These days, I am running all. the. time. Running long distances leaves little room for error in terms of fit and performance. The running-ready items in my closet are getting more than their fair share of wear and tear. As my older, well-loved running tights begin to reach the end of their useful life, I’m looking for new styles to replace them. Enter: the fast and free tights. They’ve been one of lululemon’s flagship running tights for a couple years, but this is the first pair I’ve purchased.
I’ll be honest: when fast and frees first hit the market, I wasn’t impressed. I tried them on in stores, only to discover that in both my normal size and a size up, they were sheer in a bend/squat. That was enough to deter me from buying a pair. I tried again recently and had much more success! The camo pair I’m wearing here is completely opaque in my normal size, even in a bend.
Nulux is similar to luxtreme in its use: both are compressive options designed for high-impact activities. Nulux feels silkier than luxtreme, and a bit more lightweight. Luxtreme, particularly full-on luxtreme, is a bit more compressive, but nulux still has enough compression for me, even for high-impact activities.
The print I’m wearing is incognito camo multi grey, which is black mixed with cool-toned greys. It looks great with every color and is a perfect not-so-basic black staple.
I bought a size 2, my usual size in lululemon bottoms. The fit feels perfect; I recommend going with your normal size. Fast and frees are available in 5 inseam lengths, ranging from 19″ all the way to 31″ to suit a variety of heights and length preferences. Right now, there’s even a 10″ shorts length as well. I’m wearing the 25″ length, which is the perfect ankle length for my 5’3″ height. There’s no seam around the hem, so there’s no tightness around the ankle to worry about.
The rise is high, but not super-high. It hits an inch or so below my belly button, which is just slightly lower than my align crops and high-rise wunder unders, which reach all the way to my belly button. Per usual, the waistband has a continuous drawcord inside.
Lulu cleverly designed these tights with several storage options. On days that I’m not running with my hydration vest, built-in storage on my clothing is key. There are two large thigh pockets on either side, which are plenty large for my iPhone 11 Pro to fit fully inside. In addition, there are three waistband pockets on the waistband: one on either hip and one centered at the back. Unlike many tights, there is no zipper on the back pocket.
Since the pocket is created with a layer of fabric sewn on top of the outside of the waistband, this cleverly creates a completely flush, smooth surface on the inside. These pockets are difficult to see in my photos because of the dark color, but you can see an example of the side waist pocket here and the back waist pocket here. I put my house key in a hip pocket so it doesn’t get buried in the depths of the larger thigh pockets. The waistband pockets, while generously sized, are not large enough for most phones.
I’ve done several runs in these tights, typically around 6 miles. I really love running in these tights. They feel completely comfortable to wear, and they perform well too. They absolutely live up to their name. They’re not quite as cool as running in shorts, but they’re about as close as you can get for a pair of tights.
These tights would also be very well-suited to other high-sweat, high-impact workouts like using cardio machines, spin classes, or strength training. While compressive, the fabric is not constricting, and is stretchy enough that you can move freely. Because of the stretchiness and lack of zippers poking at you, you could even wear them to yoga. Since it’s so silky, this fabric may be vulnerable to abrasion from rough surfaces, so proceed with caution around things like barbells. So far, I haven’t personally had any issues with snags.
I would recommend these as 3-season tights. Unless you run very hot, they are not warm enough for outdoor workouts in cold weather. The main negative is the price point. At $128, these are some of the most expensive tights in lululemon’s lineup. That said, these tights have many positives. If the price isn’t a deterrent for you, I definitely recommend giving them a shot. When it comes to running performance, lululemon has always been a leader in the market, and these tights are no exception. Overall, I’m really happy with these and they’re quickly becoming one of my go-to running tights.
Outfit details
Lululemon fast and free tights – incognito camo multi grey
Tracksmith horizon tank – wine
Hoka One One Torrent
Garmin Fenix 5S
I have slowly replaced almost all of my Pace Rivals with F&F crops, and just added a full length pair as well. I love them! I tend to stash my iPhone 11 Pro in the rear waist pocket and haven’t had any issues with it there, and I love that these have no zippers. In cooler spring and fall temps, I typically wore Athleta Contender tights, but hate that they have zippered pockets when I need to stash a hat or gloves, so these may take over in that category. Welcome to the club!
Ohh I didn’t know that some phones can fit in the back pocket! Thanks for the note–I tried but I couldn’t get mine in there. The zippers on my contenders don’t bother me too much, but I think you’re right that they would be nicer if they were just open pockets. Nothing ever falls out of them anyway, hah!
I purchased a pair just a few weeks ago and LOVE the feel of them. I’m a fan.
PS~Still hoping for an extended post on your Alaska trip!
I love my fast and free tights. I packed them as a back up option when running a marathon even though I’d never worn them before. The day before the marathon, I discovered a hole in my tried-and-true tights, so I ended up having to wear the fast and frees and got SO lucky. Unfortunately, they are not as durable as some of my tights for trail running, and I ended up with small holes in the knee from a minor fall, so that has been the only negative. I also had some stitching come out on the pocket, but I brought it back to lulu for a free fix. The free minor tailoring is worth the cost for me.
Yeah, I’ve seen a few reviews with people saying they had stitching issues, but mine have been good to go so far. Glad they worked out for your marathon–curveballs like that on race day are so stressful. I’m sure they’d be completely toast if I fell in them, so let’s just hope that doesn’t happen. :)
Oh thanks! I figured it might be past when anyone would be interested in that post, but good to know–I’ll try to work on that soon!
One of my favorite running tights ever! Also, do you buy/wear a lot of Oiselle clothing? Would love to hear reviews on some of their gear.
I’ve tried a couple Oiselle tights several years back, but was lukewarm on them. I am, however, OBSESSED with their runner trucker hat. I have like 6 of them and they’re all I wear!!
I always enjoy your honest thorough reviews. I have an O/T question. Have you at all bought into the biker short trend and are there zany toy reccomend?
I got a couple Alala bike shorts last year. They’re cute and I wore them a few times, but ultimately I ALWAYS found myself wearing and preferring my regular running shorts (lulu speeds) for look and feel. So, I don’t plan on buying/wearing more.
I love my fast and frees in the 10 inch length – I find them to be perfect for hot weather long runs and have replaced my shorts nearly completely. So helpful when I don’t want to carry a belt or wear a vest. I can stuff 4 oz Nathan bottle percectly in one pocket and just go. It is pretty amazing. I’m 5’3″ and petite as well and find the 10 in inseam great and flattering.
Hey,
I love your review. It’s really hard to find the right gear that is not just made from high-quality materials but is also trendy for your next run.
Love these leggings…especially the camo (lulu does the best neutral camo IMO)!! Great review!
Thanks for great review! I just made the same purchase. you should have a credit.
Hello! I love your reviews and your honesty! I can’t seem to find one on your blog, so maybe you haven’t – the shoes you are wearing in this photo – have you done a review of those? How are they for running? Thank you :-)
I very rarely review footwear, so no I didn’t publish a review of these! I really liked the feel of them–they’re responsive and light on trails. But, they were too narrow in the toe box for me because I have a wide forefoot (and hadn’t really admitted this to myself when I bought them, haha). I ended up sadly giving them away after like 70 miles or so. And thank you for the kind words!