Review: Outdoor Research Ad-Vantage Leggings and Vantage Bra

Written by Dani Reese.

The Ad-Vantage Leggings and Vantage Bra from Outdoor Research have quickly become my go-to duo for spring weather trail running. The high waisted tights and strappy bra compliment each other on days when the sun is out but the temps are cool. The quick drying fabric made it easy to toss on a sweatshirt after my run and grab a smoothie in town, no changing required.

Get your Outdoor Research Ad-Vantage leggings here.

I jumped, or rather ran, into the deep end by testing this outfit during my solo birthday marathon in Idaho. The temps were chilly that day and there was a strong headwind for the majority of the run. The tights kept my legs warm without overheating and I was pleasantly surprised with how comfortable the leggings were for the entirety of the 26.2 miles. When I arrived back in Bend, I quickly got to testing these in a warmer and drier climate. I found the tights and bra combo to be perfect for spring running conditions, allowing my core to stay nice and cool while my legs stayed warm. 

As an ultra runner, I’m always on the search for the right combination of clothes that will allow me to run for hours at a time without constantly having to put on or take off layers. Lastly, I had the opportunity to test these tights in a high altitude and cold weather environment on Cotopaxi. They were super comfortable as I climbed up to 17,000ft in the snow and then ran down in foggy, misty conditions. My legs stayed warm and dry for the entire adventure and I can officially say I’ve taken these leggings to new heights!

Features

The Vantage Bra is wicking and quick drying. These two features make it great as a top on its own or layered under a running shirt. The quick drying feature is probably my favorite because it allows me to go straight from my run to the next thing without getting cold in a sweaty sports bra. I appreciate that the strappy look of the bra makes it more feminine and interesting to look at, but I certainly wouldn’t want to get a sunburn while running in this bra! It would make for some interesting tan lines. 

My last gripe about the bra is that the internal seam along the ribcage is quite large and caused some chafing during my longer runs. Overall, I was still impressed with the compression-fit and wide bottom band. It was supportive for all of my high impact running and the scoop neck cami style makes it cute enough to wear when I hit the local brewery for a beer after my run.

One of the features I was excited to test was the DuraPrint™ technology on the Ad-Vantage leggings. Outdoor Research worked with world cup competitor and Ambassador, Quinn Mason to identify high-abrasion areas during rugged outdoor adventures. The result is a silicone like material, known as DuraPrint™ that has been added to the upper outer thigh and knee area of the tights. 

I personally didn’t feel like they added much to the performance of the tights. My trail running environment consists of sagebrush and the occasional alpine rock scramble, neither of which have ever torn up any of my tights or made me wish I had any extra abrasion resistance. I think it’s a cool idea and maybe works great for folks who are using their gear in more abrasive environments.

My favorite Ad-Vantage leggings feature is definitely the drop-in thigh pockets. They are the perfect depth for carrying my phone on runs. It didn’t bounce around and I barely noticed I was carrying anything while zooming through single track trails. The wide contoured waistband was the perfect amount of support that also allowed for ease of movement and breathability. One major bonus for sunny springtime running is the UPF 30 protection in the fabric, making these leggings a great sunny day running or hiking option.

Look & Fit

The look and style of the Ad-Vantage Leggings and Vantage Bra are outdoor athlete meets mountain town coffee shop. What I mean by this is that the functional fit of both the legging and bra are great for endless miles of trail running, while the design details like the scoop neckline on the bra and the high waist of the leggings make them trendy enough to wear out and about even when you aren’t exercising. I appreciate any pieces of clothes that can do both because honestly, who has time to change these days? Give me one outfit that can do it all for the whole day and I’m a happy gal!

Weighing in at 8.3oz/235g and 3.3oz/93g respectively for the legging and bra made these an excellent lightweight and packable option to bring in my one carry on bag to Ecuador. The leggings rolled up super small and the bra basically took up zero space in my bag. It was great to have these items on my week long trail running adventure for walking around town and the actual trail running.

Friendliness to the Earth

A quick note on sustainability, while Outdoor Research does use recycled fabric in their line these two products do not contain any recycled fabric. In addition, Outdoor Research uses the Responsible Down Standard (RDS) for their insulated apparel items.

The Final Word

Overall the Ad-Vantage Leggings and Vantage Bra exceeded my expectations for trail running apparel. I wasn’t sure what to expect as I trust Outdoor Research with all of my ski apparel needs but wasn’t sure how their running apparel would compare. I’m happy to say that the Ad-Vantage tights are my new favorite and go-to tights for running. The flattering silhouette combined with the wicking, quick drying, UPF 30 and movement-mirroring stretch of the material makes the leggings a cute and functional combo and an A++ in my book.

From easy gravel runs to technical single track and to the near summit of Cotopaxi, the Ad-Vantage Leggings and Vantage Bra can do it all! They are my comfortable travel companions for long car and airplane rides, my hitting the town post-run for a beer outfit and the perfect spring trail running combo. The high rise waist and deep pocket construction are perfect for days that you don’t want to carry your running pack but still want to have the essentials, like a phone or snack on hand. 

The wide band and scoop neck design of the bra provide excellent support with a feminine and fashion forward touch. Minimizing the internal side seam of the bra and opting for a seamless construction would greatly reduce risk of chaffing on hot days. Overall, I hope Outdoor Research continues to build out their trail running apparel line as they’ve now got a faithful trail running fan in me!

This review was originally posted on DirtbagDreams.com.

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