by Outside Expert, Jeff Grace

 

Alo Yoga Men's Warrior Compression Yoga Pants ($49.99)

Fabrics: 80% Nylon, 20% Spandex

 

These pants are extremely light and supportive with an impressive 20% Spandex material. When it comes to compression pants, you want to have them feel like they are a second skin, which these do.

 

The construction of these pants is great in the way that you do not feel the seams, while the waistband is strong and supportive. The drawstring is on the outside, which I am not the biggest fan of for compression pants.

 

The material is breathable and does a good job of wicking moisture. A great option when looking for support and some leg compression.

 

Styles of Yoga: Hot and Vinyasa

 

 

Manduka Men's The Now Yoga Pants ($66)

Fabrics: 92% Sorona®, 8% Spandex

 

This is an unusual blend of materials.  The Sorona is a new, light and very comfortable material that is branded as an eco-efficient performance material from its developer, DuPont. It is very breathable and has effective moisture wicking qualities. 

 

The pants are slim fitting, but still feel roomy, which I really like. They are loose around the hips and taper down the legs.

 

I found that with how they fit and the qualities of the blend of fabrics, these pants have a lot of versatility in when you can wear and use them.

 

The waistband has a mesh lining, which is very comfortable. The one downside of the design, in my opinion, is that the drawstring does not adjust very easily. 

 

Styles of Yoga: Hatha, Vinyasa, Restorative and Yin

 

 

prAna Men's Sutra Pants ($75) 

Fabrics: 53% Hemp, 44% Recycled PET, 3% Lycra

 

I love these pants! I bought my first pair of prAna Sutra pants five years ago and wear them most days of the week during the winter time. The fabric blend is extremely comfortable and they are very light and loose fitting.

 

Although the material is thin, I have found the pants to be very durable throughout the years.

 

The one aspect of these pants that I would like to see improved is the waist. It is very comfortable, but I do find myself adjusting the tightness quite often.

 

Styles of Yoga: Hatha, Vinyasa, Restorative and Yin

 

 

Spiritual Gangster Varsity Sweatpant Joggers ($85.99)

Fabrics: 80% Cotton, 20% Polyester

 

The blend of the cotton and polyester gives these pants the feel of traditional sweat pants, which is definitely comfortable. The inside of the pants almost has the same feeling as fleece does and provides a great deal of warmth.

 

The waistband is comfortable and easily adjustable, but does not feel as secure as some of the others that I tested. Although it is marketed as having a slim fit, I found that – for my body – there is more room around the hips than expected. The pants then taper down with larger cuffs around the ankles. If you are someone who likes this style, they are definitely very comfortable.

 

This material is not very breathable nor is it moisture wicking. I enjoyed using them in restorative classes, but for other types of practices I found them to be too warm. 

 

Styles of Yoga: Restorative & Meditative

 

 

Vuori Mens Balboa Pants ($84)

Fabrics: 94% Cotton, 5.5% Spandex

 

The blend of cotton and spandex makes these pants extremely comfortable. They are heavier than your typical yoga pants.

 

I love the fit. The cotton is soft and the spandex provides a feeling of structure and durability. The waistband is comfortable and easy to adjust. They are loose around the hips and have a gradual taper down to the ankles. 

 

I like a smaller cuff around the ankles, which is what these have. The one drawback of this is that it does not have the support around the ankle that the larger cuffs do.

 

Styles of Yoga: Gentle Hatha, Restorative and Yin

 

Learn more about sport-specific and therapeutic yoga instructor, Jeff Grace!

Jeff specializes in Swimming Specific Yoga and offers online classes and courses specifically for swimmers. Learn more!