Apparel Review: Adira Activewear Leggings and Skort

Over the course of a couple of decades as a runner, hiker, and general lover of the outdoors, I’ve tried the gamut of women’s athletic wear, or athleisure as it’s apparently known (this is news to me).

Finding pants and shorts that fit in regular daily life is challenging enough, and when you add in the features needed to make an item my go-to choice for outdoor recreation, I’ve found most items lacking. The features I look for in hiking tights and shorts include fit, function, and aesthetics. In terms of fit, I like items to be snug, but not cinch or pinch, and definitely not chafe. They should be comfortable enough to wear all day and (let’s be honest here) to sleep in on more than just the occasional occurrence. For function, it needs to perform in a variety of weather conditions and temperature ranges, both when I’m working hard or taking it easy. Bonus points if I can wear an item repeatedly without washing it and still have it smell good enough to avoid offending adventure buddies. Aesthetics is lowest on my list, but if an item is comfortable, functional, and fashionable, all the better.

In short, both the Vibe leggings and the Kineta skort met these criteria. I’d recommend either to any woman looking for well-fitting, durable pieces that are great for a variety of activities in a surprisingly large window of weather conditions.

Aventura Clothing is a family owned and operated company based in the Sierra Nevada. I’m fully on board with their sustainability practices of using eco-friendly fabrics and Fair Trade Certified factories wherever possible. They also partner with Uncommon Threads, an organization that provides clothing for domestic violence survivors. Right off the bat, I’m excited about their social mission. Even if I have to pay a bit more for an item, I’d rather support a company that has a triple bottom line of people, planet, and profit.

I tested each of these items running and hiking in a variety of temperatures and conditions, ranging from flat trail runs in 90 degree weather to summiting 14ers, where I was exposed to extreme winds and 40 degree temperatures. I wore them in the direct sun and I wore them in the rain. I wore them for activities of less than an hour and I wore them for more than 48 hours straight.

For reference, I’m five feet, seven inches and wore a medium size in both items. I have pretty muscular legs and both the leggings and skort fit true to size.

Vibe Legging

MSRP: $82
Materials: 86% polyester, 14%  spandex space dye jersey
Length: 24.5-inch inseam

These leggings are made of a polyester and spandex blend, which provides for an excellent fit. The material is comfortable on the skin, and they stretch enough to easily slide them on, but remain fitted once in place. The waist is snug, but not restrictive. My favorite feature of these legging is that they don’t stretch out after several wearings or over several hours-an experience I’ve had with other leggings, when I find myself stopping every quarter mile to hike them back up as they slowly slide down my legs.

These leggings were comfortable enough to wear continuously for a multiday hiking trip. They were breathable enough to wear during warmer weather, without overheating, and surprisingly warm when worn on a few cold, windy summits. I also wore them in a thick mist, and rather than sticking to my legs and bogging me down, they seemed to wick the moisture away from my skin.

They feature a zippered pocket at the back of the waistband, which was perfect for holding an ID and a car key. They also have a side pocket over the thigh on each leg. This was perfect for my phone or snacks if I didn’t want to carry a bag or pack, which is usually the case.

Kineta Skort

MSRP: $72
Materials: 86% polyester, 14% spandex space dye jersey
Length: 15-inch skirt length, 4.5 inch shorts inseam

Skorts can be difficult to get right. I’ve owned a few pairs and the combination of inner shorts and outer skirt can often result in one or both of the pieces sliding up, causing chafing, or being difficult to get on and off. Surprisingly, this was not the case with this skort.

Made of a polyester and spandex blend, this skort has a 15-inch skirt length and 4.5-inch short inseam. The elastic on the legs of the shorts stayed in place without being restrictive. The skirt provided more coverage than wearing spandex shorts alone would, while allowing for the same freedom of movement you would experience in just shorts.

Best of all, and a change from other skorts I’ve tried, I did not experience chafing with this skort. Even after several miles, the shorts stayed in place and the skirt didn’t ride up. Hallelujah!

Like the tights, the skort features a zippered back pocket, perfect for keys and ID, and two side pockets, which are actually deep enough to be useful for holding a phone and snacks.

My only critique of the skort is that the item overall feels a bit heavy. However, once I actually put it on, I no longer notice that, and this feature likely adds to the durability.

Summary

Both items were durable, smell-resistant, and comfortable to wear over long periods of time in a variety of conditions and activities. My only quibble, and it’s a minor one, is that I was not crazy about the space-dye patterns. This might keep me from wearing these items in as many circumstances as I otherwise would, but this criticism can be easily overlooked since it has nothing to do with the actual function of the item.

Though slightly pricier than some options, I would recommend both the leggings and skort to any woman looking for high-quality, well-fitting, functional activewear from a socially conscious company.

To learn more about Aventura, the Vibe leggings, the Kineta skort, or their other products, visit their website.

Items donated for purpose of review