Ultracor is a super-high-end active brand famous for their boldly embellished, luxe leggings. I tried my first pair of Ultracor a couple of years ago, but they fit strangely and puckered at the accents, so they went back. When I saw these new duochrome pop star leggings, I decided it was time I give them a second chance. Incidentally, my first Ultracor purchase was also star-embellished, so I guess I’m consistent. :)
So, let’s get to the details!
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Ultracor makes 2 different inseam lengths (21″ and 24″) and 2 different rise heights. These are the “ultra high”, which is the longer, 24″ inseam length and higher rise, which features a wider 3″ waistband. The waistband is made of a sturdy but soft exposed elastic.
The rise hits right at my belly button and the inseam hits just at the top of my ankles (I am 5’3″). I purchased these in a size XS and the fit is perfect. The free hem (no seam!) sits perfectly at my ankles. Ultracor offers a size XXS on their website, and while I frequently wear that size in other brands, I would not go down a size here. In my opinion, the Ultracor size XS fits similarly to lululemon size 2. If you are between sizes, go up.
The metallic star accents are bonded to the leggings, not part of the print. The large stars are rose gold, inset with tiny silver stars. You’ll notice there’s slight evidence of puckering in some photos because the accents do not stretch in the same way as the main fabric. That said, it’s not bad enough to be a major issue for me. I prefer the larger, open stars of the pop star leggings as opposed to the totally solid stars of the knockout leggings, since the open stars allow the material to stretch a little more freely as you move.
The leggings feature a built-in low-coverage liner inside, so you don’t need to wear additional undergarments with these if you don’t want to. There’s not an obvious way to easily remove the liner, and I certainly wouldn’t want to risk damaging such a pricey garment by attempting removal. So, if you don’t like the liner, you might be out of luck with these leggings.
Also note that Ultracor’s leggings do not feature a gusset of any kind at the crotch. This doesn’t bother me, but is something to note since it is not visible in photos.
Ultracor’s fabric is unlike any other I’ve encountered. It’s a thick, tight weave, but somehow still breathable and flexible. It’s 100% opaque no matter how you bend and what you wear underneath. The compressive fit locks everything in and sculpts in a way that looks and feels great to wear. In my opinion, the fabric is the selling point of these leggings. It’s really excellent.
I tested these leggings out on an 8-mile run and they easily passed the test. The fit and compression felt great while I ran and stayed perfectly in place.
Besides running, these leggings are very versatile and good for many activities. They’re probably not the best for activities like yoga or dance since they have a more compressive fit. I would wear them for workouts like CrossFit, strength training, spinning or other cardio, and HIIT-style classes.
Is Ultracor worth the money?
The biggest downside with Ultracor’s gear is the ultra-high price tag: full price, their leggings run you $198 each. These are one of the most expensive items in my active closet. That said, it’s clear they’re high quality and are priced high for a reason.
I decided to keep these leggings because they add something unique to my active closet and I love the style. I buy my activewear pretty sparingly, so an occasional spendy item is manageable for me when it’s something special. That said, if you want a high quality pair of performance leggings, you don’t need to spend this much. While you can’t find anything identical, you can find something from other reputable brands like Athleta and lululemon that meets your functional needs more in the $100-$130 range instead of $198. Ultracor’s styles can often be found on sale or on resale sites like eBay, so there are definitely ways to avoid paying full price.
If you want to take the plunge, the duochrome pop star leggings are currently available via Carbon38, Revolve, Neiman Marcus, and Shopbop. If you prefer a more subdued look, they’re also made with patent black and tiny gold accent stars, which you can find at Nordstrom and Zappos.
If you want to go custom, Ultracor’s website offers all 4 combinations of inseam length and rise. However, bear in mind they only offer returns for store credit, so be sure you’re absolutely sure of your size and preference.
Outfit details
Ultracor duochrome pop star leggings in rose gold
Alala tie back long sleeve in white – 15% off: enter AA15 at checkout
Nike metcon 3
TDOG says
They look fantastic on you!
Suzanne | Agent Athletica says
Thanks! :)
Colleen says
These look amazing … but I’m concerned about the whole “no gusset” thing. Did this make them less comfortable? Would love your opinion on this!
Suzanne | Agent Athletica says
I haven’t noticed it while wearing them, so personally it didn’t bother me. Since the seams are flat, there’s no big lump of seams at the center point, which definitely helps. That said, I have no idea why they didn’t just throw one in there. 🤷♀️
ANON says
I’ve been a huge fan of Ultracor for several years. I own many pairs of star ⭐️ printed tights. I own the longer inseams ones.
I have a bandier shop near me so it’s dangerous . Their quality is superb and very flattering fit! So glad to see you tried them again.
Suzanne | Agent Athletica says
I can imagine the danger, they’re always coming out with so many interesting and unique designs. I really like the super bloom prints they released recently.
Halah says
Thank you for the detailed review…you’re the best at these! I tried Ultracor a few years ago and didn’t love the rise or the puckering and have ignored them since. You’ve got me curious to give them a try again with the higher rise!
Suzanne | Agent Athletica says
Thanks! They do have some designs that don’t have any bonded accents which would eliminate the puckering issue, I just haven’t personally tried them.
Carina says
Definitely one if my favorite leggings. I do however cut out the built in underwear, it just feels too awkward for me and feels much better without it.
Suzanne | Agent Athletica says
I’m glad to hear cutting out the liner works–if you have any tips you’d like to share, I’d love to hear them. Do you just use regular scissors or do you have any special tricks?
ssiren says
These look great on you! I’m curious about this amazing fabric you speak of, but I’m too picky about leggings these days and the price plus the no gusset thing makes the brand a no-go for me. Still, your review was very helpful!
I’m still waiting to hear about how you like the Athleta velocity tights ;)
Suzanne | Agent Athletica says
Thanks! I agree that for the price tag, you should be as picky as you want.
I know I’m behind on the velocities (and others too). I can write the reviews themselves relatively quickly, I just always get behind on taking pics because it’s so dependent on weather and time of day. My current queue of styles/outfits I need to shoot is quickly approaching double digits. 🤦♀️
Richard says
You look great in all of your outfits.
Helen Laman says
Ultra core has a no return under any circumstances unless they send you something faulty. I ordered XL and they sent a xsmall with an XL Label. If you email them they do not answer. They claim that every pair is custom made thereby Justifying the no returns policy, but that is a cop out. The product may be good, but if you have a problem. you are screwed.
Suzanne | Agent Athletica says
Thanks for sharing! That’s really awful that they wouldn’t make an exception for their own error. I’ve heard similar feedback about ordering direct form Ultracor from other commenters, so I should probably edit my posts to point this out. Sorry that happened to you! :(
LeThanh Petrov says
When you are referring to lululemon size 2 correlates to ultracor xs, do you mean the aligns? I just want to be certain before I make the plunge because I’ve tried to reach out for them and I have no luck. There reviews are horrible to boot. Such a shame.