REASONS TO BUY
Very breathable
Ultralight construction
Quick drying
Great snug fit
REASONS TO AVOID
Not as comfortable as merino fabric
Odlo Performance Light Bottoms - Women's Review
A highly breathable layer that dries quickly, making it exceptional for intense cool to cold weather activity
Perfect for the fall, spring, and intense winter training, the Odlo Performance Light offers ventilation to keep you dry during your favorite activities.
Credit: Toby Swimmer
Our Verdict
The Odlo Performance Light Bottoms are made for the athlete focused on year-round performance. These bottoms feature a combination of Norwegian design and Swiss construction, and are specially designed to breathe efficiently and wick moisture away from the body. It quickly became apparent that these bottoms were worthy of our fast-paced activities. From trail runs to backcountry skiing, these are our go-to pair of bottoms if we plan on breaking a sweat, and work equally well through the shoulder seasons.
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Odlo Performance Light Bottoms are designed to keep you warm during intense activity with features that include body-mapping ventilation that won't allow you to overheat and a fabric that dries quickly on the body. This synthetic pair consists of 69% polyester, 27% polyamide, and 4% elastane.
Performance Comparison
We love the Odlo Performance Light for desert trail runs during the fall.
Credit: Toby Swimmer
Warmth
When considering this metric, we note the weight of each base layer, from lightweight models geared towards high output activity to heavyweight thermal fabric that will keep you warm while riding the chair lift. The layers that offered the most warmth while we were exposed to the elements received higher scores. Keep in mind that a high score in this category is not necessarily desired for high-output activity.
The Odlo Performance Light Bottoms are meant to keep you warm enough while moving without leaving you sweaty and, eventually, shivering. The heavily ventilated construction is not designed to be your warmest winter layer. It is designed to keep you warm during activities such as fall training runs and winter cross-country skiing by allowing the moisture to be wicked away from the body and released through extensive ventilation. As a synthetic layer, it hardly compares to the warmth of a lightweight merino wool layer. However, when pushing your heart rate during strenuous activity in cool to cold temps, we found the Odlo Performance Light to be a great option offering warmth by not allowing for sweat to build up beneath your layers.
This is our favorite layer for spring skiing when you're not quite ready to give up the added warmth and performance of a long underwear bottom.
Credit: Trish Matheny
Breathability
To test the level of breathability for each base layer, we take note of the fabric that made up the construction of the garment, whether or not the layer was merino wool or synthetic, and finally the level of thickness, from light to heavyweight. Next, we brave the elements to assess how well each base layer was able to breathe, wick away moisture, thereby keeping us warm and dry. We also note how quickly the layers are able to dry out after being soaked in sweat or moisture from the elements.
After taking one look at the Odlo Performance Light Bottoms, we knew they would breathe well due to the seamlessly integrated ventilation zones. The ventilation did not allow for much moisture to accumulate while we were out on our bike or running the trails. Sweat was wicked away from our skin remarkably effectively. The material is quite thin, somewhere in between pantyhose and a cotton legging, so best to stay in motion when wearing these leggings in colder weather conditions.
Similar ventilation to the Icebreaker 260 Zone, these vents below the waistband allow for the bottoms to shed excess moisture.
Credit: Toby Swimmer
Comfort and Fit
Both breathability and warmth are crucial considerations as you decide on your base layers. However, if the layer does not fit appropriately and offers a low level of comfort, it doesn't matter how warm it is or how well it breathes. We test for comfort and fit by wearing each pair of long underwear for the day, from drinking coffee by the fire to performing during activity, then we recorded our experiences, giving the layers that were the most comfortable throughout the day higher scores.
We love the overall fit of the Odlo Performance Light Bottoms. While not as comfortable as a soft merino wool construction, we found they are comfortable enough to forget about when we were out exploring the trails. The fabric allows for freedom of movement, and the flatlock seams prevent chafing for an increased level of comfort. Don't be fooled by the European sizing, these bottoms are designed for a form-fitting and secure fit to increase their level of warmth and prevent excess airflow. During testing, we found these leggings to fit true to size; however, if you find that your measurements put you between sizes, consider sizing up.
The low profile waistband is a good reason to purchase these bottoms true to size; if properly fit, it holds them in place during any activity.
Credit: Toby Swimmer
Durability
For this metric, we record the daily wear and tear we experienced with each pair of long underwear during aerobic activity. After trusting these base layers to keep us warm during rock climbing adventures and cold trail runs during the change of season, we evaluate the impact of those activities on each pair of long underwear. We give higher scores to the layers that are able to keep up with us without stretching out, as well as the layers that displayed the highest level of quality and craftsmanship.
The Odlo Performance Light Bottoms feature a solid construction. However, the fabric is ultralight, requiring a level of care to make these leggings last. Odlo recommends always machine-washing these leggings with cold water and hanging them to dry which will prevent the material from being compromised by heat from the dryer.
Real testing takes place on real trails. The Odlo Performance Light Bottoms offer the durability needed while trail running through sage and rabbitbrush.
Credit: Trish Matheny
Drying Speed
When considering the overall drying speed for each garment, our testers got started by soaking each layer in a stream, wringing them out, tossing them on a line to dry, and starting our stopwatch to track time. As expected, this super lightweight and thin synthetic material dried fast, featuring a drying speed of only 42 minutes.
In order to measure the drying speed on the body, we worked up a sweat on the skin track before returning home to start our timer. These bottoms were delightfully dry after just 25 minutes. Additionally, while out on our ski tour, we noted they dry almost immediately when exposed to fresh air and sunshine on the mountain. If you're looking for a quick-drying, ultra-thin, and high-performing long underwear bottom, the Performance Light is at the top of our list.
The minimalist Odlo Performance Light Bottoms were one of the fastest to dry on the line during our spring testing period.
Credit: Trish Matheny
Layering Ability
Though the Performance Light Bottoms are incredibly thin and leave a ton of extra room in your layering kit, we experienced a little bit of “grab” or friction between our synthetic ski bibs and these bottoms. This friction was barely noticeable when out on a ski tour and required absolutely no adjustment, but it was more than we initially anticipated. That said, these bottoms are barely detectable when layered beneath rain or puffy pants with a smoother interface.
Our testers love the super minimal yet highly functional waistband that sits above the natural waistline, leaving extra room to fasten those layers just below the belly button. Really no complaints here — these ultralight bottoms perform well with any additional layers over the top.
The Odlo bottoms are the perfect layer for spring skiing and easy to layer beneath your ski bibs for minimal bulk.
Credit: Trish Matheny
Should You Buy the Odlo Performance Light Bottoms?
We're excited that this pair of synthetic long underwear is available for less than the cost of its Merino wool competitors. Features such as body mapping ventilation allow the material to breathe and dry quickly with the heat your body produces during activity. The flatlock seams increase overall comfort, making these bottoms even more worthy of their affordable price tag. At a featherweight 3.1 ounces for a size medium, these are an excellent addition to your lightweight base layer kit.
Drying in only 42 minutes on our climbing rope, these ultralight bottoms feature one of the fastest drying speeds.
Credit: Trish Matheny
What Other Long Underwear Should You Consider?
If you prefer synthetic fabric and want to save even more bucks, the REI Co-op Midweight Tights are another great pair to consider, as is the REI Co-op Lightweight Base Layer Tights. Neither is quite as light as the Odlo Performance Light, but the price point is definitely appealing. Our very favorite synthetic pair, however, is the Patagonia Capilene Thermal Weight. If you'd like to dip your toes in the world of Merino wool without emptying your pocketbook, the Ridge Merino Inversion Heavyweight Merino Leggings and the Ridge Aspect Merino High Rise are both great options to consider.
—
Trish Matheny
You Might Also Like
