****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
First thing to clarify: These are thermal layering bottoms. Meaning, they're meant to be worn under your pants/other bottoms for added warmth. They're not designed to be stylish leggings that you'd wear solo. (Even though you may be able to wear some thermal bottoms as leggings, you likely wouldn't want to with these. They're way too thin. They're not so thin that I'd compare them to stockings. But they're thin enough to show panty lines. They're form-fitting. So, if you opt for a really tight fit, you might be able to faintly see your underwear through them, too.)Anyways, I love these thermal bottoms! I wear them A LOT. They're perfect for keeping me warm during transitional seasons, like Spring & Fall. I also wear them during the Winter depending on the weather, my outfit, and/or planned activity. I've also worn these under various uniforms at work (regardless of the season) to help keep me warm in chilly environments, like where the a/c is always blasting. These are perfect for wearing under nursing scrubs and the likes.These bottoms provide adequate warmth while doing normal day-to-day activities in chilly to fairly cold temperatures. They can be adequate for very cold temps, but it would really depend on what bottoms you layer over it and what activities you plan on doing... also your general tolerance for the cold.For example: I often wear these lightweight thermal bottoms under average to thick pants when it's very cold outdoors, but I know I'll be spending most of my day indoors. These bottoms don't keep me comfortably toasty while I'm outside in the freezing cold, but they make the temporary situations (like commuting to/from locations) a lot more tolerable. And I still feel comfortable (not overheated) in warm indoor environments. I also sometimes wear these on very cold days when I do a lot of heavy outdoor activities because the activity I do also heats me up. (Helps to avoid accidental overheating.) These are also great for triple layering in extremely cold or very cold/wet conditions. They're the perfect fit for the bottom layer under a mid & top layer.These thermal bottoms really are versatile. And for anyone who has low tolerance for cold conditions, these fit great under most bottoms. So, you can generally wear them year round.*Overall though, I would recommend midweight (or heavyweight) thermal bottoms if you need to endure very cold or freezing cold temperatures for extended periods. Again, these particular bottoms are perfect for chilly to fairly cold conditions, IMO.I bought a few of these same ultra lightweight thermal bottoms (in the dark navy blue color) a few yrs ago. I wore & laundered them A LOT over the past 3 yrs. They're still very much usable today. However, I noticed they started pilling quite a bit this year. They still feel comfortable & work well. No holes, weak seams, snags, or loss of elasticity. Just gradual pilling.It's nothing unsightly, but they are finally starting to look fairly worn.I figured the pilling was an indicator I should buy some replacements. So, I recently bought a few more of these bottoms. This time in the black & charcoal gray colors. Thankfully, the quality is still the same as it was several yrs ago.Side note: I honestly think my older thermal bottoms will last me *at least* 1-2 more yrs (or 3-6 more seasons of almost daily use) before they truly need to be replaced. I just like these thermal bottoms so much, I didn't want to take the chance of them possibly not being available anymore when the time comes to replace my older ones.These thermal bottoms fit true to size according to the manufacturer's sizing chart. But for additional reference: I'm 5'6 tall. I was very thin (around 110-115 lbs, 25-26 inch waist, 36 inch hips) when I first bought these bottoms in size small. I'm currently 127 lbs with a 27-28 inch waist & 37.5 inch hips. I still comfortably fit a size small. I consider these bottoms to have a mid to "lower high" rise. The inseam of these bottoms should be able to cover anywhere from 29-32 inches without issues.These thermal bottoms are thin & stretchy. So, they're very forgiving should you lose or gain some weight. They are snug & completely form-fitting from top to bottom. (Snug & comfy, but not tight or restricting.) Given the way they fit & how much stretch they have, you're able to adjust them to accomodate your leg length a bit. Even though they're form fitting, they don't offer any support. If you're looking for thermals that will give you any kind of support or shaping, these are not it.I used to purchase various thermal bottoms from Cuddl Duds. Some I liked, some I disliked. In my experience, these thermal bottoms are slightly better quality than the most comparable Cuddl Duds I've owned. They provide the same amount of warmth, but the fit is better & they've lasted way longer.Additional info: I can easily slip on skinny jeans over these thermal bottoms. With particularly tight jeans, I sometimes need to put socks on first (overlapping the thermal bottoms) to keep the thermal bottoms in place while I shimmy into my pants. I've worn thin dress slacks over these as well. No weird lines to show thru. These are easy to wear thru out the day. They don't shift around & no need to readjust the legs after a trip to the bathroom. Pants slide on & off easily.As for laundering... I just wash them like normal (typically cold to warm water & drying in low to medium heat). I have washed these in hot water & dried in high heat on multiple occassions. I didn't notice any problems. When laundering, I do try to avoid mixing these with items that have velcro or anything extremely abrasive. These are thin, soft, & smooth. Velcro will cause pilling (possible snagging) if it catches on to the fabric.
