Totally Hot or a Hot Mess? Our Zaggora HotPants Review

HotPants is an accurate description for sure.

Imagine putting on a pair of capris that are made of a fabric similar to a cold-water wetsuit. Now, imagine going outside for a run in them. As you move, they make a swish-swishing noise that drives you slightly crazy, making you turn your tunes up — way up. And then, all of a sudden, you realize you’re sweating up a storm. Down there. You swish-swish home, getting a great workout, but wondering just how quickly you’re going to need to get these off and showered before needing to make an emergency run to Walgreens for Monistat 7. In the super-fast removal of said wetsuit-esque capris, you notice that the tag on them says — and I quote — “Hand wash in cold water. Do not wring. Do not iron. Do not bleach. Do not dry clean. Line dry in shade. No harsh detergents or chemicals.” You roll your eyes and throw the sweaty pair in the pile of handwash-only clothes that has been building in your basement for four months. (You’ll get to washing them … eventually.) Naked as a jaybird, you realize your legs are like really, really soft and smooth. And then you hop in the shower, excited to be the heck out of them.

That, in a nutshell, was my experience with the Zaggora HotPants 2.0 Medium.

Zaggora sent us the HotPants to review, and we’ve heard a lot about them over the last few months. They feature this ThermoFit heating-fabric technology that’s been shown to help you burn more calories by basically increasing your body temperature. The studies have been small, but the HotPants have been found to increase calorie-burning during exercise by an average of 6 to 18 percent. They’ve also been found to boost your after-burn by 12.5 percent in the 30 to 60 minutes after exercise. Which is cool — or hot — for sure.

But — and this is why, honestly, I was reluctant to review these in the first place (we turned down their offer numerous times but the Zaggora people were persistent and convincing!) — the whole extra-calorie burn thing reminds me of shapewear (which ya’ll know I have a strong opinion on). It just goes against everything I like about working out and even what FBG is all about. Burning calories is great, but being healthy and working out is about more than that. It’s about feeling good, loving yourself and treating yourself well. It should not be about upping the crotch sweat just to burn a few extra calories. In fact, I’d rather wear something comfortable and enjoy my longer or more intense workout than get results from capris that swish-swish about. And handwash only? Ain’t nobody got time for that!

Now, I will say that the whole skin being really smooth and soft after my 20-minute run was a serious perk. They really were amazing for that and do seem to reduce the appearance of cellulite for at least a few hours post-workout. They also keep you much, much warmer when it’s cool out — so I’m sure they actually do burn more calories. The warm factor may also make them great for cold-weather running. But, still, for me, that’s not enough. Not nearly enough to support my healthy lifestyle. I’m already back in my normal capris, thankyouverymuch.

Have you ever tried a pair of pants like Zaggora’s that up your calorie burn? Agree with my review that they’re kind of a hot mess? Or totally disagree? —Jenn