotch can also be a little saggy, but this usually resolves itself after a few washes.
Specs
- Package Dimensions: 11.75” x 8.95” x 1.4”
- Construction: Polyester and Spandex
- Style: Full Length
- Color: Varied
Pros
- Tummy control material
- Moisture-wicking and breathable
- Gusset crotch for more mobility
- Comes with side pockets
Cons
- Can lack stretchability
- Gusset crotch can be a bit saggy
Conclusion
RAYPOSE Women’s Capri Leggings
Constructed from polyester and spandex, so they’re very flexible and comfortable. The mesh panels and moisture-wicking fabric make these leggings super breathable keeping you dry throughout your run.
RAYPOSE Women’s Capri Leggings
The last pair of leggings I recommend for running are the RAYPOSE workout capri pants.
They’re constructed from polyester and spandex, so they’re very flexible and comfortable.
Helps You Stay Dry
The mesh panels and moisture-wicking fabric make these leggings super breathable keeping you dry throughout your run. There’s also a side pocket so you can keep your mobile phone close to you.
Flexible Fit
Due to the pants’ 4-way stretch fabric, you can move fluidly with no restrictions.
You don’t have to worry about the pants being see-through as they have a thick texture.
For the most part, these pants work well for running purposes, but they can slip down occasionally.
They can also lose stretchability after a few washes.
Specs
- Package Dimensions: 11.8” x 9” x 1”
- Construction: Polyester and Spandex
- Style: Capri
- Color: Varied
Pros
- Not see-through
- 4-way stretch
- Very breathable
- Side pocket
Cons
- Can slip down occasionally
- Can lose stretchability
Conclusion
Let’s take a quick look at all our top picks…
Best Women’s Running Leggings for Comfort
Out of all the products I’ve looked at, I think the best running pants overall are Saucony Women’s Siberius Pants for Running. Not only are they incredibly stretchy and lightweight, but they’re also comfortable to wear, even on a long run.
The pants are made from polyester and spandex so you can move freely around in them. They also have zippered leg openings and grippers to keep you cool when things get a little sweaty. You can use these pants in cold weather as they have a plush interior.
The best feature of these tights is the temperature gauge indicator they come with. To prepare you for all weather conditions, the gauge changes color based on the temperature outside.
Great Alternatives
If Saucony’s pants for running don’t seem like the right choice for you, then two other great options are Nike Women’s Pro Running Tights and ASICS Women’s High-Waisted Running Tights.
Nike’s are the best moisture-wicking pants, while ASCIS’s are the best high-waisted pants.
Thanks For Reading!
Thank you for reading this review. I hope you found it interesting and helpful. For other workout gear or equipment recommendations, check out my other posts, like this review of the best CrossFit shorts and this review of plus size yoga pants.
We also have reviews for workout equipment such as: manual treadmills, ellipticals, upright exercise bikes, vertical climbers, and rowing machines.
