BAM Bamboo Flexa Seamless Running Leggings: first impressions
With a high waist design and fun, shape-boosting pattern, there’s no denying that these women's running leggings from BAM Bamboo are ultra stylish. They are also high performing on the trail and for a number of reasons. First, they stay put when you move, but they have 360 degree stretch, so they don’t restrict your movements if you have to clamber over a fence or want to go straight from the trail to a yoga class. The bamboo blend fabric is quite thick so it’s not flimsy but we’ve had these out on a few hot days and found that the sweat-wicking capabilities are great and we didn’t get too warm in them, which was a pleasant surprise.
• List price: $76 / £52
• Sizes: S, M, L
• Materials: 48% Bamboo Viscose, 47% Amni Soul Eco® Polyamide, 5% Elastane
• Weight: 7oz / 200g
• Colors: Cobalt/Olympic blue
• Best use: Running
Add to that the fact that the ribbed material is extremely comfortable and soft against the skin and we love these for a casual run. The fabric does hold a bit of water, so if you’re wearing these in heavy rain they’ll get a bit heavy and take a while to dry, but for fair weather they breathe well enough when it’s warm and are thick enough for chilly runs too. The only thing we’d really like to see is some thigh pockets, which are great for carrying your phone, but for the price, we’ll forgive that, and there aren’t any reflective details for road runners.
BAM Bamboo Flexa Seamless Running Leggings: in the field
I love to run in a good pair of leggings, and I was pretty excited by how nice these looked when they arrived, as they’re definitely not your typical black leggings. I’m always a bit wary when things are really stylish that they might have sacrificed some performance so I quickly got them out on a few warm day trail runs on the Greenock Cut near Glasgow.
Here’s how they performed:
Sizing and fit
These fit true to size. I typically wear a small and that’s what I tested, though it has to be said they don't have a huge range of sizes so some runners may struggle to find the perfect fit.
They come up nice and higher on the waist which means I don’t have to yank on them when I’m running, and they come all the way down to the ankle without leaving loads of extra fabric as has been the trend with some more notorious yoga brands in recent years.
Comfort and flex
Well, if you’ve ever worn any bamboo clothing, you know it’s the most comfortable clothing on the planet, though I have to say these leggings don’t exactly feel like your typical bamboo fabric. They are not quite that soft, but they are extremely comfortable thanks to the soft fabric and also no seams or drawcord waistband to dig in or chafe anywhere.
They have enough compression to stay put so I don’t have to keep pulling them up when I’m running, which I really appreciate, but they don’t feel at all restrictive. They have all the stretch I would expect from leggings and even a little more so I can get home from a trail run and get right on my yoga mat without stripping off.
Breathability and temperature management
As for breathability, they breathe well. They definitely look and feel like they are going to be a bit warm, and I would certainly trust them on a cold, winter run, but as I mentioned, I wore them on some pretty warm days and did not overheat.
I’ve worn them during one rainy run and the fabric did absorb quite a bit of moisture making them heavy, and they were slow to dry, but they’re great for fair weather running.
Storage and visibility
They are a bit lacking in the storage and visibility departments. They don’t have any pockets, which isn’t totally unusual for a pair of leggings. However, if I’m being honest, I really love a thigh pocket for my phone, especially at this time of year if I’m not going for a long enough run to warrant carrying my hydration pack, and it’s too warm to wear my running jacket. However, this isn’t a dealbreaker and I do have a running vest that I’ve been wearing instead .
I try to stay off the tarmac, but if you’re wearing these on the roads, know that they don’t have any reflective details so you’ll want to make sure you pair them with a running top or shoes with reflective details.
Value
All in all, I think this is terrific value for money, especially if you’ve got kids and are on a budget like us. The lid doesn’t seem like it’s super sturdy when you’re lifting it up, but it’s actually all really great quality and built to last.
