10 Finest Black Leggings, From Health Editors Who’ve Tried Tons of | 2025 Picks

Within the 12 months of our Lord 2025, no wardrobe is full with out a pair of black leggings. Mushy, stretchy tights have turn into as important as blue denims and white T-shirts—put on ’em on cozy nights in, put on ’em whereas exercising, throw on an outsized blazer or sweater and put on ’em to the workplace (in case your gown code permits…use your judgement, we’re not your boss).

However in the case of choices for black leggings, the restrict doesn’t exist. So the SELF workforce started working testing tights from fan-favorite manufacturers like Athleta, Lululemon, Previous Navy, and extra to see that are the easiest on your wants, be that for operating or operating errands, namaste-ing or staying in.

Our prime picks

Finest Total: Athleta Salutation Stash Excessive-Rise Legging
Runner Up: Aritzia PowerSculpt New Cheeky Hello-Rise Legging
Finest Finances Decide: Previous Navy Excessive-Waisted PowerSoft Leggings
Finest for Lounging: Vuori AllTheFeels Legging
Finest for Most Exercises: Lululemon Wunder Prepare Excessive-Rise Tight
Finest for Compression: Spanx Form Booty Enhance 7/8 Leggings
Finest for Lifting: Underneath Armour Meridian Leggings
Finest for Yoga: Adidas Ladies’s All Me 7/8 Leggings
Finest for Sporting All Day: Nike Ladies’s Light Help Excessive-Waisted Full-Size Leggings
Finest Maternity Leggings: Hole Maternity On a regular basis Full Panel Leggings

What to search for when selecting black leggings

First issues first: What are you shopping for these leggings for? A pair meant for bodily exercise will want particular options—like moisture-wicking supplies or compression—that may not be as vital to you if the plan is to put on them whereas catching up on Severance. Listed below are some standards to remember as you weigh your choices.

How we selected the leggings on this record

SELF editors sifted by means of on-line evaluations to search out beloved leggings internationally broad internet, then put a few of the prime picks by means of their paces. Testers wore their leggings for a number of actions—together with operating, yoga, biking, and college pickup—over the course of the testing interval (testing time assorted by particular person, nevertheless it was no less than one month lengthy) and washed them in response to the care directions. We additionally thought of previous winners from SELF’s Activewear Awards.

Store the perfect black leggings

In a sea of black leggings, these are prime catches.

Finest Total: Athleta Salutation Stash Excessive-Rise Legging

Execs

• Supersoft cloth
• Sturdy; holds as much as years of exercises and washings
• Roomy leg pocket doesn’t add bulk to the silhouette

Cons

• Not probably the most compressive possibility on this record

There’s an excellent motive why Athleta’s Salutation Stash leggings took prime honors in our 2024 Activewear Awards: They’re comfortable, supple, and final perpetually. “These are my all the pieces leggings! I’ve been shopping for the Stash from Athleta for years, they usually maintain up,” one awards tester stated. “I train barre, raise weights, hike trails, and browse the aisles of Dealer Joe’s in them always.”

I like how the waistband helps my core with out rearranging my organs, and the material mix (which incorporates moisture-wicking nylon, Lycra, and polyester) can stand as much as sweaty exercise classes—consider me, I sweat a ton.

Runner Up: Aritzia PowerSculpt New Cheeky Hello-Rise Legging

Execs

• Sculpting waistband with a drawstring
• Obtainable in numeric sizing for a extra exact match

Cons

• No pockets
• Not very size-inclusive

Don’t sleep on Aritzia’s activewear. The Cheeky Hello-Rise Leggings within the model’s PowerSculpt cloth are easy, modern, and keep put by means of each squat, lunge, and ahead fold. In case you love the type’s booty-lifting look however desire a much less compressive match, the identical design is offered in 5 totally different materials that, in response to Aritzia, are higher for decrease and medium-impact actions.

Finest Finances Decide: Previous Navy Excessive-Waisted PowerSoft Leggings

Execs

• Underneath $40—and infrequently on sale for much less
• Facet pockets
• Sweat-wicking cloth

Cons

• Reviewers report they run small

Professional tip: You don’t must spend a bundle to get a high quality pair of black leggings. Previous Navy’s Excessive-Waisted PowerSoft Leggings have been the number-one decide by SELF readers in our 2024 Activewear Awards, they usually’ll run you simply $40 (even much less after they’re on sale, which is commonly). “They’re snug AF, slimming, they usually really keep up throughout runs! I actually have 25 pairs, they usually’re the one bottoms I’ll do races in,” one tester stated. “The facet pockets are so nice, I don’t even must put on operating belts throughout my coaching runs to maintain my cellphone, gum, and keys useful.”

Finest for Lounging: Vuori AllTheFeels Legging

Execs

• Light-weight cloth has nice stretch
• Mushy, brushed feeling

Cons

• Knit materials can maintain in warmth and sweat

“After years of sporting and writing about leggings, I lastly know what manufacturers are speaking about after they say their tights have a ‘second pores and skin’ really feel, thanks to those leggings,” SELF’s senior commerce author Sara Coughlin says. “They’re lighter than air, endlessly stretchy, and actually a pleasure to put on.” Coughlin wore the Vuori leggings for a complete day: She lounged on the sofa, she went for a stroll, she performed with the canine, “and I by no means as soon as felt distracted by my leggings,” she says.

Nonetheless, she doesn’t suggest this pair for exercises as a result of their thicker, knit materials traps in warmth and moisture. “The leggings felt nice whereas I used to be stretching, however began to really feel slightly heat once I began lifting weights and transferring round,” Coughlin says about sporting the AllTheFeels to the gymnasium. “I’m nonetheless glad to have them in my closet—they are surely uniquely and blissfully snug—however now I do know they’re strictly lounging leggings.”

Finest for Exercises: Lululemon Wunder Prepare Excessive-Rise Tight

Execs

• Extensive, snug waistband with pocket
• Obtainable in 4 lengths
• Fast-drying cloth

Cons

• Reviewers say the material feels skinny (however not flimsy)
• No facet pockets

Lululemon’s Wunder Prepare Tight is designed for the gymnasium or health studio (however nonetheless appears to be like sharp out to brunch or bopping round city). This pair is comprised of the model’s Everlux cloth, which is a mix of sweat-wicking nylon and Lycra. It options four-way stretch (so the leggings are simply as versatile as you’re) and has medium compression, so it’s extra supportive than the model’s fashionable Align and Wunder Underneath kinds however is simply as comfortable to the contact.

With numeric sizes from 0 by means of 20 and 4 accessible lengths, you may combine and match specs to search out your good match; then cinch the waistband’s drawstring in the event you want much more customization. Throughout my testing—which included a number of sweaty Peloton biking lessons and energy coaching classes—I discovered the Wunder Trains to be extra light-weight and slightly looser than the Athleta Salutations. (In case you like a delicate maintain, go on your common dimension; I’d suggest sizing up in the event you desire much less compression and down for a tighter match.)

Finest for Compression: SPANXshape Booty Enhance 7/8 Leggings

Execs

• Contoured waistband and no middle entrance seam
• Squat-proof cloth stays opaque when you transfer

Cons

• Could also be too tight for some
• Not accessible in full-length

In case your prime precedence with leggings is wanting snatched, we’ve discovered your match. Shapewear model Spanx is doing what it does greatest with the SPANXshape Booty Enhance Leggings: The pair’s modern, slippery cloth affords a lot assist, I really feel like a Bond woman (or a seal…however, like, in a great way?) once I put on them.

This type has additionally taken house SELF Activewear Awards a number of years, proving it has extra to supply than attractiveness by holding as much as hard-core CrossFit circuits and dance cardio lessons. “These are perfection,” stated one tester, who wears a dimension 2X. “They didn’t transfer. The leggings are high-waisted and canopy my whole tummy as a plus-size lady. The place have these leggings been all my life?”

Finest for Weightlifting: Underneath Armour Ladies’s UA Meridian Leggings

Execs

• Obtainable in brief lengths and in plus sizes
• Two facet pockets

Cons

• Reviewers report instances of VPL (seen panty traces)