The
90 Degree by Reflex High Waist Powerflex pant is made of 87% Nylon and 13% Spandex. It has an internal key pocket at the hip, a wide contoured waistband, and a gusseted crotch. These pants are available in XS-XL sizes, and over a dozen color options.
Performance Comparison
Our Best Buy winner is flattering, breathable, and inexpensive.
Breathability
These leggings ranked high for breathability and were only outperformed by the Onzie Capri, our Top Pick for Hot Yoga, and the Teeki Hot Pant. You barely feel that you are wearing the Onzie Capris, whereas the 90 Degree by Reflex pair has a tad more thickness to them.
That being said, they still ventilated well, though the darker blue color that we tested changed a bit when wet. This is a common issue among yoga pants, and why you see so many people in black or very dark colors in class — no one wants to walk out afterward with a big wet spot on their middle! The previous pair that we tested was much lighter, and we didn't notice too much discoloration with them, though usually lighter and gray colors do show sweat. Just keep this in mind if you tend to sweat a lot, and purchase a very dark color if you do, or look to the Onzie Capri which doesn't show sweat. On the positive side, this pair is quick-drying, so even if you do sweat a bit but need to run some errands on your way home from a class they dry in no time.
There is a slight change in color when wet, but these pants are so breathable that it's not much of an issue.
Ease of Movement
These leggings had great ease of movement, as the material is not restricting and will stretch with you easily. The flat and wide waistband is not too thick, but there is a bit of extra material that can get in the way of forward bends.
One of the downsides to the whole high-waist trend is having all of that extra material get in the way of certain poses. On the other hand, it provides a little extra coverage and control of anything "extra" in your midsection, and eliminates the "muffin-top." If you want a little more control for that zone, check out The North Face Perfect Core High-Rise legging, which has a compression mesh panel in the waist that really does help suck everything in. If you don't like any type of constriction in your midsection, a soft pair like the Ododos High Waist Capri or the Yogalicious Ultra Soft are good options.
While we liked the stretch in the material, the high waist was occasionally annoying in certain poses.
Comfort & Fit
We've tested various versions of this legging over the last couple of years and have had varying results with the fit. The previous time around the material was on the loose side and not very compressive. This iteration is on the compressive side, but the fabric is not the softest.
We did like that there is minimal seaming, which means fewer pressure points or chafing against your skin (though also less shaping). We also like that the internal key pocket is not too bulky or annoying, but overall these aren't the pair we'd want to spend a day on the couch in. If you're looking for a soft and comfortable pair for all-day wear, check out the Beyond Yoga Spacedye legging.
The material is not as soft as some of the other pairs, and the elastic at the waist wasn't our favorite either.
Durability
We were worried that this pair would not be durable given its lower price point. In our experience, when it comes to yoga pants, you get what you pay for regarding quality, and a $20 pair typically pills or unravels quickly. While we didn't see any pilling with this pair or have any durability concerns during our testing period, the last time we tested them, we had some seams unravel after only a few uses. Hopefully, this means that they've resolved the issue, or we just got a bad pair the last time, but it's hard to know for sure. As such, we ranked it in the middle for durability.
Another thing we've noticed with personal pairs of this pant in the past is that they tend to lose their shape after a while. And because this material is on the thin side, if you are looking for a versatile pair of pants to take on hikes or rock climbing, we'd go with something that is thicker, like the Soybu Killer Caboose Pant. The material on those pants is thicker and will weather an encounter with a prickly plant or rough rock better than this one.
Style
We liked the simple design of these pants, but overall they are a little on the plain side. They lack the additional seaming found on the Soybu Killer Caboose Pant that can give your rear some definition, and the fabric doesn't have the same luxe look as the Lululemon Wunder Under Crop III or Alo High Waisted Aribrush. If you are looking to make more of a statement than this pair offers, try the Alo Goddess Ribbed Legging, with its "legwarmer" design.
Best Applications
The 90 Degree by Reflex High Waist Powerflex pants will work for almost any type of yoga you practice, from the hot room to a gentle Yin class, but are not a cozy pair that you'd want to wear lounging around the house or for running errands in after class. We preferred the Beyond Yoga Spacedye High-Waist for those I-live-in-yoga-pants days. We also preferred the Onzie Capri, our Top Pick for Hot Yoga, for heated yoga and fitness classes.
The Powerflex leggings are a great option for anyone who is tired of spending a fortune on their yoga wear.
Value
These pants cost around $30. (The list price varies a little on Amazon, but is always $30 on the 90 Degrees website). They aren't the best at any one thing, but they are a decent pair for the price and much better than some of the other "cheap" options available, like the Yogalicious High-Waist Ultrasoft and the Ododos High-Waist Capri.
Conclusion
90 Degree by Reflex High Waist Powerflex is breathable and easy to move it, but the fabric is not as nice against the skin as some of the more expensive models in this review, like the Alo High-Waisted Airbrush or the Beyond Yoga Spacedye High-Waist. They won't break the bank though, so if you're tired of spending ridiculous sums of money on something you're just going to sweat in and trash, then these are the yoga pants for you.
