Endura Women's SingleTrack Leggings review – versatile, compressive and flattering tights

The newly released women’s SingleTrack Leggings are part of Endura's spring 2024 collection, which struck me as a little strange because they feel lovely and cosy so are a clothing item I’d reach for in wintry conditions (which is mostly what we’ve had through spring here in the UK!). They did me proud on cold days with biting winds and were ideal to wear under waterproof trousers when it was raining. They also felt, and look, nice enough to wear to the gym, or nipping out to the shop. Because they don’t have a chamois pad they’re very versatile – probably why they’re labeled leggings, not tights – Endura suggests wearing them when walking the dog.

Design and specifications

Made from a mediumweight nylon/elastane blend (containing recycled fabrics), these multipurpose leggings feature a multi-panel construction, including double-layered seat and knee panels with abrasion-resistant outer material. The deep front waist panel is also two-layer, while the wraparound rear/side waist panel has a soft mesh lining to help with wicking plus a silicone gripper band at the top.

There’s no chamois, which could be a positive or negative, depending if you embrace these leggings’ multi-use design ethos. The crotch is seamless for comfort, but you’d probably want to wear padded underwear for longer rides. And they’re clearly not intended to be worn with knee pads underneath, so this might limit their appeal to gnarlier riders. Although, I suppose there's nothing stopping you wearing some on top, except for the fashion police.

All four pockets will accommodate a smartphone, and they are well-positioned so as not to interfere with pedaling, even with a bricklike mobile inside. Both top pockets are mesh-lined, one of which has a hidden zip to keep the contents secure. A small but significantly useful touch is the garment label that functions as a hanging loop.

These leggings also come in an attractive cloud pattern called Dreich Grey, dreich being a very common Scottish word used to describe the weather when it's rainy and gloomy!

Performance

Given the thickness of the fabric, I was surprised that Endura describes these leggings as designed to keep you cool, rather than warm, while exercising, thanks to the stretch knit’s wicking ability. I certainly found the fabric very comfortable against the skin and it did do a good job of transferring moisture, both on warmer spring-like days and when I was working hard on cold rides – my skin never felt clammy. Likewise, when I got caught out in the odd shower the fabric dried quickly once the rain stopped, and the leggings didn’t take long to dry after going through the washing machine. This means they're ideal for wearing from fall right through to spring, before it gets too warm.

So far, so fab. Pull them on and they feel great, with a nice fit and gently compressive feel thanks to the stretch knit. The waist sits below the navel at the front, which is comfy, and the rear is a little higher. However, within a few minutes of walking around they slipped down an inch or so at the waist and crotch – despite the silicone gripper – with wrinkles appearing above the knee. Perhaps a tighter knit with less give in the waist and belly panels might help prevent this? They didn’t work their way down any further with general wear, and felt alright, and on the bike didn’t even catch on the saddle nose when descending, but on extended pedaly sections the rear waist did pull down more, below my hips. I kept trying to pull it up, with little joy, which was annoying – and the one downside of an otherwise great item of clothing, hence their lower score. 

I also wonder if taller women might find the leg length a bit short, but they fitted me fine at 5ft 6in, and I enjoyed wearing them for running or going to the gym when the weather was on the nippy side.

Verdict

These very well-made multi-use leggings are super-comfy whether biking or hiking, have a lovely cosy feel and the large pockets are really useful. There's no chamois so you can wear them for other sports, and they're also not designed for knee pads. However, mine did work their way down a little and the rear waist wasn't cut very high – combined this meant the rear waistband pulled down to my hips when pedaling, which was annoying and detracted from these otherwise great leggings, which wick well and dry quickly.

Tech specs: Endura SingleTrack Leggings

• Price:  $99.99 / £69.99
• Sizes: XS-2XL
• Weight: 294g (M)
• Colors: Black, Dreich Grey
• Materials: Nylon / Elastane