That Life Style Show: I tried the £25 M&S leggings that sell 5,000 pairs every month

Thursday 4 August 2022

I tried the £25 M&S leggings that sell 5,000 pairs every month - here's why you need to buy

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Public service announcement: I’m a health editor who sweat tests workout gear for a living and this week, I’ve been testing the M&S Goodmove gym leggings with a cult following. They sell a casual 5,000 pairs a month and PSA: they’re actually a really decent investment.

There are so many options available these days knowing where to start can feel like a minefield.

Not to fear, though: trusty high street brand Marks and Spencer are here to save the day. You might not think of the retailer as a go-to for the best gym leggings, but I’ve been testing their Goodmove range – their own brand affordable activewear first launched at the beginning of the pandemic – and it’s actually seriously impressive.

Take their best-selling M&S Goodmove leggings, for example. You know they’ve got to be pretty good as they sell 5,000 pairs a month, but I actually think they’re the best high street workout legging currently available to buy. Their designers used to work at Nike and have totally reshaped their fitness offering – I couldn’t believe how much they look (and feel) like other higher price point alternatives, like lululemon and Sweaty Betty, where leggings retail at anything from £65.

You’ll be delighted to hear, then, that these M&S bad boys are on sale for £25 – a third of the price. Keep scrolling for my review – and don’t miss our Allbirds Tree Flyer trainer review, Veja Impala trainer review and lululemon Hike to Swim range review, while you’re here.

I tried the M&S Goodmove gym leggings – here’s what I thought

First up, a bit of background for you. The Goodmove range was first launched in January 2020 and, as above, was created by a team of experts including two former Nike designers. Not just that, but their designs are always shaped by customer feedback. They say that they go back to the drawing board to improve any product that gets less than a four-star review.

More about the leggings. On-site, they promise to be moisture-wicking, squat-proof, flattering and high-waisted all while sitting at a mere £25.

So, what did I find when testing? They’re all that and more – during my rather sweaty strength session, the leggings dried quickly, plus were thick enough material that you couldn’t see through them but also breathable, too. The material felt soft yet shiny, durable yet dynamic – they allowed me to run, jump, squat, stretch and more, all without crinkling at the knees or sagging at the waist. Plus, the waistband is flattering, not digging in or cutting you in half for the sake of staying in place.

I also wore them for two four-mile marathon training runs and really liked that they have both a zipped back pocket and a handy pocket on the side of your thigh, too, meaning I didn’t need a belt bag. When I tested, I put a bank card, my front door key and my iPhone in the side pocket and it just about held all three.

That said, they did lose shape more quickly than other higher price point alternatives – I noticed them feeling a little looser around the waist after six months or so. Would this put me off buying them? Not for the price point.

Not sure whether to invest? Think about it this way – there’s no better form of exercise motivation than new gym gear. Whether you’re about to do a killer Joe Wicks YouTube workout, head out on a brisk walk or simply meet the girls for brunch, you can’t go wrong with these.