Sweaty Betty Power 7/8 Review

The Sweaty Betty Power 7/8 is a heavy-hitting workout legging with great compression, flattering lines, and handy pockets. Our testers loved to wear it across many different activities, but especially those where we knew we'd be moving at a faster pace, or pushing ourselves a bit harder.

Comfort & Fit

The Sweaty Betty Power is more comfortable than most high-compression leggings, mainly because of its less compressive waistband that doesn't leave us feeling squished. We appreciated the even distribution of support in the legs. The waistband stays in place yet feels slightly less compressive than the legs, which made it easier for our testers to breathe deeply on runs and lifting sessions. We can't describe them as cozy or ultra-soft, but we wear them as everyday leggings and don't notice any distracting features.

The Sweaty Betty Power features extensive contour seaming, which gives it a more sculpting fit than any other legging in this lineup. The seams feel well-placed because, while many high-compression leggings pinch at the hip crease or behind the knees, we never experienced that with these leggings. The fabric isn't ultra-soft, but it is smooth enough to feel comfortable when the material moves against our skin. We tested this thoroughly on runs where the thighs repeatedly rub together and never noticed any rubbing or irritation - no chuff rub! The fabric is compressive, so we do feel that tension holding our muscles firmly in lunges and deep knee bends. The waistband is breathable and never digs. Some of our testers loved this freedom; others found they had to repeatedly hike up the waistband after doing squats or lunges; it really just depends on your body type. Although it's no match for yoga leggings in unrestricted mobility, it was more comfortable than most training leggings when we tested it in seated forward folds or hanging rag dolls.

The 7/8 crop hits just above the ankle, while the smooth fabric maintains a streamlined, close-to-the-body fit.   Credit: Abriah Wofford

We don't usually gush about seams, but these deserve an award for a body-contouring fit, with seams that enhance shape while maintaining a support structure for training.   Credit: Abriah Wofford

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The seam design on the Sweaty Betty Power is one of our all-time favorites for body contouring. The front seams taper from the front hip points downward into a lovely line that accentuates the curves of the thighs. The back seam looks like a downward crescent moon that frames the seat of the pants. All of our testers thought it was very flattering and made the bum pop in a perky way.

Compression & Support

The Sweaty Betty Power ranks in our top two for our compression metric because it balances compression, comfort, and practical, everyday wear in a way that makes it easy to transition between most low- and high-impact activities we tested. While there are more aggressive technical training tights that we can recommend, this one blows past every other in terms of balancing compression and versatility. It was easier to forget we were wearing compression tights than in most other designs.

We love that it supports our legs and provides solid support around our abs while still allowing us to breathe and stretch through the waistband. We tested it through reps of lunges and squats, and the fabric hugged our quads, glutes, and hamstrings evenly. It didn't bag excessively around the knees during squats and popped back into shape when we straightened our legs. We really noticed the compression while running; our thighs felt held, and our muscles had less bounce, unlike the jiggling that can happen when we run in our yoga leggings. The contouring seams and stretchy material help prevent the tin-man-tight effect that can happen with some training leggings, so we liked that they didn't pinch at the hips or knees when we broke into full sprints. Our testers agree that the Power's compression is much more wearable than most training tights.

Breathability

The Sweaty Betty Power is not as breathable as other options we tested. The thick knit that provides such great compression holds more heat. Where the material really nails it is in its quick-dry performance. We noticed they usually dry enough to head to town within 20 minutes of a run or after a sweaty workout, and we clocked them drying in under half an hour after hot yoga. When we wore these on mid-day runs, we felt they trapped more body heat during runs than leggings with thinner material or venting panels. However, they scored in the upper range on our air permeability tests. So even with a thicker material, they provide decent airflow through the fabric.

Even though they squeeze our legs, we didn't feel like we were marinated in them. Because they are a thicker material, we did notice sweat build-up, especially in the lower back and behind the knees on some runs. It dries so quickly that we are happy with its performance as a dependable hard-workout legging in moderate temperatures.

We did a stress test “warm environment hike,” and while these started out comfortable, the fabric felt increasingly warm during sustained uphill sections. Some clinginess developed once sweat levels increased, and heat buildup was more noticeable than with lighter technical options. No major chafing issues, though ventilation felt average. The breathability is great for air-conditioned gym workouts or early fall runs.

Durability & Recovery

The Sweaty Betty Power are one of the most durable leggings in our test. They survived over twenty wash-and-dry cycles, and even without pampering them by line-drying, they show no fraying or pilling. The beautiful blue that one tester wore is as vibrant as when she unboxed them. They have excellent shape retention and show no wear after we really abused them in the gym and outdoors, even taking them on some climbing routes, which earns them a top spot in this metric for high-intensity leggings.

In our fabric tests, the Sweaty Betty Power's material snaps back into place with a pop, and in our squat test, it forms to our legs as soon as we stand back up. They earn a nine out of ten for shape retention. After three months of heavy use, they still fit tight and even on our legs.

We wore them in the gym, and they withstood abrasion from equipment. We even wore them while crack climbing, and the material did really well after being crammed into sandstone slots — no snags, no surface abrasion, no rips - unlike our tester's bloodied fingertip. We keep wearing them to the crag and on hikes because of their durability. Although their intended use is the gym, we think they are a solid hiking option. They never got a nick in the fabric when we picnicked on a log for lunch.

Versatility

Versatility is the Sweaty Betty Power's defining metric. Among all our high-support leggings, we find them consistently capable for almost anything our day has in store. Their home turf is HIIT, yet they are durable enough for hiking and comfortable for daily wear. Even though they are designed for the gym, we wear them to town and the home office too. Plus, we love the pockets.

We liked these leggings for most activities, which is rare for a compressive legging. Their excellent stretch makes them a decent option for yoga. However, the compression and less-soft material don't make them our favorite for restorative classes or yin yoga. They are also comfortable for daily wear, but we find them a little too compressive for true lounging. They are not our couch potato pick.

The pockets are very handy. We were able to put a phone in them, go into headstands with it, and it stayed secure against our hips. Our favorite is the zip pocket on the back waistband. It lies surprisingly flat and easily holds a card, keys, or a small running snack with zero bounce. Some testers even put their phones in the back zip and found it secure on runs.

Should You Buy The Sweaty Betty Power 7/8 Workout Leggings?

If you want a durable HIIT workhorse or just want leggings with sculpting power, the Sweaty Betty Power is our favorite gym legging with pockets. If you want a softer legging for stretching, we recommend options with less compression and a roll-over waistband. Overall, though, it is harder to find a better all-arounder for different activities that is this compressive; for most, comfort drops off pretty quickly. Our yoga testers usually don't prefer strong compression, and even they enjoyed stretching in this legging. The Power does have a higher price point, but we feel its durability and versatility justify the spend.

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