A mirror check at Equinox

Mid-Pilates in San Francisco, the writer catches his reflection in a lavender Old Navy Sport set. In a room full of expensive gear, he does not look out of place.

“My hamstrings could use some work. My fit? Not so much.”

The hard part is cheap

Stylish workout clothes over $100 a piece are everywhere. Gear that looks good, performs, and costs far less is the actual tough ask.

Old Navy takes a swing

The new Sport line, launching now, rebuilds the brand's longtime activewear with a lot more personality. The test: a full weekend of workouts in SF.

Bounce Fleece won the trip

A half-zip and matching sweats in Old Navy's smooth spacer fabric, mostly polyester and rayon with a little spandex. Cozy without the scratch or stuffiness of a normal hoodie.

Flare, but not a tent

The sweatpants have the slight flare Gen Z guys want, without swallowing a millennial who still likes tailored trousers. The half-zip is $42, the pants $38.

CloudMotion passed Pilates

The tee is mostly polyester with 7 percent spandex, light and drapey. It followed every reach and twist without bunching, and it did not hold onto the smell.

“even after I worked up a sweat, I didn't smell gross”

Shorts that stay out of it

The seven-inch StretchTech shorts survived legs in the air, the liner stayed put, and a zipper pocket held his Invisalign without digging in during hip bridges.

“the seven-inch inseam kept me from flashing my colleagues”

A running tee under $25

The Slim Fit Performance Vent came in a red graphic with a Matrix-like finish, closer to a cult brand like Bandit than a bargain rack. Side vents included.

Fitted, not sausage casing

Snug through the chest, looser through the body. It added warmth for a chilly August morning in SF without cooking him once the run got going.

“Fitted through the chest, looser through the body. No sausage casing.”

Run shorts you forget

The matching five-inch Performance Vent shorts use the same light stretch fabric, with side vents and a built-in brief. They stayed put for the whole jog.

“I looked at the waterfront. I did not think about my running shorts”

ProTrain shorts stole the show

Brown polyester-spandex shorts on a terrace strength circuit. The stretch showed up in the squats, and unlike pricier pairs he owns, he never had to tug them back down.

One miss in the sun

The soft CloudMotion tee that felt great on a Pilates mat ran hot under midday sun. Save it for lifting indoors and grab a mesh shirt outside.

“I should have worn one of the mesh shirts, though the view was worth sweating for”

The verdict, with a caveat

Cheaper than Abercrombie's YPB and better looking than most budget gear. The open question is how it holds up after a year of washing, which no weekend can answer.

“prices that let you buy the whole outfit for what one piece can cost elsewhere”