Prana Audrey Review

The Prana Audrey pants are made of "Chakara" fabric, which is 88% Supplex nylon and 12% Lycra spandex. They have a gusseted crotch and come in Charcoal Heather and Black. The sizes available are XS-XL, as well as Short (29"), Regular (31") and Tall (35") inseams.

Performance Comparison

Breathability

The update to this pant definitely made it more breathable. The Chakara fabric is lighter than previous models, helping you avoid getting too sweaty and then allowing that moisture to dissipate once you do. They are still not as breathable as the Onzie Capri Pant or the Teeki Hot Pant, but felt noticeably better than the Lululemon Wunder Under Crop III. However, the Charcoal Heather model that we tested does change color when wet, which means you might walk out of class looking like you wet yourself if you're a profuse sweater.

Ease of Movement

Our testers all liked the freedom of movement that these pants gave us. The waistband is simple and not overly heavy like the Soybu Killer Caboose Pant, or high like the Lucy Perfect Core Pant. Less material is more is this area, as you don't want cumbersome waistbands bunching up on your tummy and getting in the way of your forward bends; however, most of us still need or prefer some compression there. There is no key pocket in the waistband, which we preferred. Key pockets are an extra design feature that might be appreciated in a gym pant, but when it comes to yoga pants we want flat fronts and don't put anything in those key pockets anyways as we'd likely get stabbed by it on our next forward bend. The boot-cut legs on this pant do mean you'll have some extra material flapping around on your ankles, though not as much as the flared Lucy Perfect Core. Overall, this pant moves well into whatever configuration you're putting yourself into, and we never once found our movements hampered by them. (Our tight hamstrings, on the other hand, are a different story!)

Comfort & Fit

We weren't too happy with the comfort and fit of these pants this time around. While the lighter weight material means you could easily and comfortably wear these pants while lounging around the house all day, as soon as you start moving, the lack of compression means you feel every wiggle of your thighs and rear, which is not good! There's also no contouring or attractive seaming, so it does little to accentuate your derrière. For a similar pant with more lift, check out the Soybu Killer Caboose Pant. On the plus side, these pants are available in three different inseam lengths, so if you are taller or shorter than "average," Prana's got you covered.

Durability

There is nothing more frustrating than shelling out close to one hundred dollars for a pair of yoga pants only to have them pill up within a few washes. We also get sad when the material starts to break down and stick to itself — you know that feeling when you pull a pair of pants out of the wash and they are crusty and noisy when you put them on. The good news with this model is that it does neither of th0se things. Not only did we use them regularly during our three-month testing period and not see any signs of wear, but we also compared them to some of our testers' personal pairs. One tester has a pair that she has worn at least once a week for over a year, and they are still looking brand new. Some pants that we tested, like the Alo Goddess Ribbed Legging, started to pill after only a few washes.

Style

Depending on your point of view, you might call the style of these pants classic, or blah. They certainly won't turn heads like the wildly printed Onzie or Teeki leggings, but that can be a good thing if you are running from the grocery store to yoga class to picking up the kids from school without changing in between. The boot cut leg looks better heading to the studio with sneakers than it does in class, but the classic dark colors pair well with just about any top in your closet.

Best Applications

These pants are best suited for "regular" yoga classes in a non-heated room. The material/pant length is still too heavy for hot yoga classes, though we've used and loved the Audrey Short for times when the heater is cranking. This pant also works well for the gym, hiking, rock climbing and bouldering, or as a lounge around the house option.

Value

These pants retail for $85, which seems to be a standard rate for well-made, high-performance material yoga pants. While this might seem like a lot of money to shell out on some nylon and spandex, the durability of these pants alone makes them worth it. The Prana Audrey pants will withstand years of stretching, hiking and climbing.

Conclusion