3.11.2019

Outdoor Voices Comparison Review + Q&A


I had you guys send in questions for my Outdoor Voices review and whew were there a lot!! Thank you guys so much for sending those in. I hopefully covered everything you need to know about the different styles of tops and bottoms of OV I own!





I'll be the first to admit that I don't like paying a lot of money for workout clothes. And for some reason ALL of them are so expensive! So I was introduced to Outdoor Voices during one of their sample sales in the city. I had heard all the hype so I wanted to check to see what it was all about. I kind of went in blind and picked up anything that was in my size and walked out. Tried out a size M in everything except for one pair of leggings I bought in a L (which were too big for me).

I went home and tried them on and over the next few weeks tried them out in my workout classes. I had two TechSweat crops (which are the same as the red padded bra above) and two pairs of the 7/8 warmup leggings (like the grey above). And almost instantly, I was pretty hooked.

Then came the holidays and they had their Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale and I snagged some more goodies and in the new year they had one last sale and thats when the obsession really became real. OV had taken over my workout wardrobe and I found myself constantly reaching for them and eventually getting rid of a ton of other leggings!

TechSweat Crop (bra): I get why they want to call it a crop top but really it's a long bra. And it's my favorite thing out of all my Outdoor Voices. It's inanely comfortable, it fits in all the right places and has cups! There are some cons as well, which we'll talk about below, but overall I give this an A!

Sizing: I wear a M but could probably go with a small. If you're in between sizes, size down. It is very stretchy so you'll be good! I personally don't like my tops too tight so the extra room is what I like. I'm a M/6 in tops and a 34DD in bras.

Great For: Lounging, Barre, Yoga, Pilates 

Pros:
High Neckline -- I love how high this part is. For the larger chested girls you'll be with me on this! The last thing I want is to be worrying about overflowing or popping out during workout. Now I can do planks and mountain climbers without issue.

Coverage -- The way this bra is cut around the front, top, sides and back is flattering for any body type (IMO) -- especially for mine! I find my back is much more likely to roll over than my front and this bra does a great job of covering all of that up!

Comfort -- Like I said above, this bra is really comfortable. It's very stretchy and breathable which I like a lot when working out. This also becomes my go-to bra when I'm lounging around at home because it gives me just the right amount of support without being too much. 

Cons:
The Cups -- So this only happens in one of my three TechSweat bras but the cups can get rolled up in the wash and become indented (or heavily wrinkled) so it looks weird through the bra. It shows through and can just like you have winkled boobs lol. But again, this only happens in one of them so to be safe I just take out the cups before wash!

Not For High Impact -- I know this is a bra and it has cups but it is not for any high impact workouts like running or jumping. At least not for girls with a larger chest. But I may be a bit biased in this department because I need really supportive bras (like my go-to wacoal bra)

Arm Holes -- I will admit these are large but I'm not sure if I think that because I could size down or if they are really too large. I find myself pulling them up in yoga (when I'm moving upside down a lot) and in Barre but never enough to the point where I'm annoyed by it.


TechSweat Leggings: (2018 version) So when I went to link these I found that they came out with a new version that has a different waist band. I'm reviewing the version from 2018 that doesn't have a back pocket and has a small white band you can adjust (that I don't) in the front.

Sizing: I wear a M (my normal size) but could probably get away with a small because of how stretchy these are. I'm a 29/L/8 in bottoms.

Great For: High impact, Running, Lounging, Barre, Yoga, Pilates, Dance

Pros:
Comfort -- Like the top, these pants are insanely comfortable. They move with you and very breathable. The bottom two pros kind of fall into this category (or at least help it!) so you can get what I'm saying.

Cooling -- The TechSweat material makes it very cooling for when you're hot and sweaty after workout. It will never over heat you or trap in heat during workout. Not ideal for commuting in winter because it's cold but will be especially great in the summer and hot yoga!

Stretchy -- I just love how stretchy the material is. Going back to the comfort aspect, you can do any move in them without worry and without restriction. In the colors I have, they all pass the squat test but can see how if they are already tight they may not (I've gotten messages saying they don't).

Cons:
Thin -- this goes with the cooling and stretchy material, but these leggings are thin in material. Not as in they are see through but more in the fact that they show lines from underwear. All of the undergarments I wear are hanky panky style and you can see bumps and lines through the pants. Something that annoyed me at first but I eventually got over. A few lines wont stop me from wearing these pants!

Waistband -- This style has a bit of a wonky waistband (which, I assume, is why they updated it for 2019) where it kind of puckers around the top. It has this weird white stretchy band inside (pictured above) that I think doesn't help the situation but I assume is there to help the pants stay up. Because they are so stretchy, and possibly because I could size down, the waistband does fall some. Not an annoying amount but there will definitely be times where I need to readjust during class.

Short -- These are the only leggings from OV that are shorter than the rest and I'm not sure why! It's not end of the world short but they are a couple inches shorter than the 7/8 leggings. 


Athena Crop (bra): This is their most popular style and I can see why. It's a great material that is thick so you don't show through and feel supported but thin enough (read: not lined) so it doesn't feel heavy. In terms of support it's MUCH more supportive than the TechSweat but still not something I would personally wear for HIT or dance classes where I'm jumping around a lot. But again, I'm very sensitive to that and require heavy duty support!

Sizing: I wear a M and think it fits great. I'm a M/6 in tops and a 34DD in bras.

Great For: Lounging, Barre, Yoga, Pilates 

Pros:
Comfort -- Again, very comfortable and a bra I like to wear around the house when I'm home. It's a different kind of comfort from the TechSweat as the materials are so different but it's still super comfortable. It holds you in and makes you feel secure without trying to suffocate you.

Length -- Like the TechSweat above, I like the length on this bra/crop. It comes down low enough that I feel good about the amount of coverage I have between the top and the bottoms. Less skin to roll over is always a good thing!

Thickness -- This material is a compression style material and with that the thickness makes it feel very heavy duty. Not in the sense that it's hot or heavy (it's very light!) but in the sense that you'll feel totally fine and comfortable wearing a bra without any cups. No headlights peeking through!

Cons:
Not For High Impact -- Again, not for high impact for me at least. Nothing with jumping (like my 305 classes) but when I do burpees or mountain climbers in my other classes I have no issue. It is more supportive than the TechSweat I believe because it doesn't stretch as much so there's really no where for them to go. I think in terms of high coverage support, these would be great for girls with smaller chests.  

Tight (not in the way you think) -- The material, like the leggings, is a compression style. So they will hold you in and not move much. With this, it will flatten your chest. This can be a pro for some and a con for others -- honestly I'm in the middle on this. I don't mind it because I'm not trying to be super curvy in class. It doesn't hurt or make anything uncomfortable, just something to note!

Armpit Cut -- the armpit cuts are kind of low on the front. It doesn't bother me personally but I have friends who complain about some armpit fat hanging over. Just felt like I needed to mention it!


7/8 Warmup Leggings: I feel like these were really the leggings that got me into Outdoor Voices. They are so different than most of the workout leggings I own and I really like them for that reason. They hold you in and I just feel good when I wear them. They come high waisted and stay high waisted which I very much love. 

Sizing: I wear a M (my normal size) and they are tight. If you are in-between sizes, I would suggest sizing up. I'm a 29/L/8 in bottoms.

Great For: Lounging, Barre, Pilates

Pros:
Compression -- If you want a legging that will suck you in and keep you put, these are them! The compression is so good (almost too good, see below) that when you're in - you're in. Not moving shaking or stepping out of place in these which I love. Especially around the tummy area!

Stays Put -- Like above, they stay in one place once you have them on. I don't ever feel like these really fall down since they can be so tight and compressing. Really great for classes like Barre and Pilates.

Squat Proof -- The opaqueness of these leggings are great. You can't see through them no matter how far they may stretch! 

Cons:
Compression -- Sometimes they can just be too tight. I don't like wearing them to yoga because I need to be able to move more. Same thing to bed, I don't like wearing them to sleep because they can be too tight over time. There is a time and place for compression and I don't think those are the times!

Hard To Put On -- Because of the compression aspect, they can be difficult to put on -- especially when you first get them in. I feel like they do stretch out over time which helps but it's very minimal. I feel like it's the same kind of stretch you get with shoes. They stretch to your body and shape but never go past that. They really only get better with wear!

Can Show Sweat -- One of the biggest concerns I got from my Q&A is if any of these show sweat. YES they all do! All workout clothes show sweat and sweating, especially during workout is NOTHING to be ashamed of. No one is judging you for sweating during a workout. I do believe that a lot of it has to do with the color of item you're wearing but just wanted to note that of these and the TechSweat, the warmup leggings show sweat more. 


FAQ: (answered all of them above, but for a quick hit here are the most commonly asked questions!)

Squat Test: I have never had any issues with either styles! They pass the squat test for me (the warmups more so than the TechSweat)

Sizing: I'm a M in all workout clothes and an 8 in Lulu. I wear a M in OV but for more in-depth details, please read the sizing blurbs above!

OV compared to Lululemon: I don't own anything Lulu so I can't compare, I'm sorry!

Sweat Test: Lighter colors will show sweat no matter what you do. The TechSweat is better about not showing than the warmups/athena but all will show sweat (hot yoga makes everything show). Compared to cheaper brands (like Old Navy), the OV do a good job at hiding it than most. 
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WHEW that was a lot! If you're still with me, thank you! I hope you enjoyed and if you have any further questions please let me know below -- happy to help answer.


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