Conceal carry workout pants?! With built in holsters!? No way. This is everything I have ever wanted out of a pair of workout pants! But $100 is pretty steep (no, my workout clothes are not all Lululemon. More like Target and Marshalls) But as someone who works out a lot and practically lives in her workout clothes, I was intrigued. So I started doing some research to see what other people thought about them. During my research, I was having trouble finding any reviews from someone who actually worked out in them, while carrying. Lots of women loved them for wearing to run errands or working out in them, without their gun, but no real reviews from people who carried with them. So I decided to take the plunge and buy the Stealth leggings to see if they were as wonderful as I was hoping.
A little about me. I would say I’m your normal every day lady. I do work out a lot. Anything from pilates and barre to running with my dog at night. I have my LTC and carry every day, either on person or in my purse. 85% of the people I interact with on a normal basis have no idea I carry, for a myriad of reasons. I know very little about guns but I know what I need to know to safely carry my M&P Shield. I’m not at the range every weekend; honestly, I’m lucky if I make it once a month. But I practice enough to feel comfortable if I needed to protect myself or others in an emergency.
When my Alexo’s first arrived, it was like Christmas. I put them on immediately and took them for a run. I needed to see if these bad boys were everything I had read about! First run out, I was a little nervous about the gun coming out of the pocket holster so I decided to wear my inside-the-waistband holster that I normally carry with. The pants worked great! They held the holster very close to my body with very little movement.
Once I got back home, I decided to put my Alexo’s to the test. I emptied my gun so that if anything happened, I wouldn’t have a loaded pistol flying out of my pants; and decided to use the front appendix carry holster pocket that is built into the pants. Took a run around the block, did some sprints, some high knees and jumping jacks. The run went great and my gun stayed nice and snug without much movement. Bonus! My phone stayed in the side pocket the whole time! Though when I went to do high knees and jumping jackets, the gun did come out. So! Great for running, not so great for any up and down movements.
Over the next couple of weeks, I wore my Alexo’s as often as I could using the built in holster pocket. A lot of reviews showed them being dressed up and worn with heels. While I’m sure this works well for a lot of people, I find these a little too shiny for my liking. And the reflective logo on the back of the right leg, to me, screams “hey, I’m wearing workout pants as leggings.” But, overall, paired with a cute sweater, it worked out fine.
I also decided to give them a try in a heated yoga class (only heated to 90 degrees). I obviously didn’t carry my gun in yoga class; there is absolutely no way I could conceal a gun in downward dog. The waist band of these pants are reinforced so you have the extra support for your gun but this gets very warm in heated yoga. It got very sweaty which took a long time to dry and became uncomfortable after a while. But the pants stretched and moved with me without constricting my movements. So you can definitely wear them to work out, just maybe not to hot yoga unless you plan on changing right afterwards.
Next up was range day. I wore my Alexo’s and a loose fitting shirt with a jacket over it. I practiced drawing from the appendix carry holster pocket and had no issues with the holster catching my gun. The draws were smooth and uninterrupted. I did try using the behind-the-hip pocket holsters but since that is not where I am used to carrying, it was clumsy and I really can’t give a good review on those holsters and their functionality.
On a normal day wearing them, I have no issues using just the pocket holster to carry my gun. I put my LTC in the front pocket like Amy recommends so that I have the extra protection from anything getting inside my trigger guard. So far, I have not had any issues with my gun moving out of place. Also, I love all the extra pockets. I use the front one for my license and credit card and the pocket on the thigh for my cell phone and I am good to go. No purse needed! One thing to note is the gun holster pockets are very tight which doesn’t accommodate larger guns. I tried putting my Springfield XDM subcompact in the pockets and it did not fit. I would say the Shield is about as large as the pockets would hold. So you if are a 1911 gal, you might want to look elsewhere (also, we need to talk. How do you possibly conceal something that large?!)
Overall, I’m loving what Amy with Alexo Athletica has created. I can wear comfortable workout pants and carry my Shield; it doesn’t get much better than that. When I don’t have to sacrifice my comfort for safety, I consider that a win. In fact, I just bought my second pair of Alexo’s! I went with the Signature pant this time. I’m sure I will love them as much as the Stealth.
Until next time, Mrs. Smith
