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High Gear: Field-testing the Akinz Galaxy yoga leggings from Fort Collins

Akinz Galaxy yoga leggings | $52

In a nutshell: Stretchy leggings made to move with you outdoors, indoors and even in the depths of Lake Dillon (if that were allowed)

Sizes: Women’s small, medium and large

Material: 84 percent polyester, 16 percent nylon (four-way stretch)

Made in: Fort Collins, USA

Look for new patterns this spring/summer season. For more info or to purchase a pair, see akinz.com.

Keeping your new year’s resolution to work out on a regular basis just got a little bit easier with the Akinz Galaxy yoga leggings.

Let’s start at the top: The Akinz Galaxy yoga leggings are great for most workouts. Nothing is worse than restrictive clothing that holds you back when you’re in the groove of a good workout, but with these leggings, you don’t have to worry about that. The fabric is light and moves with you. The four-way stretch fabric can go as far as you can, and might even make you feel more flexible than you actually are.

Designed in Fort Collins by Suzanne Akinz, the company founder and namesake, the leggings are part of a growing collection of lifestyle and athletic wear. Akinz began with handmade beanies (still stitched by hand in FoCo) and has now expanded to include hoodies, shirts, dresses, sunglasses, custom jewelry and more. If you’re ever in Fort Collins, drop by the flagship store in the heart of Old Town (15 Old Town Square) for a glimpse at the entire collection.



Like everything in the Akinz catalog, the yoga leggings are made for ladies who live and breathe an outdoor lifestyle. They have special sun-blocking technology that covers you from UV rays, with a UV protective factor of 50, meaning it blocks 98 percent of harmful rays. Come summer, jogging and outdoor yoga sessions won’t leave your legs burnt to a crisp. You might not be able to find much surf in Summit, but kayaking or stand-up paddleboarding on Lake Dillon with these eye-catching leggings is not out of the question.

The Akinz website says the fabric is moisture wicking and can even be worn surfing, or for other water sports, meaning wet snow should not be too much of a problem. But the thin, light material does not provide much insulation or warmth for a brisk mountain-town run. My one recommendation is to avoid running with these leggings in cold or snowy conditions.



The leggings will set you back $52, but their flexibility and durability mean that you’ll get plenty of use out of them. They’re made in the company’s Fort Collins workshop, which keeps things local like Melanzana, the other Colorado-based clothing line based in Leadville. The Akinz designers used a flatlock seam on the leggings, which aside from giving them a cool inside-out look, also helps to prevent chafing. The nylon and spandex combo is soft — a plus over the thick, scratchy material some compression pants are made of.

At the moment, these leggings are only available in the Galaxy print through the Akinz website. The company offers several other leggings options, including $28 and $48 versions in several different stonewashed colors, but those don’t come with the same UV and four-way stretch features as the yoga model. If you aren’t fond of the wild pattern, you’re out of luck — for now. Watch for new patterns with the company’s spring/summer line.


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