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Rykä’s Purple Power: Testing Out Leggings and Training Shoes

Many moons ago, the weather got colder. Much colder. And as I pulled out my millionth pair of workout capris hoping for pants, I knew something had to be done. I knew I needed full-leg coverage, and I needed it before the Polar Vortex! Okay, so back then I didn’t know the Polar Vortex was coming or that it even existed, but even 30 degrees feels polar to me. In other words, shorts and capris wouldn’t be keeping my calves warm on trips to the gym, so I was keeping my eyes peeled for pants.

Luckily, athletic apparel company Rykä heard my shivery pleas to the universe, and an offer to review its Advantage Legging landed in my inbox. Crazy as it sounds, I’d never owned a pair of long running tights — just capris, as evidenced earlier — so I was excited to try the purple power of Rykä as both the pants and the shoes the company sent had purple accents.

The Women’s Advantage Legging is affordable, at a price point of $48. I love the purple — ahem, sugar plum — seam detail and wide waist band that add a pop of fun to the sea of all-black running tights out there. There’s a zip pocket in the back, which is nice for a single key or maybe a gel, but it honestly couldn’t fit a whole lot more, not even my gym card.

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The pants stayed in place really well and kept me cool and dry, while also keeping me warm enough from the gym-to-car transition. The only cons for me in this pant (from my limited experience of the long running pant!) was that the fit below my knee was a little loose (Skinny Calf Syndrome here), and that the seam above the knee made me feel like I looked a little short. Overall, a solid intro to the long running pant at a friendly price point — and I’ve definitely worn mine all winter long. So I’d say they hold up well to the washing machine, as these puppies get sudsed up a lot!

To add to the purple equation, I tested out Rykä Capture training shoe in plum/lime. Can I just say fun?

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Don’t know why, but I love that purple tongue!

But they don’t just look cool, they feel great, too. They wrap around my entire foot (must be the “X-ray frame construction”?) and give support I haven’t felt in a shoe in a long time. It’s like getting a hug — a supportive hug. One reviewer on the Rykä site said, “How did you know my foot!?” and I totally agree. They fit like a glove, or a really well-fitted shoe. In fact, after wearing these so much, I put on my other favorite pair of trainers, and I could almost feel my foot flopping around inside them. They just didn’t feel nearly as supportive.

These shoes are also lightweight and flexible, so they’re great for all of your cross-training needs. At just under $75 a pop, they’re not too pricey for a shoe you could wear for most of your workout needs. (And if you’re not picky about color, you can get the pink/lime for $53!)

Overall, my introduction to Rykä was a good one, and I’ll definitely be sticking with my Captures for non-running days. Do you swap out shoes depending on your workout for the day? —Erin

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