Sometimes, you just need a pair of pants that make you feel comfortable and help you look your best. Compression pants let you move comfortably, making them great for high-intensity exercises or lounging around while you recharge over the weekend. If you play your cards right, you might also be able to play them off as dress pants at work.

As great as compression pants can be, it’s easy to go wrong. Buy the wrong pair, and your shape becomes unflattering, the fabric irritates your skin, or moving around without causing a rip or tear becomes impossible. To help you avoid catastrophes like these, we’ve compiled a list of pros and cons for this year’s top compression pants – with options for both men and women. Enjoy!

10 Best Compression Pants in 2018 – Reviews

1. CompressionZ Men’s Pants

 

Pros:

• Temperature regulation: this fabric is designed to keep you cool in warm temperatures and warm in cool temperatures.
• This product’s “proven compression technology” is optimal for promoting better blood circulation, minimizing your risk of injury, and allowing your muscles to recover more quickly.
• Flat locks seam stitching allows a wider range of movement for you, meaning you won’t need to worry about chafing or irritated skin. Instead, you can just focus on being comfortable and moving freely.
• Anti-odor: this fabric is designed with sweat in mind, and it works to hide your body’s odor when your workouts become more intensive.
• Anti-itch: even if your workouts are long in distance or duration, you should be able to expect minimal irritation.
• About 81% of buyers of these pants confirm they fit as expected. The majority of customer reviews are overwhelmingly positive.

Cons:

• Though most customers were satisfied with quality and fit, some customers questioned the quality of the fabric and its ability to perform as expected.
• This material is extremely form-fitting; if you are not comfortable with this sort of fit, there are men’s compression pants that are slightly looser.

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2. CompressionZ Women’s Capris

 

Pros:

• Slimming, flattering fit: these CompressionZ capris for women are designed to contour your body’s feature for a flattering fit with a slimming effect, while maintaining a comfortable feel capable of handling active movement.
• Like CompressionZ’s compression pants for men, these capris are optimal for staying comfortable in warm and cool temperatures. The stitching here is also flat lock seaming, which means minimal skin irritation for you.
• These capris are also anti-odor and anti-itch.
• The fabric utilizes four-way stretch technology, which means a flattering, snug fit for you that will withstand wash after wash.

Cons:

• Less than 10% of reviews on this product were negative; those who were unsatisfied with the product stated the fit was smaller than they had expected, so you may want to consider ordering a size up.
• Depending on the print you choose, and if the size is smaller than expected, the fabric of the capris may be sheerer than you would like. Just be sure to order the most optimal size for you.

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3. Bioflect® FIR Therapy Anti Cellulite Micromassage

 

Pros:

• This fabric’s design is intended to move however you do.
• The fabric’s knit is designed to stimulate your lymphatic capillaries, in turn promoting your body’s lymphatic drainage.
• FIR therapy fabric: fibers in this fabric contain mineral additives, which remain intact after washes. This is intended to reflect energy back into the body, promoting microcirculation.
• Continued use may reduce the appearance of cellulite, and may also be ideal for conditions such as lymphedema, lipedema, and other edema-related conditions.
• Fabric is breathable to ensure maximum comfort and optimal circulation.
• These compression capris accommodate plus sizes from 2XL to 4XL.
• High customer satisfaction: the majority of those who purchased these pants were pleased with fit and performance.

Cons:

• These pants are high-waisted, which, depending on your preferences, may not be comfortable for you.
• Results for reduction in cellulite visibility and help with certain health conditions may vary from person to person.
• Because of the “knit” design, it is possible this product may wear or develop runs in the fabric more easily.
• Due to the high-waist fit adding an additional size variation factor, it may be hard to know what for certain how your intended size will fit on you.

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4. Nike Men’s Pro Tights

 

Pros:

• Fit for these tights is typically as expected.
• The fabric is a combination of 90% polyester and 10% spandex for comfortable, flexible fit.
• Like most compression shorts, the fabric of these tights is designed to keep you comfortable in both warm and cool conditions.
• The fit of these tights can be expected to both compress and provide support.
• Mesh details on the inner legs means more comfort and breathability for you, especially in warmer temperatures.

Cons:

• Nike states that this product is “imported,” though it does not specify from where in the listing. This makes it hard to know whether those who made these tights overseas were treated ethically and granted living wages.
• Like previous products listed, though dissatisfied customers were in the minority, their largest complaints were disappointment in the fit and faster than anticipated wear.

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5. Endurance Shield 360 Men’s Compression Pants

 

Pros:

• These men’s compression pants are designed to boost circulation and performance, while minimizing muscle recovery time.
• Though these pants are designed to compress in order to reduce muscle soreness, the fabric maintains a breathable feel.
• Fits are designed for men and boys, and are intended to fit as expected.
• Though still form-fitting, these compression pants would have a slightly looser appearance, while still helping you move comfortably.
• If for some reason you are unsatisfied with the product you receive, the company is more than happy to offer you a refund or replacement.

Cons:

• These compression pants are great for activities like aerobics, running, or other wide-movement, high-intensity exercises, but they are not intended for contact or sliding sports, as they may be prone to wearing and ripping during these activities.
• The material in these pants is thicker, which may absorb your sweat and become heavier as you exercise.
• This product is one of the few on this list with no one- or two-star product ratings.

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6. Prolific Health High Compression Women Pants

 

Pros:

• This fabric is sweat-resistant to reduce the risk of chafing and rashes.
• These pants will keep your body warm in order to reduce the likelihood of muscle injury.
• Prolific Health’s compression pants help relieve muscle discomfort and decrease muscle recovery time.
• When within the range of 10 to 25 mmHg compression, these pants provide optimal circulation.
• Customers tend to be highly satisfied with comfort and flattering fit.

Cons:

• Because these pants are high-waisted, they may feel too small, but this is the intent, as they are compression pants. Still, be mindful of how small too small is for you. Though the fabric should feel snug, it should not be painful or uncomfortable to move around in.
• There is a ribbed texture on the fabric that is difficult to see in the advertisement photo, which may come as a surprise when the pants arrive at your door.

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7. Dynamic Athletica Women Compression Capri Pants

 

Pros:

• Sweat-wicking material: this design is meant to attract sweat so that it does not linger on your skin. The material is also odor-resistant, which means you don’t need to worry about body odor due to sweat absorption.
• Flat seams ensure maximum comfort and minimum chafing and irritation.
• The compression factor of these pants will increase blood circulation, potentially enhancing your athletic performance.
• These capri pants are designed to fit you in the most flattering way possible.• If you are unsatisfied with the product, you have 365 days to return it and receive a refund.
• Customers often noted they were impressed with the high quality of the fabric, as opposed to other compression pants they had purchased.

Cons:

• Though most customers noted they were quite happy with the style and fit, there is always a chance they may not fit as intended.
• Since these are capri pants, they are great for breathability, but they may not be a good choice when temperatures are cold.

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8. Nike Men’s Pro Three Quarter Tights

 

Pros:

• It’s often difficult to find optimal compression pants for men, let alone ones at three quarters’ length. Fortunately, these are intended for a fitted form you would expect from a full-length pair, with additional breathability.
• These tights are available in plus sizes.
• Dri-fit technology: above all else, these tights are intended to help you stay dry and comfortable.

Cons:

• Because these tights sell quickly, supply may be limited.
• These tights will not be optimal for cold weather.

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9. Under Armour Men’s HeatGear Armour Compression Leggings

 

Pros:

• The fabric that makes up these leggings is 84% polyester and 16% elastane for quality comfort and wide range of movement. It should also minimize skin irritation.
• These men’s leggings can be worn for a short workout, or they can be worn comfortably all day.
• This fabric is 30+ UPF, which will protect your skin from sun damage.
• These pants also boast 4-way stretch technology, allowing for more movement and more durability in the wash.
• These leggings are designed to quickly wick away sweat to keep you comfortable, so you can focus on reaching peak performance.

Cons:

• As previously stated, since these leggings are imported but do not specify from where, it is hard to say with confidence that the overseas employees were hired and treated ethically, or that they were payed living wages.
• Depending on your height, the material may bunch up around your ankles if you are on the shorter side of the spectrum.

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10. Shock Doctor Core Compression Hockey Pant

 

Pros:

• Like other items on this list, this product boasts four-way stretch material.
• These pants come in both men’s and boys’ sizes.
• These pants have been designed with male comfort in mind: its Core Flex Pocket design of the included cup pocket allows the cup to sit in a comfortable position for a more natural fit.
• This material is designed to wick away sweat to keep you cool.
• These pants come with a bio-flex cup designed to optimally fit the pants, with a vented body and gel pad for more comfortable movement.
• Overall, customers are content with the look and feel of these compression pants.

Cons:

• Since these pants wick away moisture to aid your body’s cooling process, they may not be ideal for keeping warm in cold winter temperatures.
• It is extremely important that you ensure the cup and pants fit well for you before being active, especially in contact sports. The cup’s unexpected shifting could mean substantial pain and injury for you if you’re not careful.

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Things to Consider: Best Compression Pants

Overall, most of the compression pants on this list are going to offer the same desirable qualities: optimal circulation, anti-odor and anti-sweat material that will wick away moisture, flattering fits, various styles, maximum comfort and breathability. And more or less, all of them will deliver these qualities in varying degrees. As far as the items on this list go, odds are good that you won’t go wrong.

In the case of the cup-included hockey pants and others like it, it’s increasingly important your products are doing what they’re supposed to do. Some will claim to reduce the symptoms of certain health conditions or reduce cellulite marks, but it’s difficult to predict how effective they will be for you specifically until you try them. If your pants or tights rip sooner than you think they should, if they do not fit right or if you are unsatisfied for another reason, most companies are willing to offer you a refund or replacement product.

At the very least, it never hurts to contact the seller to see what can be done about your issue; most value their customers and would be immensely happy to receive your continued business, so their main priority will be ensuring your satisfaction. Of course, be sure to check that they do provide refunds on the off-chance that you are unsatisfied with your compression shorts.

One last aspect that isn’t always considered as often as it should be is how ethically your product was made. In this case, it is important to know how the employees who made compression shorts for the seller are treated, especially if they are made overseas, where workers in the clothing industry are all too often exploited.

Athletic wear is no exception to this rule. If you are unsure where they come from or what the factory working conditions are like, you can most likely contact the company with questions before you purchase, and if they are reluctant to do so, it probably is not a good sign. Your conscience and your fellow humans will thank you.

As for the overall quality and fit of your compression pants,if you have other doubts or questions, all of these products have thorough reviews in their listings where your question can likely be answered.

Final Verdict:

While most compression pants offer the same qualities, they do so in varying degrees. It’s hard to say how helpful they’ll be until you try them, but if you are unhappy, your seller will more often than not happily offer you a refund or replacement.

With these pros and cons in mind, we hope you find the perfect fit to help you reach optimal performance.