Gear Review: prAna Electa Legging
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MSRP: $89
This time last year, my favorite pair of tights ripped … right down the butt. Luckily my boyfriend was the only one who saw, I hope.
Since then, I’ve been at a bit of a loss when it comes to tights. My other pairs make my legs look fat, and they squeeze my belly too tightly. Another pair ripped in multiple spots around the knees. And when a promising company sent me a pair to test, they were so “light and seamless” that I was embarrassed to wear them.
PrAna, however, ended my bad streak. In fact, the Electa Legging at least rivals, if not tops, my old favorite wrecked pair. The Electa, made with recycled nylon and lycra elastane, is soft and incredibly comfy, with just enough compression for a flattering shape. I like the high-rise cut, which stays in place without being too tight around the middle.
When I first started wearing them, I thought they were too short, which was odd for someone who is 5’4.” But after a few wears, they stretched out just right and now are the perfect three-quarter length. Still, they’re certainly not as long on me as on the model pictured on prAna’s site. Taller women, beware!
The pants come with a four pocket set-up, with each hidden in a criss-cross detailing. The pockets are fairly roomy—they’ll hold your phone, wallet, keys or whatever. When empty, they’re sleek enough to go unnoticed.
Pair these tights with a sporty tank and you’re ready for the gym or the crag, but they’re great for oversized T-shirts and Netflix as well. They’re available in five modern colors—black, coal, atlantic, liqueur, and canopy—and are 50 percent Ultraviolet Protection Factor.
At $89 a pair, these compare to other high-end tights. I’ve worn them for several months now and they’ve definitely held up to my knee-scumming, scootchhing testing techniques. As of yet, no split pants.
Gym Climber vigorously tests all gear it reviews for either 50 days or 50 pitches. This is a time-consuming process and limits the amount of new equipment we can present to our readers. Every year hundreds of new products hit store shelves, and most of these aren’t reviewed due to our stringent selection and review process. To better keep you more up to date on what is new, we present First Look. Gear in First Look has not always been field tested, but is gear we think you’d like to know about as soon as it is available. Some of the gear will be reviewed using our 50 days/50 pitches criteria, in future print and online editions of Gym Climber. We have opted to use affiliate links in our gear reviews. Every time you buy something after clicking on links in our gear articles you’re helping support our magazine.
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