I really wanted to call this post “It’s Friday I’m in Love”, but I figured that would reveal just a little too clearly how old I am LOL. I’m super excited to tell you about the Athleta Relay capri and the Athleta Luscious Half Zip.
I’m a huge fan of Athleta. I love their clothes and I love that they support Girls on the Run. I’ve found that while their prices are high, the quality is worth it. I bought swimsuits from Athleta for cub scout camp this summer and love that they are both modest and comfortable in addition to performing well. I live in their Whatever skirt in the summer and I recently wore their Strata skirt on New Year’s Eve, which was like wearing my pajamas and looking good at the same time. In fact, I think of Athleta clothes as a way to look a bit nicer than I usually dress, without sacrificing comfort.
But, I’d never run in any of their workout clothes, so when the opportunity arose to try out the Athleta Relay capri and a half zip, I jumped on it. Capris and half zips in general are the key pieces in my wardrobe. I’m not one to wear shorts if it’s not warm out, but I don’t tend to need tights until it’s stupid cold (like now, brrr). And I’ve already sung my ode to the half zip…
Let’s start with the Athleta Relay capri.
In short, I love them! As you can see, my German grandmothers blessed me with “strong”, ahem, thighs. I build muscle there easily and it’s also where I carry my chub. This means I have to be very particular about what I wear on my bottom half when I run. Poor clothing choices at best mean my pants slide down, at worst I end up with chub rub. Thankfully, these capris cause neither issue. In fact, they are the perfect amount of snug and extremely comfortable. The first time I wore them, I ran 10 miles without issue.
Some other features I love:
- There is a mesh insert at the back of the knee, reflective piping near the cuff, and a cute cuff at the bottom. All add to the comfort and style of the capris and are just one more example of Athleta’s attention to detail.
- The pocket is AWESOME! I can fit in my iphone. I wear it there all the time and I can hardly tell it’s there. This is perhaps my favorite feature of these capris.
- The drawstring at the waist is a nice added touch. With an ample rear and thighs and a much smaller waist, I sometimes have trouble with waistbands being too loose. These I was able to make fit perfectly by pulling the drawstring a little tighter. Perfection!
OK, so obviously I love the Athleta Relay capri.
Now let’s talk about the Luscious half zip.
Want to know my problem with it? It’s too cute to run in. No, really. I have run in it and it performed well, but I love how it looks with jeans, so it’s been pulled out of the sweaty rotation. Again, Athleta’s attention to detail rocks!
Here are my favorite features:
- The zipper is really long. This is awesome for those days when it’s warmer than I realize or I run faster than normal. I usually wear just a running bra under my half zips, so having the longer zipper allows for greater airflow when needed.
- Thumbholes in the sleeves. We already know how I feel about those.
- The ruching around the zipper is awesome. When I’m wearing a running bra (aka a boobie flattener), this adds back a little curve. Love having that little bit of femininity!
All in all, I’m quite the fan of Athleta in general and these pieces in particular. In fact, I’m stalking their site hoping to snag another pair of capris and a different color half-zip on sale (yeah, I’m cheap LOL). I’m also lucky in that I have options to visit the store. I’ve been to the store in Georgetown and the one in Tysons corner, but not the one out in Reston. Both have wonderful staff and I always find awesome clothes to buy.
If you are local, the Virginia store is at Tysons Corner and the DC store is in Georgetown at 3229 M. Street NW. I highly recommend a visit! And if you can’t visit a store? They offer free shipping over $50, free returns, and one of the best return policies ever.
What’s your favorite Athleta item? ‘Cause I can always use more…
Disclaimer: Athleta provided me with the capris and half zip free of charge. All opinions are my own.
Edited to add: I’ve now had these items for 3 years and they still look like new and continue to be among my favorite items.
I haven’t ever tried their running clothes, I may have to look into it! I love Athleta hiking gear. Like you said they are a little pricey, but the quality makes it worth it. I have a particular pair of hiking pants from them that I love and they still look as good as new and I’ve been hiking in them for years!
I know what song will be stuck in my head on this morning’s run. Monday you can fall apart, Tuesday, Wednesday break my heart…
My favorite athleta is a running skirt and Olema Pullover that I like to wear when I’m just feeling casual.
Love that pullover! Happy Fitness Friday 😉
Love that half zip and love Athleta 🙂 Just bought swim suit and cute sweater dress from there.
Can you tell Athleta to call me? I love their clothes. I have the revelation pants and capris and love them! Give them a try. I have two new dresses from them and two recent half zips. Problem is no store close at all although I have been to the one in Georgetown. Tonight I dropped some cash at Lulu because we do have one of them. I found some capris there I LOVE!
I love Athleta! And I agree the quality is worth the price. Their capris and jackets are my favorites 🙂
I just went to a newly opened Athleta store the other day. I looked at the Relay Capri, but decided on a yoga capri instead – the yoga capri was ten or twenty dollars cheaper than the relay (which was, I think $70). The relay looks like the cadillac of running capris! The yoga capris are nice as well, but with a smaller key pocket and no reflective stuff. They fit fabulously! I haven’t run in them yet but I wore them to spin and they were very comfy. I also bought a t-shirt with side ruching for wearing casually; that ruching is flattering to someone who tends to carry their weight around the middle.
I too love the Whatever skort – I own two and I wear them constantly in warm weather!
I haven’t heard of this brand before, but thank you for the review! 🙂
I love running clothes, and I really enjoyed your review. It’s like trying them out for myself. Unfortunately I haven’t had a chance yet to try out anything from this brand.
GREAT PANTSI loved thse capris since the moment I put them on. I have had great luck with Athleta apparel in general and these are no exception. They have some give to them but are not too stretchy, perfect for playing around with my young children. I also like the higher rise to these as I don’t feel self conscious bending over. The waist may be a bit roomier then other bottoms I have bought from Athleta but I don’t mind that either since the ol’ stomach aint quite as flat as it was before twins, plus there is a drawsting in the waist. I got the gray ones and they go with just about everything.