Lululemon Align vs Wunder Under: Which is Best?

This Lululemon Align vs Wunder Under comparison is NOT sponsored and was written based on my honest opinion as a busy mom working on her fitness!

Investing in a high-quality pair of leggings is a game-changer.

You’ll go from not knowing what to wear to seeking out your go-to pants on every occasion – at least that’s what happened to me!

But when they cost almost $100 each, it’s important to choose the right leggings for your lifestyle!

This guide to Lululemon Align vs Wunder Under leggings includes:

The difference between Align and Wunder Under leggings
Which is better for daily wear vs working out
Which is a more versatile legging
Pilling in Align vs Wunder Under
How to care for Lululemon leggings
Lululemon Sizing guide for Aligns and Wunder Unders
Understanding the difference between the new Wunder Train vs Wunder Under styles
A comparison of Nulu, Luxtreme, and Everlux fabrics
Which legging you should purchase

Disclosure: Affiliate links are used throughout this post. You can read our full disclosure here.

Lululemon Align vs Wunder Under: Which is Best?

At first glance, Aligns and Wunder Unders look identical – especially if you’re comparing them on Lululemon’s website!

It’s not until you get a close-up and perhaps check out these leggings in a color other than black that you’ll really start to see the differences between them.

More athleisure guides and reviews:

What is the difference between Align and Wunder Under?

The biggest difference between Align and Wunder leggings are:

fabric
purpose
seams
lengths
availability

Fabric

Lululemon Aligns are made using Lulu’s Nulu fabric (81% Nylon and 19% Lycra elastane) while Wunder Unders come in two varieties: Luxtreme fabric (69% Nylon and 31% Lycra elastane) or Luon fabric (82% Nylon, 18% Lycra elastane).

Luon vs Luxtreme

While the Luon material has a very similar composition to Nulu, it feels a lot more cottony than either Nulu or Luxtreme does.

As a result, Luon will also pill much more easily than these two fabrics.

But in my honest opinion, I think Luon is the most compressive of these three fabrics.

Luxtreme features a smoother texture than either Luon or Nulu and actually reminds me of a wetsuit.

Perfectly, I’m not a fan of the Luxtreme and after buying one pair of Luxtreme Wunder Unders – I’d never purchase it again.

Unfortunately, I learned the hard way that Luxtreme is more easily damaged than Luon.

My four-year-old went through a brief slime phase and when she dropped a piece of sparkly white slime on my Luxtreme leggings, I was NEVER able to get it off.

My Luon pants have been through hell and back with paint, play-doh, and babies’ bodily fluids!

But I was always able to prevent staining and chunky buildup on my Luon pants – the nice thing about the cotton feel is that you can use a razor on them to take off pilling and other buildups.

I didn’t have the same experience with Luxtreme.

Here’s the permanent stain.

I find that they also slide down and need to be more frequently adjusted than other Lululemon leggings – during both everyday wear and workouts (as low impact as weight lifting).

Unless you plan on wearing your Luxtreme leggings exclusively for workouts (and are okay with the constant adjustments), I don’t recommend buying them.

Purpose

Aligns were designed for yoga while Wunder Unders were developed for yoga and more rigorous training.

From personal experience, I’ve worn my Aligns during Peloton workouts (including high-intensity spin classes and bootcamp) without issue for more than a year now.

Seams

Align leggings are designed with minimal seams for a cleaner look – this also makes them a more versatile pair of pants.

Wunder Under leggings are a more traditional sports pant though and have more obvious seams.

Lengths

Lululemon Wunder Unders were made in 4 lengths:

Cropped: 21″, 23″
Full-length: 25″, 28″

Lululemon Aligns are available in 6 different lengths:

Cropped: 17″, 21″ 23″
Full length: 25″, 28″, 31″

But depending on your height, cropped may feel like the perfect length for you – and it could save you a couple of bucks.

Pricing

Lululemon’s cropped styles – anything 23″ and shorter – start at $88 while pants with lengths 25″ and longer cost $98!

How to Choose Lululemon Leggings Length

To give you an idea of how Aligns and Wunder Unders fit length-wise, I’m 5″6 and currently wear a size 6 in both of these styles.

I personally don’t like the feel of leggings over my ankles and basically, always go for a 23″ length legging max.

It sits just above my ankle and is the perfect choice for cooler seasons like Fall and Winter.

I like the 21″ length for working out and during the Spring and Summer though – before I started training the way I am now, I was always self-conscious about my thick legs and “thunder thighs”.

So, I basically wore the 21″ length all summer long instead of shorts!

The tall models Lululemon shows wearing their clothes on the website make most of their leggings look like cropped pants.

But don’t make the same mistake I did – they actually tell you how tall the model is and what size they’re wearing right underneath the Select Size area!

This is where you’ll find Lululemon’s official Size Guide too.

I bought two pairs of 25″ leggings without first checking the model’s size – oops – and didn’t like how long they were on me.

Availability

The iconic Wunder Under legging was discontinued at the end of 2021 and has since been replaced by the new Wunder Train legging style.

Why are Wunder Unders being discontinued?

From what I was told by an Educator (and what you’ve read so far in this comparison) Wunder Unders are similar to Aligns in almost all ways except for the fabric.

However, as Wunder Under wearers have complained about these leggings sliding down during workouts, a waistband drawcord felt like the obvious solution.

And so its successor, the Wunder Train legging was born!

As someone with a curvier figure, I also have to agree with what many Reddit users have said about there being a gap in the waist when you wear a pant to accommodate the size of your bottom.

I just purchased my first pair of Wunder Trains and can’t wait to review them!

Wunder Under vs Wunder Train

Wunder Unders are made using Lululemon’s Luxtreme fabric (69% Nylon and 31% Lycra elastane) which boasts a sweat-wicking and breathable material.

The added Lycra fibre gives these leggings great stretch capability and allows them to retain their shape.

Wunder Trains are made using Lulu’s Everlux fabric (77% Nylon and 23% Lycra elastane).

Like Luxtreme, Everlux is breathable and sweat-wicking but it’s a faster drying fabric than Luxtreme.

Lululemon’s Everlux fabric also features four-way stretch and feels different on the inner fabric than it does on the outside – a sleek cool feeling vs a soft exterior.

Another difference between the discontinued Wunder Under style and Wunder Train is the presence of a waistband drawcord.

From experience, I definitely have to agree with the popular opinion that Wunder Unders needed to be pulled up and adjusted during workouts (especially high-intensity ones).

But the presence of a waistband drawcord helps keep your leggings in place no matter how hard you’re pushing yourself.

Like Aligns and Wunder Unders, Wunder Train leggings also feature Lululemon’s iconic hidden pocket in the front waistband – it’s enough room for a key and one or two cards.

Current Wunder Train Styles

Successor Wunder Train tights are available in three styles:

Wunder Train High-Rise Tight
Wunder Train High-Rise Crop
Wunder Train Super-High-Rise Tight

Current Align Leggings Styles

Align leggings aren’t going anywhere though and are available in eleven different styles:

Align High-Rise Pant
Align High-Rise Crop
Align Super-High Rise Pant
Align Super-High Rise Crop
Align Super-High-Rise Wide Leg Crop
Align High-Rise Pant with Pockets
Align High-Rise Crop with Pockets
Align Scalloped Hem High-Rise Pant
Align Scalloped Hem High-Rise Tight
Align Scalloped Hem High-Rise Crop
Align Wide Leg Crop

Wunder Under Leggings Review

I purchased my first Wunder Under 21″ crop in 2016 and they’re still holding up quite well despite not taking care of them properly!

Because I’ve machine-washed them (with cotton and towels) and then heat dried them (in extra hot settings), they’ve developed a TON of pilling between the legs.

Despite the pilling, my Wunder Under leggings are still really comfortable for working out in and they’ve even travelled across the world.

I wore them for a 9-hour plane ride followed by a 5-hour train ride and found them pretty comfortable throughout.

They also proved to hold up really well on days where we did a ton of walking – I’m talking thighs rubbing together for 25,000 steps, haha.

Now, if these leggings were any other color than black, there’s no way I would have worn them with these outfits.

I think the seams just look too sporty.

But to be completely honest, I prefer my Aligns for basically all workouts and well, living in!

I spend most of my time doing spin classes and lifting weights these days and I have had zero issues with my Aligns pilling or sliding down (like my Wunder Unders do).

Taking care of them and planning ahead has made the biggest difference (so I don’t dry them in the machine when I’m low on time).

Wunder Unders are an amazing legging but the lighter-weight material of Aligns gives them a more comfortable all-day, anything-goes feel!

Should you size down in Wunder Under leggings?

No, Wunder Under sizing is true to size.

These leggings are also quite compressive so you’ll want to stick to your usual size or check Lululemon’s official sizing guide.

Lulu Align Leggings

Full disclosure – I basically live in Aligns 24/7.

I have never worn a more versatile and comfortable legging!

Heck, I wore them throughout my entire pregnancy to the day I got induced with my second baby.

I couldn’t wear my Wunder Unders by about 25 weeks – they were just way too tight.

They’re great for dressing up and down, at work or working out, running errands and everything in between.

Wunder Unders used to be my go-to pant before I tried these for the first time.

My style’s also changed a bit from that time – I used to exclusively rock the athleisure look (the film industry will do that to you!) but I like to mix it up more these days.

Lululemon Aligns let you do that.

I know exactly what pair of leggings I’ll be wearing daily and just choose tops and accessories to match my mood.

You can check out my in-depth Align leggings review for more photos and reasons I swear by these pants.

Should you size down in Aligns?

No, you should opt for your usual size in Aligns.

I accidentally grabbed a size 4 the last time I tried on leggings at Lululemon and noticed a difference from my usual size 6 immediately.

I honestly wasn’t sure I’d even be able to get these pants up – I’ve had thick calves and thighs my entire life. This is the way I live (I hope you heard the song there too, haha).

And when I did get them on, I was pleasantly surprised by how great they looked and shaped my body but I’d be worried about them splitting when I do a squat.

If you want this type of compression, you’re better off buying leggings in the Luxtreme fabric in your actual size!

What You Should Buy: Wunder Under vs Align Leggings

Since Wunder Under leggings were discontinued at the end of 2021, it’ll definitely be easier to find the right pair of Align leggings online.

But if you wear one of the remaining sizes available on the official Lululemon website, you could snag a pair of Wunder Unders on sale right now!

All fabrics, colors, and lengths have been marked down to $69 – including classic black.

You could also check out Poshmark to find lightly used Wunder Unders or try the new Wunder Train leggings that utilize a hidden waistband drawcord to keep them in place.

But that said, I personally don’t like either the Luon or Luxtreme materials.

While Luon is a cotton-like material that pills super easily, Luxtreme just doesn’t stay in place.

In my experience, the Nulu fabric that Aligns are made with is much lower maintenance and helps them stay in place.

They feel like you’re wearing a second skin and the minimal seam design of these pants creates a super versatile legging you can wear no matter what you’re style is or what you’ll be doing that day.

So, which leggings will you try? Align or Wunder Under? Wunder Train?

Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Happy shopping, friends!