An adventure-packed trip of hiking, biking, and yoga can be a trip of a lifetime—but only if the activewear you’ve chosen keeps your mind on the activity and not what you’re wearing. It’s for this reason that seamless leggings (or seamless anything, really) have become my best friend on active trips. No seams means no creasing, grabbing, or chafing.
That might be why a line of seamless activewear with more style than most recently caught my eye. Marika has an entire line of seamless items including leggings, sports bras, and tops. Their woven cross-stitched mesh panels make them stand out in a crowd while still being super comfortable. Marika also has ultra-soft athleisure layers worth packing—and many styles come in plus sizes.
On recent active trips to the Dominican Republic and Egypt I tried a pair of Marika’s seamless leggings, a versatile active hoodie with mesh sleeves, and a jersey top with twisted back detail as an outer layer on brisk hikes.
Marika Activewear Review
Price and Where to Buy: Marika activewear is available on Marika.com and at Nordstrom Rack. The three items I tried are the Cross Mesh Seamless Capri Leggings (on sale for $26), the Nova Long Sleeve Tee (on sale for $32), and the Shannon Crop Hoodie (on sale for $31).
How Marika Activewear Rates:
- Usefulness: 8/10. Seamless Marika activewear items are my new favorite gym and active travel pieces because they’re as comfortable as they are stylish, and they fit like a second skin—no bulging skin from tight seams. The nylon/spandex material of Marika’s leggings isn’t quite as stretchy as I’d expected, which means sizing up is a good idea if you’re between sizes. The not-seamless tops I tried were cozy and versatile, but less active-friendly since they’re not moisture-wicking. Marika’s seamless leggings and sports bras are what will fill a void in most closets (or suitcases).
- Value: 9/10. Now on sale, these Marika items are squarely worth the price—but especially the leggings. Between their moisture-wicking durability and stylish look, these seamless leggings are easily worth $26. Depending on how often you’ll use them, the regular price of $50 might be a little steep—but these leggings definitely aren’t going to tear on falls or rock scrambles, and won’t make you overheat in the sun. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better pair of seamless leggings for less. As for the tops, the super soft jersey and breathable mesh had me wearing them over and over again—both on active trips and just sitting around at home. Get them for the sale price and you won’t be sorry.
- Durability: 8/10. Marika leggings are definitely more durable than the non-seamless tops, which just don’t have the same resistance to tearing and stretching that seamless spandex has. They have, however, stood up for months with lots of wear time—the only caveat being some pills and loose threads forming on the arms and waist (which is normal in my book). Seamless nylon/spandex, however, can stand up to the elements.
- Cool Factor: 10/10. These styles definitely stand out in a sea of activewear—I’ve gotten lots of compliments and inquiries on where I got my Marika items. And people are usually shocked by the reasonable price.
Final Verdict: You might have a new favorite activewear line that’s even more affordable than the one you’re using now. And the sale price of these items means there’s no better time to give them a try.
More from SmarterTravel:
- 10 Best Workout Clothes and Tools for Travel
- The 8 Worst Fashion Mistakes You Make When Traveling
- Activewear You’ll Actually Want to Wear in Public
Editor’s Note: Reviews are based on usefulness, portability, durability, value, and “cool factor.” Some review products are sent to us to test free of charge and with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions, positive and negative, and will never accept compensation to review a product. If you have any questions or comments concerning our reviews or would like to suggest a product for review, please email us at [email protected].
We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.
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