Best Fleece-Lined Leggings for Cold Weather

Updated November 2023

It’s winter and it’s cold. But that doesn’t mean you have to stop wearing leggings. The secret is investing in the best fleece-lined leggings that fit the activity you want – whether running errands or going for a cross-country ski.

I’ve spent years wearing, testing, adventuring, and working out in fleece-lined leggings in temperatures down to -45°C/-49F here in our Canadian winters.

I’ve curated this list as my top recommendations when it comes to the best pairs of fleece-lined leggings for cold weather. I recommend any pair on this list but have broken it down into categories based on features and activities you might be doing.

READ MORE: How to Layer Properly for Cold Weather Activities

Here are the best fleece-lined leggings for cold weather depending on the activity you’ll be doing.

Complete Guide to the Best Fleece-Lined Leggings

While still slim and fitted, fleece-lined leggings give more warmth than regular leggings. But it’s important to note that no matter what lining is in a pair of leggings, they won’t replace the warmth proper insulated ski pants provide in the winter months. So please dress according to the weather conditions.

*Some of these links may be affiliated. Purchases through an affiliated link support my small business at no extra cost to you.

Overall Top 3 Best Fleece-Lined Leggings

Hands down the top three leggings I love this season are:

  1. High Quality: Lululemon Fast and Free High Rise Fleece Tight
    Soft, thin and the perfect amount of stretch to compression – these lululemon tights aren’t cheap but I love them. Especially while being active. They’re great in shoulder season or simply wearing out on errands. And pockets – they have pockets.
  2. Warmest: Kyodan Sherpa Fleece Lined Leggings
    You won’t find thicker or warmer fleece-lined leggings anywhere else. These leggings aren’t just lined with standard fleece, they have a thick sherpa lining for maximum warmth. Kyodan is a go-to fitness brand of choice for me and these leggings are some of the best and warmest. They come in three colours and fit true to size.

    Use code ASHLYN20 to get 20% off your order.
  3. Budget Friendly: Baleaf Fleece-Lined Leggings
    A soft legging goes a long way. The Baleaf fleece-lined legging provides a comfortable thickness-to-compression ratio and has pockets on both legs. They also come in nearly a dozen different colours and patterns. They are a favourite of mine because they’re great multi-activity leggings. Plus they have nearly 15,000 reviews on Amazon.
Out cross-country skiing in Columbia’s fleece-lined pant

Best Fleece-Lined Leggings for Cross-Country Skiing, Snowshoeing & Walking

Columbia has nailed it with their high-rise warm winter pants. It’s a thicker material – almost like a soft shelf – with water repellency and UPF protection This means it’s a good buffer against the wind when cross-country skiing and snowshoeing and when out walking. But it’s also stretchy and fits close against the skin. There’s one zippered side pocket to slip your phone into which makes it easy to access while on the trails.

You can buy directly from their website or check out Amazon as some sizes are cheaper than full price.

Note: The fit of the fleece-lined pant on the model on Columbia’s website isn’t very flattering. It’s not how these pants fit in real life. They’re a tight fit with a narrow, straight leg at the ankle – they fit more like leggings as seen on me in the photo above (versus how it looks like pants in the product shot.)

Tip 1: Here’s my favourite fitted ear warmer for cross-country skiing or winter running. I prefer to wear a headband as it lets the top of my head breathe while I’m working up a sweat.

Tip 2: These are my favourite reusable foot warmers to keep in my boots when skiing, hiking, or snowshoeing.  I wear them in my socks, fur-side facing my skin.  They’re compact and versatile, fitting in all sorts of footwear. Plus, they last season after season, making them a perfect accessory for my winter wardrobe. I also tuck them into my mitts if I want a thicker lining compared to their reusable hand warmers.

Use my code LOSTGIRL for 10% off your order.

Comfiest Fleece-Lined Leggings

Would it surprise you if I told you I own these leggings in six different colours? Because I do.

Mondetta’s Traverse High-Waisted legging have been a go-to for me for years. In fact, they were the first fleece-lined leggings I ever owned. They have a high banded waist and come with pockets on both legs. They’re comfortable and are what I have spent most of my time in – whether it’s snowboarding, running or just around the house. This season they have three different colours: mahogany, teal and black.

Buy them here.

Warmest Fleece-Lined Leggings

Kyodan wins for the warmest fleece-lined leggings due to their Sherpa fleece lining. While leggings don’t replace properly insulated pants, these come close when keeping me warm in the cold weather. While the fleece is thicker, it isn’t bulky. These are exactly what I want when the temperature dips but I want to be warm and comfortable.

Buy them here. Use ASHLYN20 for 20% off your order.

The thick lining in Kyodan’s Sherpa fleece-lined leggings

Most Affordable Fleece-Lined Leggings

The Baleaf fleece-lined leggings are an Amazon find and are the most affordable at about $50 per pair. They have deep drop-in side pockets, a front waistband pocket and are a perfect multi-purpose legging. They fit much like my go-to Mondetta pair and are cheaper.

The next (very closely) affordable leggings are one of my favourites mentioned above, the CRZ leggings, also on Amazon. Depending on the colour (there are a dozen colours available) the price is also about $50 a pair.

Extra Warm Tip: For additional warmth, I like to pair my fleece-lined leggings with reusable hand, foot, and body warmers made of sheared beaver fur. The fur acts as an insulator, helping to retain the body heat I’m naturally generating. These warmers are a great addition to my mitts, shoes, and leggings (I just slip them in pretty much anywhere – gloves, boots and the back waistband of my leggings), keeping me comfortable and warm when I’m out in the cold.

Check them out here. Use code LOSTGIRL for 10% off your order.

READ MORE: 12 Outdoor Winter Activities to Try if You Live in Saskatchewan

Best Fleece-Lined Leggings for Winter Running

Lululemon leggings are sooo soft and buttery smooth. They also offer great compression in flattering cuts. These leggings have a thin brushed interior which are thinner than standard fleece-lined leggings but perfect for running (which they’re engineered for). They’re also great when heading out to run errands, or for autumn temperatures.

The Fast and Free Brushed tights have two pockets and come in several different colours. I wear these during the autumn months as well as throughout the winter when out running. They’re even great for colder summer days or hiking at altitude which makes them truly versatile.

Because they’re specifically engineered for running, lululemon tights are great investment pieces that will be in your closet for years.

Warm Tip: If you find the air is too cold air in your lungs when running, here’s an excellent fitted face mask that is breathable and won’t fall down. This has become my favourite face covering when outdoors – I own it in two different colours.

If you’re a runner, this is one of my favourite down running and skiing jackets in winter.

Best Running Jacket in Cold Weather: If you’re an avid runner in cold weather, I want to shout out Lululemon’s down jackets. It’s another piece of gear I own in several colours. The jacket is fitted, comfortable and has numerous pockets. So you can stick your gloves or hat in if you get too warm when out running in the snow. I wear these for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing as well. They also layer well with a shell jacket.

Buy it here.

Fleece-Lined Leggings with Pockets

While most of the fleece leggings in this post have pockets (except the Kyodan sherpa-lined leggings), the Baleaf fleece-lined leggings have double pockets on both sides. They come in a dozen different colours and also have a waist pocket in the back to slip in keys or a card. So if having pockets is important, I recommend these ones.

Buy them here.

Fleece-Lined Leggings for Tall Women

While I’m 5’4 and usually go with a 28″ inseam, I know many women are taller than me and looking for leggings that are longer. Eddie Bauer caters to tall women for leggings, pants and ski pants. The Cross-Over Winter Trail High Rise leggings are an excellent option. With a brushed fleece lining and moisture-wicking, odour control, they also have a side pocket with a zippered pocket on top. The tall option should be 3″ longer than regular for a 31″ inseam.

Fleece-Lined Leggings for Plus-Size Women

lululemon has created tights for plus-sized women. The Fast and Free High Rise tights with side pockets did go up to a size 20 but this season looks like they only go up to size 14.

Eddie Bauer offers plus sizes in 2X and 3X for their Cross-Over Winter Trail High Rise leggings which are moisture-wicking with a side pocket and zippered coin pocket.

Best Fleece-Lined Pant

If you’re not totally in love with wearing leggings, I get it. Thankfully, there are a variety of fleece-lined pants out there too. One of my top choices comes from my favourite brand Kyodan. This pant has cuffs at the bottom and the exterior is made of a soft woven poly while the interior is brushed. They don’t fit as tight as leggings but are still nice and fitted. This means you can still go out and ski, snowshoe, walk and hike in them and still be comfortable.

Buy the fleece lined pant here.

Fleece-Lined Pantyhose for Under a Dress – Yes, Really!

This is amazing. Not only can you buy fleece-lined leggings for all sorts of outdoor activities, but you can also buy fleece-lined leggings that go under your dress and make it look like you’re wearing pantyhose. They come in three different shades.

You can also buy them in different sheerness levels and most options are 220g. This sounds like the most Canadian thing ever – what a great way to stay warm but still look nice in the winter when dressed up. They’re also under $30.

But them here.

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13 Replies to “Best Fleece-Lined Leggings for Cold Weather”

  1. Can you recommend any specific brands that consistently offer top-quality fleece-lined leggings suitable for cold climates?

  2. Ashlyn, my name is Joy and I’m the older sister of Michelle Lachance whom I believeyou met back in July 2015. Today, I’ve been reviewing Michelle’s blog 7 years after she passed away March 15, 2016 and just noticed the link to your blog on her post here: https://zoomedin.wixsite.com/zoomedin/single-post/2015/07/27/cypress-hills-provincial-park

    If you’re open to having a conversation about your experience during the short time you spent with Michelle, it would be lovely to reminisce. I miss her still and think about her often. I made the trip across Canada in 2013 after Michelle and I both battled breast cancer late 2012. Sadly, the second time after we were both diagnosed in 2015, she didn’t make it. We were very close.

    My email address is below. I can provide my phone number if you feel comfortable reaching out.

    In the meantime, I’m so happy you’re still blogging and you really are an adventurer!

  3. I bought the Kyodan sherpa leggings last year on your recommendation and you were absolutely right. Soooooo warm, perfect for SK winters. The discount code was awesome too, thanks.

    1. I’m glad you like them as much as I do! I just bought a second pair of them, the green ones this time. I only wish they had pockets on them but maybe next season they’ll come out with that.

  4. I needed this list! I just moved from Hawai’i to Fairbanks and I’ve never ordered clothes this quickly in my entire life. Thank you!!

  5. Any suggestions for us taller gals? I usually wear a 32-33” inseam. All of your suggestions are 28” or shorter. Thanks!

    1. Hi Michelle – great question! I’m adding in tall and plus-size options to the blog.

      Eddie Bauer currently has tall options (but their stock is limited at the moment). Keep an eye out here for when they get more in: https://bit.ly/3DvFa24

      According to their website, sleeve length, body length, rise depth, and
      inseam are adjusted to be proportionally longer than Regular sizes. (I believe it’s 3 inches for tall versus regular size)>

      Hope this helps!

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