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You might think pulling on some running pants for a cold-weather run is a long way off.
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But it really isn't.
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🍂In just a few short weeks, the first official day of winter arrives.
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❄️And depending on where you live, colder temps and even a visit from Old Man Winter isn't far away.
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🏃♀️Looking for some running pants or leggings to keep running outside when the temperature drops?
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👉Check out these SEVEN runner-tested picks by WeeViews Ambassador Brynn Cunningham.
When the weather begins to turn, it’s time to retire those beloved running shorts (my favs here!) and pull out the leggings and pants.
✅I’ve categorized the seven pairs of bottoms reviewed here as:
✅ I’ve tested them for one to eight years on:
✅ For assistance in determining your own size, here are the female wear tester’s measurements:
The La Sportiva Women’s Instant Pant is a warm, weather-resistant winter running pant with a cozy fleece lining, durable softshell exterior, and practical features like ankle zips and a secure back pocket designed for cold, snowy, and windy conditions.
The women’s La Sportiva Instant Pant is the ultimate warm, fitted, winter weather-resistant legging.
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❄️Lining & outer. They have a thick, cozy fleece lining and fully water resistant outer, which I often wipe down after snowy runs and hang to dry so that they’re ready for the next day.
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🦵Leg length. The leg length is ample, and on my short 28-inch inseam legs, they bunch up at the bottom and cause the ankle zippers to pucker. This hasn’t caused any issues, and I even like the lengthiness for extra protection from trail debris.
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😀Zippers & storage. The large back-zip pocket fits my car keys while the ankle zippers unzip to reveal more fabric, expanding the lower leg, not exposing the skin, a nice feature for cooling or removing pants with shoe-clad feet.
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✅Best for:
Shop men’s:
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The Patagonia Wind Shield Pants are lightweight, wind and water resistant running pants designed with strategic stretch panels, a secure drawcord waist, and breathable protection to keep you comfortable on cold, breezy, or lightly wet winter miles.
The women’s Patagonia Wind Shield Pants are lightweight and water and wind resistant, perfect for running during the fall, winter and spring, depending on where you live (I live in the Appalachian Mountains of southwestern Pennsylvania). They work well alone or as an outer layer with a base layer underneath.
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📈Sizing. I sized up, knowing that Pataoniga runs large for me, and bought a size small to work as loose, relaxed fit track-style pants and to wear with base layers.
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👖Material. The material is strategically placed, with the front of the leg made of a thicker, more durable material than the inner thighs, butt and back of the legs, which are softer and stretchier, although the front of the pants are stretchy, too.
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🪢Drawstring. Because the pants run a bit big, the adjustable drawstring is essential, as it allows for tying the pants tight enough so that they don’t slip off the hips when not wearing a base layer.
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🏃♀️Once I wore them during a sunny 50-degree day, and they were way far too warm!
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✅Best for:
Shop men’s:
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The Salomon GORE-TEX Softshell Pants are lightweight, breathable, cold-weather running pants built with wind-blocking front panels, stretchy back fabric for mobility, and a soft brushed interior that adds light warmth without bulk.
The women’s Salomon Gore-tex Infinium Softshell Pants fit is perfect - I wouldn’t change anything about it.
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😀Fit. They hug the waist, have a wide waistband with a good amount of stretch, hugging in all the right places with just enough give. I’ve even fit a pair of base layers under them, but usually I wear them alone.
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🦵Length. Notice in the photo that the bottom of the pant legs sit about a half inch above the ankle bones. Keep this in mind if you have long legs. My inseam is on the shorter end at 28 inches, so it doesn’t bother me, especially because I always wear crew-length socks.
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✅Best for:
Shop men’s:
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The Smartwool Active Fleece Wind Tights are warm, fleece-backed winter running tights with wind-resistant panels on the front, a soft merino-blend interior for insulation and moisture management, and a secure zippered pocket for carrying small essentials on cold, windy runs.
The women’s Smartwool Merino Sport Fleece Wind Leggings are the oldest pair of cold-weather pants that I own.
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🦵Durability. I received them as a gift in 2015 or 2016, and they are still going strong. Besides a rip on one knee from falling on rocks during a trail run, they are holding up well.
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❄️Temp rating. These are super warm and take on trails like a champ. The thighs have a thick resistant material and repel weather and briars equally well.
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✅Best for:
Shop men’s:
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The Salomon Core Warm Tights are soft, warm winter running tights with a brushed fleece interior, stretchy performance fabric for easy movement, and a secure back zip pocket to carry small essentials on cold-weather miles.
For my birthday in 2019, my husband surprised me with the Women’s Salomon Core Warm Tights.
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❄️Temp rating. He must have been concerned over my constant complaints of running with freezing legs in temperatures below 40, so he did his research and got me a super soft, cozy pair of tights. They feel OH SO LUXURIOUS on the inside and even on the outside and repel the chill.
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👍Zippers & pockets. They have a zippered pocket on the back for keys plus zippers at the ankles.
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😀Fit & performance. With maximum stretch and moisture wicking, this is a simple, go-to tight when extra warmth is desired.
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✅Best for:
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The Janji Transit Tech Pants are lightweight, quick-drying everyday running pants with a soft, flexible feel, plenty of stretch for easy movement, and multiple secure pockets to stash essentials on runs, commutes, or active days.
🌡️Temp rating. For easy, cooler-weather runs, the women’s Janji Transit Tech Pants is just right.
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😀Versatility. A sucker for versatility and multi-functionality in my gear, I can easily wear the Mercury Track Pant while out and about, teaching yoga, or to my kids’ sporting events, and be ready to run at any moment amongst a busy schedule.
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✅Best for:
Shop men’s:
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The Outdoor Research Helium Rain Pants are ultra-light, fully waterproof, and breathable rain pants made with durable Diamond Fuse fabric, offering reliable protection from rain, sleet, and wet trails while packing down small enough to take anywhere.
My first attempt at water repellent pants were the Patagonia Houdini, made of the same material as their best-seller the Houdini Jacket (review here).
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While the Houdini pants, which Patagonia no longer makes, do wonders for the very, very light rain days and for resisting wind, they don’t stand a chance against much more than a drizzle, just like the Houdini jacket.
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🌧️So, I sought something truly waterproof and found the Outdoor Research Women's Helium Rain Pants, which I wear in size XS.
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✅Best for:
Shop men’s:
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Have you logged some miles in any of these running pants for cold weather?
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What are your favorite running pants? Share yours in the comments or Create a WeeView and tell us more about your favorite running pants.
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