Great joggers sacrifice nothing when it comes to comfort or style. We tested the following seven products over the last two years. Results below. Photo: Courtesy Vuori
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A great pair of joggers is a revelation. Plain and simple. In the pandemic era, joggers have become much more than what they used to be. Where sweatpants have historically been reserved for after dinner or a lazy Sunday morning, like it or not, their sophisticated sibling, joggers, have become a staple of waking life. In the work-from-home age, joggers are a 24-7 uniform for the digital workforce. If you’re a remote or hybrid worker, chances are, you’ve purchased a pair since things became more home-centric. You may have received a pair as a gift, and, if you’re like me, you might have wondered, “If I’m going to work from home, what is the most comfortable outfit I can possibly wear while maintaining a modicum of self-respect (and professionalism)?” The uncomfortable armor of hard pants and a button down shirt that remind you to keep alert are optional for the remote office. Instead, comfortable joggers are the daily go-to.
As such, I set out to find the best pair of joggers – the athleisure staple designed for living, working, and playing. As a self-professed connoisseur of soft clothing and comfort, I tested joggers from seven different brands daily (well…almost. I did put actual pants on a few times) over the course of eighteen months, rated each on two critical dimensions (comfort and style), and feel highly confident in my recommendations.
How did we calculate each jogger’s ranking?
Joggers are a simple product. First, they must be comfortable. That’s the most important quality that determines joggers’ fate in my wardrobe. If they sacrifice on comfort, I won’t buy them or wear them. Rather, I’ll wear a pair of actual pants. Second, they must have some degree of style that elevates them beyond sweatpants. If they’re not flattering in some capacity, they’re not versatile, another key quality of the product. Consequently, we ranked each pair on two dimensions, applying a 60 percent weighting to comfort and a 40 percent weighting to style. It’s junk science, yes. But it’s a consistent grading rubric nonetheless, which enabled a necessary degree of standardization in a subjective assessment. So, if you’re looking for the most comfortable pair out there, without further ado, these are the best men’s joggers.
TLDR: The Best Joggers
Best Joggers: Vuori Ponto Performance Jogger
Best Joggers (Value Option): Original Use Casual Jogger
Best Joggers (Runner-Up): Mack Weldon Ace Sweatpant
Most Stylish Joggers: Vuori Sunday Performance Joggers
Best Joggers for Working Out: Nike Yoga Dri-Fit
Dressiest Joggers: Vuori Transit Jogger
Best Joggers: Vuori Ponto Performance Jogger
The Ponto Performance Pant is the king of comfort. Period. We haven’t encountered a softer, more wearable pair of joggers. While they could benefit from a little more structure, these are the closest things out there to the perfect joggers.
Price (on publish date): $98
The Vuori Ponto Performance Jogger is the most comfortable garment available on the market. Full stop. There’s no break-in period. Rip open the bag. Rip off the tags. Put them on. Once they’re on, I noticed two things. First, they are absurdly soft on the skin. This is on account of Vuori’s trademark Dreamknit fabric. I try hard to maintain a callous shell impervious to marketing speak, so catchy phrases like “Dreamknit” usually induce a gag reflex. But they nailed it. Vuori describes Dreamknit as an “ultra-soft, brushed stretch performance knit made with recycled material.” Bullseye: The fabric is dreamy and soft.
The second thing is that the waistband is flawless. The key to great joggers, friends, is a great waistband. Too tight, and I’ll eye them with hesitation 100 percent of the time. Those joggers stay tucked tight in the dresser. Too loose, and I risk an unwelcome reveal. Vuori’s elastic waistband distributes tension over two vertical inches of height across the circumference of the waist, and it’s perfect.
The Vuori Ponto Performance Jogger also includes zippered side pockets and one zippered pocket on the butt. Those zippered pockets serve practical functions that have certainly prevented dropping a wallet or keys. An iPhone also fits in the pocket, but the elasticity of the material makes the phone feel very heavy. It sags a bit and feels like it’s on the cusp of being too heavy of an object to store in the pockets of these joggers.
Which leads to the only noteworthy limitation of the Vuori Ponto Performance Joggers: they lean casual. They’re more appropriate for a night on the couch than at a bar, because they don’t have much structure. The fabric skews thin and stretchy. Don’t get me wrong, they’ve held up excellently over nearly two years. No issues with durability. But, if you’re wanting joggers that have a more elevated aesthetic, more taper, and will fit in more seamlessly at (insert trendy coffee shop), these aren’t it. I’d suggest the Sunday Performance Jogger, which elevates on style where it compromises in comfort. The tag issues a challenge: “We dare you to take it off.” Their challenge is difficult to win. While the price tag is spendy ($98 at the time of review), the Ponto Performance Jogger is the king of comfort. It’s a treat-yourself kind of purchase that will feel justifiable after wearing them 200-ish times a year.
Comfort: 10
Style: 8
Fit: Relaxed
Inseam: 29″
Fabric: 89 percent recycled polyester, 11 percent elastane
Features: Zip pockets, sustainable materials
Price (at time of publish): $98
Runner-Up Best Joggers: Mack Weldon Ace Sweatpant
Mack Weldon has nearly perfected the art of the comfortable waist band with the Ace Sweatpant. Their French Terry is extremely comfortable with slightly more structure for a jogger that works on the go as well as it does on the couch.
Price (on publish date): $78
The Mack Weldon Ace Sweatpant is a close runner-up. They’re extremely comfortable and slightly dressier on account of a heavier fabric, tapered cut, and back-ribbed ankle cuffs. The Ace fabric is a micro-brushed french terry, which feels like an elevated, softer, stretchier cotton. While the Ponto Performance Joggers feel like a hug the moment you put them on, Mack Weldon’s Ace Sweatpants require a short break-in period. They’re slightly stiffer with more structure than the Ponto Performance Pant. The fit is more of a payoff, like the Rainbow Sandals of Joggers, an earned privilege where a few washes and some wear makes a huge impact. Because the fabric is slightly heavier and less breathable, they feel slightly dressier than others in the category. They also have four pockets. Two hand pockets, and two zippered pockets (one on the butt and a stash pocket on the thigh.) At $78, they’re also a big purchase, but they’re comfy and were my go-tos until the Ponto Performance Pant entered my life.
Comfort: 8
Style: 9
Fit: Tailored
Inseam: 32”
Fabric: 95 percent cotton, five percent stretch
Price (on publish date): $78
Best Value Joggers: Original Use Casual Fit Taper Joggers
When it comes to price, comfort, and style, there is no question. The Original Use Casual Joggers win every time. They don’t include as many attention-grabbing details and there may be some inconsistencies from pair to pair, but at a $20 price point, they’re an exceptional option.
Price (on publish date): $21.99
Sometimes, you can’t go wrong with the basics. Even better, sometimes great products aren’t needlessly expensive. After spending a lot of time in a wide variety of joggers across the spectrum with regard to price point and technology, it’s hard to knock the Original Use Jogger Pants from Target. They’re great. While they may not have an expensive logo imbued with brand identity, they’re nearly interchangeable with our top pick when it comes to comfort. They’re an 80/20 cotton/polyester fabric, which offers the right mix of flexibility and comfort. They also have a more tapered fit with ankle cuffs, so they’re more capable of dressing up than the Ponto Performance Pant. The waist band isn’t quite as sophisticated as more expensive options, but it’s thoughtfully designed and leans a bit more heavily on the sensitivity of the drawstring rather than the flexibility of the material.
One meaningful strike against Original Use’s Joggers: The products are not consistent in size and fit. Upon realizing how great these joggers are, I ordered two more identical pairs. After all, you can essentially buy five (!) pairs of Target joggers for the price of one pair of Vuori Ponto Performance Joggers. That said, one of those three pairs of Target Joggers that I ordered fit horribly. It was as if it was cut and sewn together by a completely different company, which gave me great pause in ordering more. That said, I have two pairs that cost a total of $40 that I love. In that sense, if you’re budget conscious or appreciate great value, it’s hard to do better than Target’s Original Use Joggers.
Comfort: 8.5
Style: 8.5
Material: 80 percent cotton, 20 percent polyester
Fit: Taper with a casual fit
Features: Pockets
Price (on publish date): $21.99
Most Stylish Joggers: Vuori Sunday Performance Jogger
The Vuori Sunday Performance Joggers max out both style and comfort. Sparing few expenses on the details, these transition from the desk to the bar to the couch seamlessly.
Price (on publish date): $98
When it comes to hybrid comfort and style, it’s hard to do better than Vuori’s Sunday Performance Jogger. I first encountered these joggers before Vuori put a stranglehold on the men’s athleisure market when Rob Machado took them for a spin in the first months of 2020. Shortly after, Machado went public with his relationship with Vuori, and the rest is history. The Sunday Performance Joggers have more structure and a more tapered fit than the Ponto Performance Jogger, so they’re more suitable for dressing up. Vuori describes the fabric as a mid-weight premium technical knit. They’re moisture wicking and have recycled content as well as a stash zipper on the thigh and butt. While these joggers are comfortable, their strength is maximizing style outside of the house. If comfort is your North Star, go Ponto.
Comfort: 8
Style: 9
Inseam: 28*
Fit: Relaxed with tapered leg and ankle cuff
Features: Zip pockets
Price (on publish date): $98
Best Joggers for Working Out: Nike Yoga Dri-Fit
If you’re looking for a pair of joggers to work out in, look no further. While the waistband is tighter, no one wants to lose their pants during a workout. Nike Dry-Fit wicks away sweat and moisture, and these work effectively on the track, yoga mat, gym, or couch.
Price (on publish date): $64.97
As a company that has built itself as a beacon of athletic performance, Nike should hit the mark when it comes to an athletic jogger. It does. Their Yoga Dri-Fit joggers are made of 75 percent recycled polyester fibers, and they are extremely comfortable and secure. The waistband is more rigid and less forgiving (read: less comfortable), but you know these pants aren’t going anywhere during a workout. The same can’t be said for other options on this list. If you want joggers you can workout in, these are breathable, moisture-wicking, and they stay-put. At $68, they’re not cheap, but for a premium product, they’re within the ballpark of higher end pricing.
Comfort: 7
Style: 8
Fabric: 92 percent polyester, eight percent spandex
Fit: Standard, tapered leg
Price (on publish date): $64.97
Dressiest Joggers: Vuori Transit Jogger
Vuori’s Transit Joggers might as well be reserved exclusively for leaving the house. Their strength is style at the expense of cozier features.
Price (on publish date): $118
I can’t imagine happily wearing these on the couch when there are so many more comfortable options available. These joggers live securely in the public-facing segment of the jogger population. With abrasion resistant, technical four-way stretch woven fabric, the texture is scratchy to the touch, and the waistband is slightly tighter then other options. It’s more water resistant than a cotton or poly-cotton blend, and it has a more tapered fit.
Comfort: 6.5
Style: 9
Fabric: Abrasion resistant, technical four-way stretch woven, moisture-wicking
Fit: Tailored, more modern fit
Inseam: 30.5″
Features: Zippered Pockets
Price (on publish date): $118
Also tested: Lululemon ABC Jogger Warpstreme
These joggers from Lululemon are certainly high quality, and they emphasize style over comfort.
These Lululemon joggers were more stylish than comfortable. I’ve also worn a few pairs of Lululemon shorts, and knowing how absurdly comfortable some of their products are, these joggers didn’t hit the same fit milestones. They’re a solid option, and their fit and style might be more appropriate for a different body type, but in my assessment, a similar amount of money would go further when spent on the Ponto Performance Pant.
Comfort: 7
Style: 8
Fabric: 52 percent recycled polyester, 48 percent Elastomultiester
Fit: Standard, tapered leg
Inseam: 32″-34″
Features: Waist-band can be worn inside or out, recycled features, hidden pockets
Price: $166
What are Joggers?
Put simply, joggers are elevated sweatpants. Outside of yoga pants, they’re the biggest winner in the athleisure and activewear revolution where comfortable, athletic clothing has creeped its way into every aspect of daily life. Where sweatpants have a sedentary, unstylish reputation, joggers add a bit of style and class to expand their function. Joggers work on the couch, at brunch, on a run, or at a bar (depending on the bar). Joggers accomplish this through a better tailored fit and the integration of more sophisticated materials. They’re not just cotton bags with a drawstring. Where sweatpants are baggy, joggers are not.
| Jogger | Comfort | Style | Score | Price |
| Vuori Ponto Performance Pant | 10 | 8 | 7.6 | $98 |
| Mack Weldon Ace Sweatpant | 8.5 | 9 | 6.9 | $78 |
| Original Use Casual Fit Taper Joggers | 8.5 | 8.5 | 6.8 | $22 |
| Vuori Sunday Performance Jogger | 8 | 9 | 6.6 | $98 |
| Nike Yoga Dri-Fit | 7 | 8 | 5.8 | $65 |
| Vuori Transit Jogger | 7 | 8 | 5.8 | $115 |
| lululemon ABC Jogger Warpstreme | 7 | 8 | 5.8 | $166 |
What is the best material for joggers?
This is debatable, and it depends on what you’re after. But considering comfort will always be king, great joggers require stretch. A polyester/cotton blend will most likely enable that comfortable stretch. Vuori also adds an elastane. Nike includes spandex. Each brand offers some stretch variation, and finding the right amount of structure versus stretch is ultimately where the magic lives.
Why is the waistband so important for joggers?
The waistband makes or breaks joggers. Too tight, and they’r unwearable. Too loose, and that’s a bigger problem. The best joggers evenly distribute tension across the full circumference of your waist to make them essentially float. The wider the waist band, the more evenly the the weight distributes, and often the better the fit. Examine the waistband carefully, as it will have an outsized impact on your experience.
What is the best cut for joggers?
Since versatility is the primary distinction between joggers and sweatpants, great joggers require some degree of taper. The slimmer fit enables joggers to move from the couch to the bar. Also check the inseam measurements. Each brand runs slightly different in size, so a few self-measurements will go a long way to determining which brand fits your body best.
