Adanola Activewear Makes Surprisingly Great Products for the Price
An über-comfortable, flattering short
These squat-proof, smoothing workout shorts fall between ultra-short and biker length, flatter the bum, and stay put during runs, yoga, and Pilates.
Of all the Adanola pieces we tested, our favorites were the most basic, starting with the Ultimate Crop Shorts, which earned glowing reviews from both testers who tried them (in sizes S and XXL). Wirecutter editor Hannah Rimm said the shorts were the perfect length and made her bum look “unbelievably good.”
Despite my 3-inch height difference with Hannah, I also found the shorts to be just the right length, long enough to make me feel covered in every yoga pose but not quite as long as traditional biker shorts. The lack of a middle seam was a major plus, as it meant that I didn’t have to adjust the shorts throughout my workout. Both Hannah and I plan to purchase these shorts after testing, and for just under $60, they’re exceptionally great for the price.
The shorts don’t have pockets, which didn’t bother us, but if that’s a nonnegotiable for you, I suggest looking at the Ultimate Ultra Crop Pocket Shorts instead, though they are a bit shorter than the Ultimate Crop Shorts.
A basic short-sleeved shirt that’s surprisingly supportive
This basic tee, made from the same loved Ultimate fabric, went virtually unnoticed in our testers’ workouts. No tugging or bunching, just compressive support, plus a variety of fun colors.
Two of our panelists tested the Ultimate Short Sleeve Top. One of them wears size XXS, and the other wears size XXL, and both gave it glowing reviews. Editorial director Marguerite Preston praised the sleeve length — not too short, not too long — and the compressive fit, which to her surprise gave her enough support in the chest for her to work out sans sports bra. Editor Christina Colizza said the fabric “miraculously” went unnoticed, even when she was hot and using dumbbells at the gym. She found the tee secure and comfortable and, like Marguerite, described the fit as “flattering.”
Our testers unanimously admired the fabric’s feel across categories. It’s thin and lightweight, yet it remains functional. One tester described it as “delightfully compressive,” and another said it was “silky, slinky, and stretchy without feeling baggy.” The fabric is thinner than that of the Girlfriend Collective Compressive High-Rise Legging, a pick in our guide to the best leggings, but has a similar slippery feel.
Lightweight leggings that are good for the price
If you want leggings that are lightweight and compressive, these may fit the bill; they’re comfortable enough for all-day wear and longer workouts. But some testers said the non-black options showed sweat on long-distance runs.
Six of our eight testers gave the Ultimate Leggings positive reviews. The lightweight yet compressive fabric kept testers cool, and they called out some of the thoughtful fit details, including the flattering V-shaped back waistband, the seamless front, and the impressive bum-sculpting.
Considering how thin the fabric felt, some testers were surprised by the smooth, contoured lines it created. “I liked how it made my legs look ultra-smooth,” one said, noting that it masked cellulite and dimples on their legs. Another said, “The thin fabric helps to accentuate the bum, but the fabric is simultaneously smoothing, so it doesn’t feel too revealing.”
In the time since we tested the regular and long options, Adanola has launched a ⅞ length. Our petite tester, Wirecutter senior strategist Hali Potters, found the regular length slightly longer than she preferred. Conversely, editor Ingrid Skjong, who is 5-foot-10, reported that the long length fit her perfectly, hitting right at the ankle. If you typically find leggings too long, consider the ⅞ option; if you struggle to find leggings with enough length, the long option is likely your best bet.
While none of our testers hated the Ultimate Leggings, we found that they weren’t ideal for everyone. Writer Ayanna Redwood-Crawford wanted a more matte finish. Ingrid also noted a slight slip during her runs and preferred more technical leggings over a lifestyle-workout hybrid. As for the leggings’ longevity, they held up well for the most part, though the Adanola logo on the inside began to peel off, one tester said. (The outside logo held up well.) Though these leggings weren’t flawless, their $65 price tag made some of us consider purchasing them even if they weren’t the leggings of our dreams.
Supportive and comfortable sports bras
Almost all of Adanola’s sports bras, and all of those we tested, go for $50, and we found them to be merely good — not the best sports bras we’ve ever tried, but decent for the price. The sleek color options were a plus. But before considering any of Adanola’s sports bras, pay close attention to the support guidance that the company gives on the product pages. For example, it says the Ultimate Double Strap Bra is “Designed for low-impact activities e.g. pilates, yoga, barre & walking,” while it describes the Ultimate Zip Front Bra as “Designed for high-impact support activities e.g. running.”
Of course, those support guidelines aren’t set in stone, as everyone’s body and needs are different, but they’re certainly worth considering. And if you’re shopping for performance-focused sports bras, look through our guide to the best sports bras, where we have recommendations for all chest sizes.
This is your average square-necked sports bra but with more support and less restriction, especially with the removable pads taken out. Be warned, though, that it offers high compression; if you want to feel “held in,” it could be the perfect match.
The Ultimate Square Neck Bra received an especially positive review from a size-XL tester who loved how it supported her chest without feeling too restrictive. During a workout, she ultimately forgot that the bra was there, a testament to its second-skin fit and feel. Another tester, who wore size XS, found it to be too compressive with the pads in place, but it fit fine without them.
Over six months of consistent wear, the bra held up decently well. One tester noted a slight stretch, “but not too much that it bothers me,” she said.
Wearing this bra feels like wearing a compressive tank top but with more support. It comes in more colors than the other bras we tried, so it has tremendous matching-set potential.
I tested the Ultimate Tank Bra and found it to be perfectly supportive for my small-chest needs. It was comfortable, its straps were just long enough, and it was stylistically versatile, so I could easily pair it with any number of bottoms. This one also comes in many different colors, so it’s worth considering if you’re trying to build a matching set. That said, because this bra isn’t overly supportive, it is a better fit for those with smaller chests.
One size-XS tester tried the Ultimate Double Strap Bra, which looks similar to the Tank Bra but is a bit shorter and has two straps on each shoulder instead of one. She found that it lived up to the promise of “low support,” as the product page noted; it survived low-impact workouts just fine but wasn’t supportive to run in.
