Today I’m talking about a brand that’s been on my “need to try” for a long time: Ultracor.
Ultracor offers technical-oriented, geometrically-inspired gear with a focus on leggings, though they do offer a couple of other styles to complement their tights.
I decided to order their knockout leggings, which are one part fashionably fabulous and one part throwback to the Sneetches. ;)
NOTE: since this post was written, I have bought and tested a newer pair of Ultracor that has a few differences. I recommend reading the newer review for a more up-to-date take on Ultracor’s leggings.
There’s a few things that make Ultracor’s leggings unique.
The star accents are made of a rubbery, shiny material that’s adhered to the leggings, not sewn. The areas with stars have slightly less stretch because of the additional fabric, but it’s not too noticeable when worn. You can see some minor puckering around the stars at the knee in the above photo. They’re adhered securely and don’t look like they would peel off, though with a seam-free option like this it’s always a possibility. In order to preserve the star accents, I would turn these inside-out before washing on delicate.
The waistband is not your typical leggings waistband, but is actually a somewhat thin band of exposed elastic. The rise is high enough and the elastic is soft enough that I didn’t think the band cut in.
Another unusual element is the built-in underwear. The liner is black and provides about half coverage. Because of the liner, you could go commando in these, but if you don’t, I definitely recommend low-coverage underthings so you don’t add too much bulk. Note: there is no gusset, just a “+” seam, though I didn’t notice the lack of gusset at all.
Another unique element is that these have a raw hem, though the material doesn’t show signs of potential fraying. The raw hem makes me wonder if you could self-hem and simply cut off the excess without the need for a tailor. I’m too chicken to ever try, though. Plus, these leggings aren’t as long as many of my other pairs. As you can see in the photos, there’s only a small amount of ankle bunching at the bottom.
In terms of fit, I purchased these in XS (I’m normally either XXS or XS). They have that fit-like-a-glove feel with medium compression. The fabric is silky, tightly knit, and feels great on the skin, but still feels technical enough for intense workouts. It’s also fully opaque. Overall, I really love the fabric–it’s my favorite element of these leggings.
That said, I didn’t feel like the cut was generous enough in the hip/butt area. Typically, I like the back rise to feel a touch higher than the front rise, but these felt like the back might’ve actually been slightly lower, which felt a tad imbalanced to me. I also felt like the built-in underwear rode up a bit on me, as if the middle seam was not generous enough for my junk in the trunk. Granted, these were all very, very subtle observations and I’m nitpicking a bit. But, the fit through the bum felt just slightly less spot-on compared to my other leggings.
Overall, I would rate these as pretty great leggings. That said, considering the $185 price tag, I wanted perfect leggings. Ultimately, the fit through the hips were what had me hesitant, so back they go. I still plan to give Ultracor another try in the future. Next time, I might have better luck with their ultra-high version.
If the price tag doesn’t completely horrify you, I do think they’re high quality leggings and definitely worth a shot if their designs interest you. Given my experience, I think they will work best for women with average or slim hips.
Where to find the knockout leggings
I purchased my knockout leggings in black and gold from Carbon38. They also come in black with black stars, navy with navy stars, and grey with gold stars.
Bandier also stocks an ultra-high version of these leggings in two colors.
P.S. Also wearing: Alala tranquility tunic.
Thanks for reviewing – I have admired these many times (mainly due to the gold stars!) but also know for a fact that I would hate the waistband. It would be muffin top city on me with my long torso!
Slightly OT: Have you, AA, or any of you readers out there tried the Charli Cohen laser leggings? I am ready to the pull the trigger but hesitant about size, and I would appreciate any advice. I am ordering them from the UK so would prefer to not pay the return shipping due to a size issue if possible. I am normally a 6 but have both S and M bottoms (I often need M due to the waistband… I hate tight waistbands!) I really appreciate any advice – Thanks in advance!!!
Yes, good call! The higher rise version might bypass that problem but…might not be worth the trouble.
I’ve actually been eyeballing the Charli Cohen leggings too! I’ve let them be though, since I’m concerned the details around the knee wouldn’t hit the right spot on me and would be uncomfortable. So, in short, I have no idea about sizing! If you get a pair though, let me know how they are!
Thanks for your quick response. I got a very quick reply from Charli Cohen’s customer service (they provided actual measurements) and settled on the M. I ordered and will keep you posted – especially related to knee seams!
I purchased a pair of Ultracor leggings quite a while ago, but had to return them because they would stain with water (and presumably also sweat, but I never got that far with them). Super weird, right? So, I’m curious to know if your leggings have touched water or sweat yet. Mine were a black and gray print (and so cute; I’m so sad they didn’t work out). Perhaps your all black fabric will do better.
Hmm that’s so strange! Since I ended up returning these, I didn’t sweat in them, I just tried them on briefly. I’ll have to watch out for that if I order another pair though. :\
I’m sorry these didn’t work out for you! I didn’t realize the Bandier ones were different and higher rise–those are the ones I got and no waistband or muffin top issues. I think the rise can make a difference since my other pair of Ultracors do give a bit of a muffin top (they’re size 2 and I’m 2/4 in Lululemon). I haven’t encountered the staining issues with my other pair (they’re navy) or with this pair. I washed the knockout leggings once so far and no issues!
Yeah, for a while I thought they were the same, but Bandier has Ultracor leggings both at $185 and $196, and the latter are all labeled “ultra high” and the others aren’t, so that led me to believe they’re slightly different. Probably should’ve gone with the Bandier version. Ah well! You live and learn. Glad you haven’t had issues with yours though, that’s encouraging for next time!
I’m kind of obsessed with the pink version that Bandier just came out with! I have the ultra high silk slash legging in teal and love them. They feel like a second skin. I would not buy anything from ultracor that was not high-rise though.
I love the new pink at Bandier too, and the blue. Ultracor also recently launched their own online store where they have a teal knockout that I haven’t seen anywhere else. Swoon! It also has a helpful chart of their two different lengths and rises. You can get any combination of rise/inseam on their site in any size–nifty! https://ultracor.com/collections/new-styles/products/silk-knockout-leggings?variant=35949872783
I love my leggings with the stars. However I have not yet washed them and the corners of the stars are peeling off away. What should I do to get those corners stuck back down (permanently!) They were very expensive leggings and I would not expect such a defect.
Oh no!! I’m so sorry to hear that. I would expect the stars to stay put securely, too. I’m honestly not sure what the best way to repair them would be. My suggestion would be to email Ultracor’s customer service directly and ask them what they recommend to repair them without further damaging the leggings. Best of luck!!
Hey! If you like leggings with stars, check out Red Daisy active! They have awesome tights, “All Star Tight” that have embroidered stars down the leg! They’re super comfortable and supportive!
Hi! I´m looking to parchase these, but I don´t know how long shipping takes. I would like to know if it really can take up to 15 days to process.
Thank you!
Hi! That depends on where you’re purchasing the leggings from. I don’t know the answer to that, so I would recommend reaching out to the retailer who you would be buying from with your question!
Ultracor Inc does NOT do exchanges. Never mind that were talking about$250 leggings.
Ultracore Company sucks and will never survive the long term because most of their competitors know customer serice and they don’t.
I’m sorry to hear you had a bad experience, that really sucks when they’re such an expensive purchase. My understanding is that when you buy direct from the company, they make them to order, so it’s not too surprising they would have to have a strict return policy. If you buy from Carbon38, Revolve, or Bandier (where I got mine), they have a much more workable return and exchange policy, including on Ultracor.
I’m not ceaY about them. The leggings inhs are made out of great material but are super tight in butt and hip area, there’s no give. And it TAKES FOREVER TO RECEIVE ANYTHING from them. It’s always over 35/40 days to receive items. And have a nerve to offer express delivery. They definitely want last. Customer service sucks!!
Yeah, sounds like they need to improve a bit in terms of their delivery times and customer service when ordering directly from Ultracor, you’re not the only commenter to point that out! Thanks for sharing your experience.
…gladly accept exchanges.
Readers should be warned that Ultracor will stick the them with t by e wrong sized and walk away.
I shop Bandier, Carbon 38 and many others. I will never support a store like Ultracor by purchasing their products.
I just found this blog when searching to see if other people have had issues with Ultracor like I have. I have about 8 pairs of Ultracor leggings with all but 2 pairs purchased from the Ultracor website. For the most part, I love their products and when people have asked about them at Cyclebar and Pure Barre, I have happily told them about the brand, etc. I have a pair of Ultracor leggings with Swarovski Crystal butterflies; I had an issue with the edge of one of the butterflies coming up. I sent them back, and they fixed it and I haven’t had problems since (I would recommend not wearing any fabric that rubs on the crystals though because threads can get stuck between the crystals and cause them to come off). I have also had issues with the indigo silk knockout leggings. The fibers of the leggings below the waistband broke after one use (a dance class) causing them appearance of basically a fuzzy white ring. I sent an email and they sent another pair. The exact same thing happened with the second pair; I emailed them about it a couple of days ago, but I’m not confident the issue will be resolved satisfactorily. When you buy something as expensive as Ultracor, the quality of the products and the customer service should be impeccable. I also agree with the fact that the built-in liner tends to bunch near the waistband; thankfully, this dies not seem to cause lumps.
I love the Ultracor regular, not high, “Ultra” fit pants. I’m small but curvy with hips (and a lower belly that tends to protrude a little), and I have a hard time finding workout pants that don’t hurt my stomach, waist or hips. These are my fave workout pants since they flatter my figure and somehow suck it all in without hurting or causing any muffin top, even though they require some effort to pull on. Super silky fabric too! I have to say that they actually make my figure look better. I also get lots of compliments on them. I’m a Small in the bottoms. I do recommend buying from a major retailer that offers returns first to determine sizing before venturing onto the Ultracor site. I don’t think the Ultracor site does refunds/exchanges (not sure)? ? They have some promos from time to time on the Ultracor site.The site seems to have more style and sizing options, but of course, you want to first determine size. I do fully expect at this price point for them to last 10 years. I haven’t gotten that far yet, but they have been holding up so far. I wash them inside out w/o fabric softener and in a netted bag…and I hang dry them, so yes, I do give them some extra TLC :)
Yes, I bought a different pair of these in the couple of years since I wrote this original post, and I like them much better! :) I definitely agree with your recommendation that it’s best to buy from a retailer first to avoid any sizing snafus. Thanks for chiming in!
I love Ultracor leggings (like twenty pairs degree of love) and have only purchased through their website. I have not experienced any issues with the product itself, including the extra pricey styles designed with Swarovski crystals. I don’t wear panties with these given the built-in Brazilian cut panty. The fit is phenomenal. I wear these predominantly on non-work days, travel days, and for super sweaty spin. I wash them inside out, with cold water, and on delicate, and lay flat to dry. They have all held up exceptionally well. I buy the Ultra High style in a medium (for reference, I’m 5’10, 150 lbs, with long legs and a long torso and the ultra high waistband sits over my bellybutton). However, I am greatly reconsidering future purchases with the company given their customer service is nonexistent and fulfilling an order often takes four to five weeks and that does NOT include shipping. For the price of these leggings it is so disappointing that they don’t care about the customer experience beyond making the sale itself. Once, I inquired about why an order was taking so long and their contracted third-party customer service replied a day later to tell me that my single pair of leggings were in “… the final stages of production.” It was LAUGHABLE. I used to recommend these to everyone because I received so many compliments and inquiries, but I cannot in good faith promote a company that has such pathetic customer service.
Thanks for sharing your experience! It sounds like you’re not the only one who’s been frustrated with Ultracor’s customer service when ordering direct. I agree I’d expect better service for a luxury brand. Hopefully they can work to make the process less painful in the future!