Cuffed or open: check the ankle first
Most sport pants look the same on a hanger. The difference shows at the ankle, and the product name tells you which kind you are looking at.
Joggers have a cuff or an elastic hem at the ankle, and the leg usually narrows toward it. The adidas Dayready has ribbed cuffs, and the Under Armour Rival Waffle Joggers have an elastic cuffed hem. Open hem pants have no cuff, so the leg falls straight over your shoes. If a name says both, the open hem part wins: the adidas Essentials 3-Stripes Open Hem Fleece Joggers have no cuff.
Slim, regular or loose: read the fit word
The second clue is the fit word in the name or the description.
- Slim fit: close to the leg, like the adidas Multi Essentials Stretch Joggers, which adidas built for hiking.
- Regular fit with a tapered leg: room at the thigh and a narrower ankle, like the adidas Workout Essentials Feelready Pant.
- Loose, relaxed or wide-leg: the roomiest cuts, like the adidas Originals Firebird Loose Monogram track pants, the Puma Classics Relaxed Pants and the adidas Essentials Wide-Leg joggers.
Warm or light: pick the fabric for the job
Warmth comes from the fabric, not the cut. Fleece, Nike Therma-FIT and the three-layer doubleknit of the adidas Z.N.E. sit at the warm end. Nike says Therma-FIT helps manage your body's natural heat. The Rival Waffle uses a waffle-texture knit that adds warmth without bulk.
For hard sessions, go lighter. Nike's woven Dri-FIT pants and adidas pants with Climacool are made to manage sweat. The Reebok Workout Ready track pants add a leg gusset so you can move freely.
If you want one pair for the gym and the street, start with regular tapered joggers in a light knit. Add a fleece or Therma-FIT pair for cold evenings, and switch to men's shorts on hot days. For the rest of your kit, browse all men's clothing.
