They let me return final sale items at my local store once, so def. an upvote for customer service.

I'm back with my super long write ups for the review side of this forum lol. Hopefully you guys enjoy this ones just as much as the Saint Laurent boots I did a few months back!

As always, if you want to see a video review on this, I've attached the link with more shots and further detail on the joggers.

Video Review

Introduction:

So I've been living in sweats since the start of this whole quarantine and it got me really interested in trying to find the best pair of sweats out there. If I was going to be wearing these more than I have ever before than I wanted the best pair around. I previously only had a few pairs of the Nike Tech Fleece Joggers but added on the Alphalete Premium, the Lululemon ABC, and the Outdoor Voices CloudKnit over the course of the past 6 months. There are still a few more I want to try but this was a good start for me.

For reference: these are all size medium.

I’m 5’10”, 175 lbs.

32 waist, 31-32 inseam.

Outdoor Voices Cloudknit:

Getting started with these, the Outdoor Voices were my favorite for just lounging around the house. They had the stretchiest and softest material by far with a smooth and buttery feel. They were very lightweight and weren't overly warm. As stretchy as they were, they bounced right back into shape which is always a good sign of a quality garment.

The design is fairly minimal with no branding and no paneling. There is a single rear pocket and two up front with the drawstrings facing outwards. There isn't a cuff so these technically classify as sweats but they taper down aggressively to still feel modern.

There are only sold in navy, charcoal, and a light grey color so color options are limited.

They're fairly unstructured so I did not prefer these to wear out as they looked a bit sloppy in my eyes. They were made for comfort and they definitely delivered on that. You'll definitely feel as if you have nothing on with the breathable fabric. I reach for these when I'm at home or when I have long road trips (and hopefully future flights once stuff clears up).

These retail for $88 but a 15% off promo is always available on their website. The lowest I've seen them go is 20% off a few times a year. This is one of those items of clothing that you have to get in hand to truly appreciate.

Nike Tech Fleece Joggers:

These were my first pair of joggers. I bought the navy color way back in 2015. The Nike Tech Fleece collection as launched in 2013 and were one of the biggest reasons joggers went mainstream. These were seen on countless athletes and celebrities in their peak and were super prevalent in the Hypebeast world. They used to be the gold standard but others have caught up since.

The design of these are very nice. The most iconic feature is the rubber black stripe that runs alongside the oversized pocket on the right side. The paneling on these help give it a technical look which adds a nice subtle detail compared to the others on the list. The Tech Fleece collection took inspiration from wetsuits so they wear warm. I've worn these in January in New York and they kept me surprisingly warm. They fit nice and snug and taper heavily down to the elastic cuff. This is perfect for streetwear looks and highlight your shoes well.

These do have a few flaws. The quality isn't the greatest and I've had my fray and pill in heavily use areas. The material stretches out after a few hours and doesn't bounce back into shape leaving deformed look. They shrink when you wash them which helps with the shape but leads to these being shorter and higher than I would prefer.

I own three of these only because I love the way they look with a pair of sneakers. They retail for $110 which is outrageous for the quality but they go on sale frequently for around $75. I think there are better quality options around but if you want to buy these for the design, I wouldn't blame you one bit.

Alphalete Premium Joggers:

Moving on to the Alphalete Premium joggers, I had seen these all over Youtube and Instagram and decided to pull the trigger to see what the hype was about. Right off the bat, the nylon spandex blend was cool to the touch and almost as stretchy as the Outdoor Voices. This made them great for hotter Texas days.

I primarily wear these to workout in and are great for a leg days. They have no resistance when squatting allowing for full range of motion. The material also bounces back into shape and doesn't get deformed after being stretched.

The design of them are fairly simple with minimal branding all over. The exposed flat lock stitching makes for a nice subtle detail. The front pockets are both zippered and rear pockets are exposed. Overall these are a solid pair of joggers but they also have their issues.

The elastic in the waistband raveled onto itself after the first wash and makes it uncomfortable to wear sometimes when it's pressing into your hips. The rear pockets are on the smaller end and I've had my phone drop out of them several times. The 3D branding has held up relatively well but they do break off and fade overtime.

At $68 they're not bad if you're looking for a pair to primarily workout in. The fabric and fit are very nice but if they could iron out the minor issues and how they hold up, Alphalete could have a killer product on their hands.

Lululemon ABC:

Lastly, lets get into the Lululemon ABC. ABC stands for Anti-Ball Crushing which they do by adding an extra panel near the crotch. This moves the tension when you sit down to two seams instead of one making them super comfortable. The sweat wicking fabric isn't the softest and wasn't my favorite when I felt it in hand, but they feel really comfortable when you have them on. The panelling is limited to the rear and around the pocket regions and don't make these look overly technical. The drawstrings give you the versatility of having them on the inside or outside depending on your preference. The front pockets are plenty deep and even feature a smaller pocket within for keys and smaller goods. I love the addition of a rear zippered pocket and the industrial grade zipper.

These joggers are the most structured of the bunch. These are my go-to's for anytime I want to run some errands or go out and about. They're about as dressed up as sweats can look and look right at home with a pair of common projects and a well fitting tee as seen here. Although not as comfortable as the Outdoor Voices, I like traveling with these because of the deep pockets and the zippered rear pocket for valuables. The overall feel from the drawstrings to the zipper is very high quality. The fit and finish are what you would expect from Lululemon and do not disappoint at all. They aren't as snug as the others leaving you some room but still being taper down well.

The only drawback to these is that they aren't ideal for working out in and the fact that they run slightly long. Lululemon does offers free hemming to help nail the length but I haven't had time to take mine in. These are my newest pair of joggers so I can attest to long term wear and tear but Lululemon's customer service is amongst the best and usually take care of any problems that might come up.

At $128, they're insanely pricey for some joggers but might be worth the splurge if you're in athleisure a lot. The quality along with the customer service if anything goes wrong makes the price worth it.

Is Lululemon overpriced? Yes. Have I found another company that has some of the best fabric in the game and some amazing customer service? No. Does that make them worth it? For me, yes.

If I had to pick one pair for the rest of my life, these would be it for their versatility and aesthetics.

Overall Rank (value + quality + customer service):

1. Lululemon ABC

2. Outdoor Voices Cloudknits

3. Alphalete Premium

4. Nike Tech Fleece

Obviously each of these is used for a different purpose so I enjoy them all for what they are great at but if I had to rank them I think the above would be it. If you guys have any recommendations for sweats and joggers that you swear by, lmk and I'd love to check them out!