Flanci Purple Flame review: well-designed leggings at a great price

Warm but breathable leggings with pockets, the Flanci Purple Flames are unmissable on the trail

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Flanci Purple Flame
(Image: © Ceri Rees)

Advnture Verdict

Well designed and definitely good for the price, the Flanci Purple Flames are a great piece of kit for the trail extroverts out there.

Pros

  • +

    2 Pockets

  • +

    Warm

  • +

    Surprisingly breathable

  • +

    Colorful

Cons

  • -

    Too colorful!

  • -

    Synthetic materials

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First impressions

You will either love or hate the look of the Flanci Purple Flames. If you like to stand out in a crowd then these are for you. But if you are someone who likes to blend in with nature rather than startle it, the inclination, as you get ready to run, may be to wait until dark.

But it has to be said, there’s nothing wrong with having a mixed wardrobe to match the occasion and in some weathers you can do with all the cheering up you can get – especially in the darker months. Suffice to say, Flanci target their leggings at people who like their colors bright, which may rule out a lot of middle aged men.

This particular design was formulated for, and with input from, ultra- and marathon runner, Adam Holland, who hails from Devon in England, where these garments are made, and where we put them to the test.

Specifications

• RRP: $52.40 (US) / £38 (UK)
• Weight: 230g / 8.1 oz
• Materials: Polyester (85%), spandex (15%)
• Colors: Purple
• Compatibility:  Trail running, road running, hiking, skiing, orienteering, cycling, field sports

On the trails

In terms of performance, the Flanci Purple Flames are definitely thick enough to keep you warm, no matter what the weather throws at you. We tested these in cold, icy conditions on challenging trails on Dartmoor, and found they offered good thermal qualities, without being too claggy or hard to breath in.

The Flanci Purple Flames come with pocket pouches on both the thigh and back area, so you can store gels and other essentials, which is a big tick.  The waistband pocket is zipped pocket and large enough to securely take a phone.

Available in various sizes, the Flanci Purple Flames have been professionally designed anatomically and ergonomically to improve circulation and recovery during training. Other features include a high waistband with a removable internal tie string and flat-lock seams to improve comfort levels and limit the risk of chafing.

Spandex and polyester are not the most environmentally friendly materials on the planet, but this is an issue with almost all performance-orientated running leggings.

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Ceri Rees

Founder of Wild Running and Wild Running Events, and a regular podium-placer at trail running events around the South West, Ceri has a background in journalism. He started and edited an outdoors supplement for a daily newspaper, has written for several national outdoors magazines and newspapers, and produces his own podcast. He can trace his interest in adventure back to when, as a slightly precocious six-year-old, he convinced his cousins and older sister to walk through the night into the centre of Newcastle in their pyjamas for a dare – an escapade that ended in a lift home in a police car. More recently, he became the de facto UK Snowshoe Running Champion when he was the first Brit to cross the finish line at the 2019 World Snowshoe Championships in Fondo, Trentino.