I’ll begin by saying, I’m not a big leggings or sweatpants kind of girl. You didn’t think we existed? Well, my level of motivation seems to drop if I’m not in a pair of jeans. I blame my mom for always making us get dressed for the day regardless of being home educated. I guess that’s partly why I’ve always hesitated with running pant gear. Wouldn’t it demotivate me, like leggings usually do? But I got to say, once I slipped on these Under Armour OutRun The Storm Pants, I felt no ounce of bumming around for the day. My comfort was hyped and my motivation to get all the mom-life things done was in gear. This is key, since most of my running is chasing after four little children every day.
As soon as I slipped into them, I liked the fit. They have a stretchy fabric that allows for bending and movement without feeling like you are going to be wearing out the material over time. The waistband is tight and secure while not squeezing the breath right out of you. There are drawstrings for those who like the waist a bit tighter. Initially, when putting them on I felt like the crotch area was a bit baggy. But since wearing them for a while, I haven’t held that impression. So give it some time. The length of these pants is perfect for my 5’ 6” self. But I would say, that if you are taller and like an ankle length, these may not work out for you.
The material for The Storm Pants is mostly polyester with some elastane which keeps them lightweight, breathable yet water resistant. These were specifically designed for wet weather, so if you’re like me and like a good run in the rain, these would be your best companions. When I got these pants, the rainy season was already behind us. Yet these have worked great during the cold winter temps as well. Even on my short runs, I find them to be breathable as my body heats up and against winds, they keep me warm despite the 35-degree Fahrenheit weather.
I found the zipped ankles to be a great perk. Unfortunately, you can’t get them on and off without using the zipper, but that does mean you aren’t going to be getting cold winds riding up your legs during a run. Which would you prefer? I’d rather be warm during a run and I like having the ankle material snug while wearing them on any given day. The zippers are well fastened, as they aren’t going to be flipping about your ankles as you run. This also makes the zipping up and down experience easier. Who know zippers could get fancy? The backs also have running reflectors for those low-light runs you might be taking, especially now with our winter-limited daylight.
It has zip-able pockets as well, which I’m always a fan of. I’ve found myself tucking my phone in them while running. They do have what they call a speed pocket inside the front waist area. It is meant for a phone and is water resistant (or shall we say, sweat resistant because that’s really what we need). I didn’t use this pocket much, as it wasn’t a natural feel for me. Felt a bit bulky to have my phone there, especially since I had side pockets. I often tug my phone into this area when wearing shorts during the summer, since many running shorts lack proper pockets. In that case, a hidden front pocket would be very useful. Especially one of this size, since it does fit your phone perfectly. It isn’t the easiest to put in there, but it does fit. I’ve had a fair share of running pockets that make you wonder what it was created for. Under Armour knows how big phones are nowadays. Therefore, for those who don’t want their phone bouncing in a side pocket during a run, this would be a good sweat-proof solution.
Overall, these worked great for my winter runs. I haven’t tried them in freezing temps yet, but in the cold weather we’ve had so far, they have held up great. They are also a nice pair of pants for those work-from-home days, when you want to be comfortable but also be productive. Under Armour has mastered a good pair once again.
