Lole Lively Review
Our Verdict
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Lole Lively is made with 88% Supplex nylon and 12% elastane. This pant comes in XXS-XL sizes as well as a Regular 32" inseam and a Tall 35" inseam. The current colors available are Dark Charcoal, Black, Blue Corn and Oyster.
Performance Comparison
Breathability
According to the manufacturer, they added “a special treatment to wick moisture from your skin and keep your body dry.” While we did stay slightly drier in this pant than the Salutation Legging, we still experienced extreme sweaty crotch syndrome in them. While your skin has sweat glands over its entire surface, the human body has extra glands located in areas with hair follicles, such as the armpits and groin. So when you start building your internal body heat and sweating during yoga, even in a non-heated class, you are going to produce more sweat in your groin area than your ankles. Little did we know how much sweat though, until we tried out this pair of pants. While the lighter color that we tested clearly shows moisture more than a darker color, the heavy material and lack of breathability had us sweatier than other models. We had the same issue with Lole's Salutation Legging, only in that case the cotton material retained the moisture for over an hour after class even on a hot summer day. At least in the case of these pants the synthetic material dried quickly. If you do any type of heated yoga or perspire heavily (like us, apparently) then our Top Pick for Hot Yoga, the Onzie Long Legging, or the equally breathable 90 Degree by Reflex Power Flex pants are better options.
Ease of Movement
These pants scored poorly in this category as well. The heavy material is a little constricting, and the high rise and overworked waistband gets in the way of forward bends. There are two layers of fabric on the waistband and then four layers around the internal key pocket. This extra material bunches up and impedes forward folds.
Comfort & Fit
The Lole Lively pant have a high rise in the waistband, which our testers did not particularly like. While we don't like waistbands that ride so low as to reveal all in Downward Facing Dog, there is a happy medium in the middle that this pant overshoots. The material is not as comfortable against the skin as the softer Salutation Legging, though we did like the straight leg design.
Durability
Even after only a few washes we started to notice some pilling of the material. While the heavy fabric on this model is less likely to wear through than a thinner material, like on the 90 Degree by Reflex Power Flex pants, the real test for a pair of yoga pants is if they can withstand repeated washing and friction, say from your legs rubbing against themselves. Pills ruin the look and feel of your yoga pants. The Athleta Revelation and Prana Audrey pants held up to repeated washing and wear better than this model.
Style
Sometimes a manufacturer will add style elements to a pant to make it stand out from a crowd and hopefully sell, because otherwise all black yoga pants look alike. While we appreciate efforts to mix it up, they missed the mark with the two-tone and overworked waistband.
Best Applications
Even though Lole touts these pants for yoga, overall they did not seem well-suited for the sport. The material is too heavy for vigorous exercise and the waistband too bulky. We'd use these pants for light gym workouts, walks, and as around the house loungers instead of yoga.
Value
These pants cost a staggering $105. While we might be willing to pay this much for a pair of technical pants if they were high performing and lasted forever, that's not the case here. These were the most expensive pants in the review and also the lowest scoring in our tests.
Conclusion
The Lole Lively pants are expensive, heavy and poorly designed. Of all the models we tested in this review, these were our least favorite and the last pair we'd want to practice in. Check out our full Review to see which models we did like.