The major difference between the two leggings is their fabric. Wunder Train is made with a breathable fabric powered by Everlux™ but Fast and Free is designed for running and the fabric is powered with the Nulux™ fabric.
Wunder Train is designed specifically for training and exercise.
The Everlux is a dual-knit construction fabric that allows sweat to dry fast when you exercise. During exercises, the human body generates heat and you get sweaty.
The fabric sucks the sweat and dries it off. Consequently, you enjoy longer exercise sessions because the fabric cools your body. This Everlux™ provides overall high-intensity comfort.
Wunder Train Review
The Wunder Train leggings were released by Lululemon and immediately became a hit with fitness coaches and enthusiasts.
Leggings by their nature are super comfortable and flexible for exercise. Now Lululemon adds special technologies that make them even more comfortable.
For this review let’s take the Lululemon Wunder Train High Rise Tight 25. It is pictured below.
Wunder Train Product Detail
This exquisite legging from Lululemon Wunder Train is specifically designed for the purpose of training.
By training it means if you are an athlete, a gymnast, a swimmer or whatever, then you have this legging for preparation sessions; strength training in the gym, jogging, and aerobics.
They are super flexible for this purpose.
Fabric
The Wunder Train is made of Lycra fabric. Lycra is the same as spandex in the USA. It is the brand name of a type of synthetic fibers used in fabrics.
A mixture of it can be found in other fabrics like denim. It is also called elastane. Lululemon tweaks this fabric by adding their own technology called the Everlux™, an altea fast drying fabric that is extremely breathable.
Price
The pricing is between moderate to high for the Wunder Train. If you invest a lot in your exercise kit then the $118 to $148 price isn’t much.
Pros of Wunder Train Leggings
The Wunder Train legging comes with the following pros.
- No gap
- High rise
- Fast drying
No Gap
Let’s begin with the fact that this leggings could never open up a gap on the back when you squat. Some leggings draw down with your movement but not the Wunder Train.
The Lycra fabric makes sure of this. The fabric creates a comfortable fit around your waist and keeps it on you all through your exercise routine.
High Rise
This high-rise design is also the reason why the waist stays on you even in the most intense and body-bending move. It grips around your waist and hip to the area of your navel.
Fast Drying
The Everlux™ technology in the legging allows you to sweat as much as you want. Sweat is an inevitable by-product of training which is why the Wunder Train is designed with a sweat-wicking legging.
Cons of Wunder Train leggings
The Wunder Train legging is a cool one to have but with these cons.
- Drawstring
- Tighter rise
- High price
Drawstring
If you don’t like drawstrings in your legging like me, then this is a drawback for the Wunder Train legging. It comes with a drawstring in the waist which is something that isn’t in the Wunder Under, the former design before this one.
Tighter Rise
There’s a noticeable tightness in the waist that is missing in Wunder Under. You may not be able to ignore this tightness if you love to have total freedom when you exercise.
High Price
This is a con when you consider buying tights for more than $100. Lululemon prices are usually high. You could ignore the price and focus on the quality they offer.
Fast And Free Review
What’s been your experience with running with tights? Do they feel like the leggings are dropping off your body?
Well, when Lululemon released their Fast and Free leggings specially designed for running, everyone hoped for the best. And reviews show they got it.
Fast And Free Leggings Details
The Fast and Free leggings come in different variants, like the Fast and Free Crop and the Fast and Free ⅞ Tights.
I checked the website for these two but didn’t find them. You can check the Lululemon Fast and Free High Rise Tight 28 here. I’ll be basing this review on these leggings.
This legging is made of spandex too like its counterpart. It has a tweak in its design in the Nulux™ technology which gives the legging the feeling like you are actually naked.
It comes with a little pocket in the waistband and on the side for your phone or iPod so you can listen to your favorite playlist as you run. Fast and Free are running leggings.
Fabric
It is made of Lycra and spandex which allows the leggings to retain their shape when you move. Added to the Lycra is the Nulux™ technology.
Pros of Fast And Free Leggings
You’d love the Fast and Free legging for this pro.
- Lightweight
- Quick drying
- Great for casual occasions
- They stay on
- Low compressive feel
Lightweight
Lululemon Fast and Free leggings are extremely light on the body. You have the close-to-naked feeling as you run with them. Effective running needs to have you feeling unencumbered.
Quick Drying
Like its sister leggings the Fast and Free leggings fabric dries out your sweat as you run. You can run all your milestones without feeling stuffy or itchy in the legging.
They Stay On
The days when you pulled your tights to make them stay on are over. Most who converted to wearing Lululemon admit that other brands fall off their waist as they run. The extra grip on the waistband helps you focus on covering your mileage.
Low Compressive Feel
Fast and Free leggings keeps you feeling free and fast because it feels extra soft on your thighs, calves, and your butt area, all the areas you’d feel the compression from other tights.
Cons of Fast And Free Leggings
There are cons to this almost perfect pair of tights designed for running.
- Price
Price
You could consider the almost $200 price tag on these leggings a letdown. You have to admit though that Lululemon outdid themselves on these leggings.
A Comprehensive Comparison: Wunder Train vs Fast and Free
Now let’s take a deeper dive into a comparison of the two leggings, Wunder Train and Fast and Free from Lululemon.
Construction
As expected, both leggings from the same maker are made using proprietary technologies.
For Wunder Train, the leggings are made with the Everlux which offers plenty of compressions and sweat-wicking. Everlux keeps everything tucked in with the leggings.
The construction is designed for high-impact activities which is what working out requires. The inseams for Wunder Train come in 25 inches tights, 6 and 8 in shorts, and 21 crops.
The high rise in Wunder Train is 11.5 inches and the waistband consists of an inner pocket. The fabric is a four-way stretch, dries quickly, does not pill, and is very durable.
The leggings are also opaque and come with thick fabric. There’s a logo on the back of the waistband. It also comes with a gusset, a double-layered one.
Fast and Free is made of Nulux™ which offers lesser compression because the leggings are for running. It is engineered for a four-way stretch as well, is quick drying and sweat-wicking, and breathable.
It has Lycra fiber for added stretch and shape retention. It also comes with a 19 inches high rise so that it sits at mid-calf.
It’s got drop-in pockets on both sides of the hip, and five waistband pockets. It’s also got a drawcord for providing extra tightening.
The material is 84% nylon, and 16% Lycra elastane in both the body and waistband.
Body Quality and Durability
As to the quality, Wunder Train is durable and would hold up under intense gym exercise or training. They are built to support squats without losing elasticity.
Fast and Free leggings are durable too and withstand the strain of exercise. Seams are in their proper places and hold up fine under stress. A thorough check reveals that the makers did a great job with the sewing.
Versatility
Wunder Train leggings do not only look great on you but they’re designed in such a manner that you can wear them casually too.
Though they are specifically designed for high-intensity workouts, they crossover pretty much well into other sports.
What makes both Wunder Train and Fast and Free versatile the most is the sweat-wicking ability of the fabric.
This means they can be used in most sporting or athletic activities. They are also ideal for everyday wear.
The Lululemon Wunder Train Contour looks awesome on women with curves and who love to show it off, as is shown below.
Price
Both types of leggings don’t come cheap. The cheapest you’d get Wunder Train legging is $98. It can be higher in some stores. Fast and Free leggings are within the range of $100 and $150 online.
Lululemon are some of the most expensive athleisure brands around. A quick check reveals that the Wunder Train and Fast and Free leggings are more expensive than more expensive labels selling sporty leggings too.
The quick and short reason is, the brand image enjoys a cult-like following, and they are constantly innovating.
Sizing
Wunder Train runs true to size. They will fit great if you buy what’s on the size chart and don’t try to size up or down. If your size is in-between, that’s when I’d suggest you buy the next size down.
They have high compression to keep your body tucked in so sizing down won’t be the best for you.
Fast and Free leggings also come true to size and you should follow the size chart as well. These leggings come with low compression so if you are someone whose size is in-between you can size down without worries.
A further note of caution when it comes to sizing for Lululemon bottoms. Don’t just go with reviews from users alone. It may be best for you to try a pair on at the shop. Before ripping off the tag you should try it on to make sure you got the best fit.
Do not be too quick to go with the size or size up. Remember, the more the compression, the truer to the size it comes. And the less compression the more allowance for sizing up.
Silhouette
Wunder Train leggings have flattering silhouettes. I usually argue that the silhouette also depends on your body structure.
Overall, what you get when you wear Wunder Train is a great look, the compressing ability of the leggings expresses your particular shape and enhances it.
Fast and Free give a snug, athletic silhouette. The leggings have a lower compression so they stretch around your body without being too tight.
Use
Wunder Train is designed for high-impact training and sweaty workouts. And Fast and Free leggings are made for running.
Which is better overall and why?
Wunder Train gives you the tightness and compression you need while training. Fast and Free leggings offer low compression, the barely-even-there feeling that is ideal for running. Both are sweat-wicking leggings.
Overall the better leggings is the one that can cross over better between use for training and running, and that is Fast and Free.
Fast and Free leggings combine all the essential elements you need to train in the gym like sweat-wicking, some compression, and of course the waistband that keeps the tights around your body all through your routine.
Free and Fast leggings can also be styled as casual wear. The Nulux fabric is durable for both design purposes.
Bottom Line
Lululemon is one of the best brands you can buy when it comes to athletic wear. They offer beautiful designs, high-grade fabric, and trendsetting technologically advanced innovation.
Picking either of these leggings is going to be a difficult one for Lululemon fans. There’s no rule against having both leggings in your wardrobe; one for training and the other for running.
But as I’ve said, if you need to stick to one, then let it be Free and Fast.
Regards:
