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Lucy Studio Hatha Capri Legging Review

Excellent pair of yoga pants for a variety of uses
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Lucy Studio Hatha Capri Legging Review
Credit: Lucy
Price:  $79 List
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Manufacturer:   Lucy
By Cam McKenzie Ring ⋅ Senior Review Editor  ⋅  Dec 15, 2016
85
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Breathability - 25% 8.0
  • Ease of Movement - 25% 10.0
  • Comfort and Fit - 20% 8.0
  • Durability - 20% 8.0
  • Style - 10% 8.0

Our Verdict

Lucy has merged with The North Face and now sells a limited line of their products through The North Face's site. The Hatha Capri is no longer manufactured.
REASONS TO BUY
Breathable
Good ease of movement
Flattering cut
REASONS TO AVOID
Cut slightly small
In our quest to find the best yoga pants out there we stretched and sweated in ten different pairs for three months. At the end of it all, The Lucy Studio Hatha Capri Legging topped the pack in most of our tests. These capris were breathable, comfortable, and most importantly, easy to do yoga in. While their styling is on the plain side and they won't cause a lot of heads to turn when walking down the street, they also won't be a distraction in class. We never had to pull them up mid-pose, or worry about exposing ourselves, or whether or not they were see-through. They held up well durability wise as well and we had no issues with pilling or seams unravelling. If you practice Hot Yoga or are on a budget, then our Best Buy winner, the Onzie Capri Pant, is more suitable for a hot room and also about $20 less expensive. We also liked the soft and comfortable material on the Beyond Yoga Spacedye Long Legging, and if you love wearing yoga pants as street wear then those are a great option. Otherwise, the Studio Hatha's are our number one pick.

Our Analysis and Test Results

The Lucy Studio Hatha Capri Legging are made with different materials depending on the type (solid, print, spacedye or heather). Most are a combination of 87% Supplex Nylon and 13% Lycra Spandex. They come in a wide range of sizes, from XXS to 3X. The capris that we tested have a 19.5 inch inseam, and there is an internal key pocket in the waistband. Current color choices include: Blackberry Kamakura Print, Fossil/Lucy Black Block Print, Grey Aurora Print, Lucy Black, and Deep Forest Spacedye.

Performance Comparison


lucy studio hatha capri legging - our editors' choice winner is a yoga lover's dream legging:...
Our Editors' Choice winner is a yoga lover's dream legging: breathable, comfortable, and best of all, easy to move in.
Credit: Martina Zandonella

Breathability


We consider breathability an important metric as a) yoga typically makes you sweat and b) nobody likes looking like a sweaty mess. If you tend to sweat a lot in class then these pants are a good choice. They had good breathability in vigorous Vinyasa classes, and we never felt overheated or super sweaty in them. The fabric is still a little too heavy for what we like to wear to heated yoga classes though, so if you prefer your yoga in a really hot room, then the Onzie Capri Pant or Teeki Hot Pant are better options thanks to their tissue-thin swimsuit-like material.


The other thing to consider is the type of print or fabric of your pants. We tested these in a green heather color, and like all colored and gray pants, the material changed color when wet. (Usually Black pants don't have this issue, which is why they are so popular in the yoga studios.) We could see a bit of color change around our midsection by the end of class, but not nearly like the I-just-peed-myself look that we had with the Soybu Killer Caboose Pant. If you tend to sweat a lot even in unheated classes, we'd stick with a black over a spacedye or heather. While black pants are not that exciting, they tend to do a good job of masking any sweaty patches that you may have acquired during a dynamic class.

lucy studio hatha capri legging - the heather fabric that we tested changed color when wet. luckily...
The heather fabric that we tested changed color when wet. Luckily, this pair is breathable so it wasn't too much of an issue, but if you do sweat a lot or take heated classes, choose a Black pair or a print instead.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring

Ease of Movement


The Lucy Studio Hatha Capri Legging earned top marks for this category. If there's one thing that a pair of yoga pants should be able to do for you, it's bend and stretch with you in every way, and these did just that. We considered many things for ease of movement, including the stretch in the fabric, where the waistband sat and how bulky it was, whether the fabric stiffened up when wet, and if we ever felt limited during a pose by our pants.


Of all the models that we tested, Studio Hatha Capri was the only one that never made us pause mid-class and think, “This fill in the blank is so annoying right now.” For example, the waistband on the Lucy Perfect Core Pant came up so high that when we went into a forward bend it started to bunch up on us. And the waistband on the Teeki Hot Pant was so loose that we felt our entire stomach fall out of it. The Lululemon Wunder Under Crop III rode low and had to be pulled up during class, and the wide legs on the Prana Audrey and the Soybu Killer Caboose got in the way of some poses. But when we tried to think of one way that the Studio Hatha's bugged us in class, we couldn't, which is a good thing!

lucy studio hatha capri legging - this pant moved with us very well, and we particularly liked the cut...
This pant moved with us very well, and we particularly liked the cut and fit of the waistband. Not too high and not too low, not too tight and not too loose. Just right!
Credit: Martina Zandonella

Comfort & Fit


While we like the comfort and fit of these pants, they weren't the kind that we'd want wear around the house on a lazy day. The fit is on the small side, and they are compressive, which means that you feel sucked in and supported, the opposite of how you might want to feel when lying on the couch. However, we did like the size and placement of the waistband. We felt like Goldilocks during our testing: this one is too high, that one is too low, this one is too tight, that one is too loose. The Lucy Studio Hatha Capri Legging was just right though! The waistband is wide enough to hold back anything you might need held in, without riding too high (uncomfortable) or too low (muffin top!). We did appreciate that the material is compressive while still remaining breathable. Sometimes one is sacrificed for the other. The Onzie material is very thin and highly breathable, but you don't feel like your upper thighs or midsection are really supported or sucked in. The Lucy Perfect Core Pant gives a lot of support, but it's a little too much and there is little breathability. If you find yourself wearing yoga pants more often than you actually practice yoga, check out the Beyond Yoga Spacedye Long Legging, our Top Pick for All-Day Comfort.


While you might not be able to put your next pair of yoga pants through a whole range of poses while trying them on in a store, you can get a good idea whether or not they'll work well for yoga by doing a couple of squats in the changing room. If you feel any resistance in the material, or if your tush hangs out, try on a different pair! Also check the placement of any seaming and where it contours on your body. For example, seams that run over your front hip bones are going to hurt during Bow Pose.

These pants do seem to be cut a bit on the small side. While we didn't have to size up like we did with the Teeki Hot Pant, they were slightly smaller than the 90 Degree By Reflex Power Flex Pant and the Prana Audrey. Just something to consider, particularly if you already straddle a typical size range.

lucy studio hatha capri legging - these leggings fit like a glove, offering support and compression...
These leggings fit like a glove, offering support and compression without too much discomfort. That way you can focus on your poses, and not your pants!
Credit: Martina Zandonella

Durability


We had no noticeable durability issues with the Lucy Studio Hatha Capri Legging during our testing period, and they seem like a well-constructed pair. The stitching is sound, and we didn't see any pill formation like we did with the Alo Goddess Ribbed Legging and the Lucy Perfect Core Pant.


Style


We tested these pants in a heather green color, and while they were flattering on, they didn't make us stand out in a crowd either. The fabric has a bit of a sheen to it, which we didn't like as much as the luxe matte look of the Lululemon Wunder Under Crop III. Lucy does make these in a variety of colors and prints though, so if you are looking to make more of a statement with your yoga wear, you'll probably find something from them that catches your eye.


Best Applications


Unlike some of the other “yoga” pants in this review, these ones are actually great for doing yoga in! If you have a Vinyasa or other non-heated practice, these capris are a perfect choice.

lucy studio hatha capri legging - these leggings have a plain and simple design, but do come in an...
These leggings have a plain and simple design, but do come in an array of prints should you want to stand out, or Black should you want to blend in.
Credit: Martina Zandonella

Value


The Lucy Studio Hatha Capri Legging retails for $79. If you're shaking your head wondering how on earth yoga pants have gotten this expensive, don't worry, you're not alone. Considering that it's something designed for you to sweat and bend in, as opposed to go out on the town in or wear to work, it seems doubly crazy to spend so much on a pair. However, this is where the industry is at. Blame Lululemon or the yoga pant wearing Soccer Mom set all you want, but it won't change the fact that as a whole the industry has gotten really expensive. It does mean that today's yoga pants are made with higher tech and more breathable fabrics, but you're paying for it. And when we pay that much, we want the best of the best, so in this sense, these pants are a good value. For about $25 less, you can get the Onzie Capri Pants, and if you're really looking to save some money, the 90 Degree by Reflex Power Flex pants only cost $22.

Conclusion


While these weren't the “perfect” pair of yoga pants (is there even such a thing?), the Lucy Studio Hatha Capri Legging came close, topping the competition in areas that really matter, like Ease of Movement, and providing a strong performance in other important categories like Breathability and Comfort. The pair we tried was on the plain side, but there are many other colors and prints available, and there are also full-length leggings and straight-leg pant versions too (see below). Lucy also has you covered with a range of sizes, from XXS to 3X, which is great compared to some other manufacturers which never make anything bigger than a Large. If you're ready to stretch and sweat in the New Year, and bring a little peace and equanimity into your life, these yoga pants can help you get there.

Other Versions


The Hatha line contains many other options, including:

lucy studio hatha capri legging
Credit: Lucy
Lucy Studio Hatha Legging
  • Available in Short (25.5 in), Regular (28 in), and Tall (30 in) inseams.
  • Comes in over a dozen colors and prints.
  • Sizes XS-3X
  • $89

lucy studio hatha capri legging
Credit: Lucy
Lucy Studio High Rise Hatha Legging
  • Only available in Black
  • Regular inseam
  • Sizes XXS-XL
  • $89

lucy studio hatha capri legging
Credit: Lucy
Lucy Hatha Short
  • 3 in inseam
  • Sizes XS-XL
  • $49

Cam McKenzie Ring