Vuori’s Sunday Performance Joggers are some of the bestselling athleisure joggers for men. Does Rugged Black make a better alternative that’s more comfortable, cheaper, and made of sustainable fabric? Of course.
Nothing in a man’s closet will beat the versatility of a good pair of athleisure joggers. Women have black stretchy leggings. Men have activewear joggers. They are the most worn item in most men’s closets.
During the pandemic, I went on a quest to find the perfect pair of joggers. Up until that point, my go-to pair was a baggy cotton pair from Puma. As Kevin Hart said, a man with jogging pants on has given up on life.
I went on a spending binge of the most popular athleisure brands—Vuori, Public Rec, Lululemon, and Rhone.
Early on, before I started Rugged Black, one of my favorite pair was Vuori’s Sunday Performance Joggers. While many athleisure companies blur the line between slacks and joggers (i.e. Public Rec), the Sunday Performance Jogger was pure casual activewear.
In this article, I’m going to breakdown what I like about Vuori’s bestselling joggers and compare it to our Comfort Max Jogger.
The Tale of the Tape:
Sunday Performance Jogger by Vuori
Price (of Sunday Performance)
$98
Vuori's Sunday Performance Joggers have a very competitive price-value balance. It’s not as expensive as Lululemon, Public Rec and Rhone. But the quality is definitely there.
Like us, Vuori seems believe men are not accustom to paying over $100 for a pair of pants/jeans/joggers/etc.
Reviews (of Sunday Performance)
3,300+ reviews with a 4.8 rating
Vuori has done a great job building an athleisure brand on par with Lululemon. Comparable quality with slightly more tolerable pricing, they are quickly attracting a following.
The Good (5-star reviews):
“Excellent quality. Great color and fit. Versatile joggers for many occasions. Highly recommend.”
“They’ve become his favorite work from home attire!”
“Want a pair of everyday of the week!”
The Bad (1-3 star reviews):
“Like the fit but way too short in length. Sending back.”
“Not as thick as I thought they would be - not ideal.”
“Too thin. Almost felt cheap. Also too tight.”
The Fit and Feel (of Sunday Performance)
My impression after wearing these joggers for about 3 months is positive.
The fabric is okay. The fit is great if you don’t mind the shorter length.
The fabric doesn’t have a soft luxurious feeling fabric compared to some other joggers on the market such as Rhone’s Spar Jogger. It’s also thin like some reviewers noted.
The fabric is a lightweight technical knit fabric–88% Polyester and 12% Spandex. A lot of companies that describe their pants are “technical” uses a high percentage of virgin polyester.
The fit is where the Sunday Performance shines. I’m a big dude with big legs. I wear the XXL in Vuori pants. I have more than enough room with the Sunday Performance Joggers. No restriction. Very comfortable. But again, these come in one inseam length – 28”. So they are VERY short on me.
Uses (of Sunday Performance)
There’s a fine line between looking and feeling comfortable and acceptability outside the home. For me, when my clothes are high on comfortability, it’s more like pajama/home wear. Looking at you Crocs and flannel pants.
The Sunday Performance Joggers definitely comfortable but not too comfortable looking. These joggers tend more toward upscale casual active, outdoorsy wear. The joggers are cut nicely and has a refined sporty look.
These joggers are appropriate for errands, walking, working out, and lounging. Reviewers praise the versatility of these joggers.
However, I will say these have the traditional jogger cut and look with the ribbed elastic waistband and cuffed bottom. These probably wouldn’t cut it in more formal casual situations like work and golfing.
If you live in a colder climate, these joggers will lose some of its appeal. The lightweight fabric does wonders for breathability. But for cold brisk morning runs, you will have to wear an under layer as well. Not to mention your ankles will be exposed if you are over 6’0.
This reduces their usability during the Winter and Fall but enhances it during the Spring and Summer.
Design (of Sunday Performance)
The Sunday Performance Joggers have a traditional jogger look with a handy zippered side pocket for your keys and cell phone.
They are cut to give you more room in your thigh area (much appreciated) and tapers down around the calf and ankle for a more modern fit than the straight leg cotton joggers. Is relaxed modern cut a thing?
Other features include the faux fly, zippered back pocket, moisture wicking, and drawstring waistband.
Sizing (of Sunday Performance)
Unlike Public Rec, the Sunday Performance comes in 6 waist sizes (XS-XXL) and 1 inseam length 28”.
There’s nothing necessarily wrong with that given the relaxed, modern cut of the joggers. But if you deviate too far from the mean (i.e. big legs with small waist, small waist with long legs, etc.) these joggers won’t accommodate you.
I found that being over 6’2 you have to be okay with these joggers stopping around your lower calf 4-5 inches above your ankle.
Not a problem for 80% of you. Just thought I would mention.
Summary
The Sunday Performance Joggers are a great option for men who want to upgrade their activewear joggers. They are sporty, versatile, and comfortable.
The inseam length will be problematic for guys over 6’0” and don’t want the cuff to hit significantly above your ankle. They only come in 28” inseam which is way too short for tall guys.
The fabric is always lightweight and semi-see through. Great for breathability. Bad for colder weather.
Everyday Comfort Joggers by Rugged Black
Price (of Everyday Comfort)
$79
At $69, the Everyday Comfort Joggers cost more than 20% less than Vuori’s Sunday Performance. You save $20 every pair.
Reviews (of Everyday Comfort)
8 reviews (all 5 stars)
Our recently released Everyday Comfort Joggers have garnered great initial reviews.
With 8 reviews (all 5 stars), we understand we have a way to go to competing with the bigger athleisure brands.
Each of our reviews holds a verified badge meaning they are genuine opinions from unaffiliated customers. The ‘Verified’ badge shows these reviews were from actual purchases from real customers.
We also stand behind our products with a money back guarantee coupled with free returns and exchanges.
This is significant. If we aren’t be upfront and honest about the quality and features of our joggers, we lose over $30 per order in shipping cost, return shipping cost, restocking, and unsellable product losses.
The Good (5-star reviews):
“These joggers are the best I’ve ever owned. They are soft, comfortable, durable, and looks great.”
“Great fit, quality fabric and holds up during workouts…”
“Best Joggers on the market”
“You’ve got to give these a try. You won’t believe how comfortable they are…”
The Bad (1-3 star reviews):
No zippered side pockets
Need more color and inseam options
The Fit and Feel (of Everyday Comfort)
The biggest difference between Vuori’s joggers and RBLK’s joggers is the feel of the fabric.
Looking at the fabric composition you see that Rugged Black uses the same 88% polyester and 12% spandex blend as Vuori but the difference between recycled polyester and virgin polyester is staggering.
Recycled polyester has two main advantages over virgin.
- Recycled polyester is sustainable.
- Recycled polyester has a softer, more premium feel.
Think about unbroken in leather. And then think about leather that has been worn and endured years of use. Recycled polyester has a soft premium feel when compared to virgin.
The fit of each jogger is about the same. The Everyday Comfort Jogger has a relaxed fit around the thighs and tapered bottom. I can vouch that these joggers will be the most comfortable ones you have in your closet.
Uses (of Everyday Comfort)
Our Everyday Flex Pants are designed to be the perfect balance between comfort and style. The Everyday Comfort Joggers are designed for maximum comfort and versatility.
The traditional jogger style (i.e. the stretchy waistband and cuffed ankle bottoms) screams casual activewear. I wouldn’t recommend these for business casual and more professional/formal settings. They are perfect for literally every other occasion.
The rule of thumb is if a woman can sport stretchy black leggings in this setting the Everyday Comfort are appropriate as well.
Another difference between the Everyday Comfort Joggers and the Sunday Performance Joggers is the thickness of the fabric. The Everyday Comfort Joggers are slightly thicker. They still retain their breathability but provide a more mid-weight fabric.
Design (of Everyday Comfort)
The classic design of the Everyday Comfort reflects our desire to create the most comfortable joggers on the market.
We also designed these joggers with sustainability in mind. We strive to be the most responsible activewear company on the planet. That means treat all parts of our business ethically and with care. Creating more environmentally-conscious, sustainable products is our long-term duty.
With comfort in mind, instead of the ribbed waistband of the Everyday Flex, we made the waistband wider and smooth. A wider, smooth waistband means it’s more comfortable on your waist.
The tapered bottom with cuffed ankle openings ensures the fit will be flattering.
Similar to the Sunday Performance Joggers, the Everyday Comfort Joggers features a faux fly, moisture wicking and breathable fabric, and back pockets. The Everyday Comfort Joggers does not utilize any zippers in this product.
Sizing (of Everyday Comfort)
The sizing chart at Rugged Black is different than other athleisure activewear companies. Our sizing is for well-built men. That means order a size down from other companies such as Rhone, Public Rec, Lululemon, and Vuori. In the Sunday Performance, I wear an XXL. In the Everyday Comfort, I wear a XL.
Rugged Black’s sizing goes from small to XXL. The inseam length for the Everyday Comfort joggers floats based on the waist – ranging from 30” to 32”.
As a taller guy, I appreciate a couple more inches length. These joggers will hit around the ankle.
Summary
The Everyday Comfort Joggers have a soft luxurious feeling fabric with a traditional jogger look. The versatility of these joggers will rival any pair on the market.
With the newness and youth of both the product and brand, customers will have to rely more heavily on the money back guarantee and free returns than a more established brand with more reviews.
Comparison Summary
In summary, we hope you found this comparison helpful when comparing our Comfort Joggers to Vuori’s Sunday Performance Joggers. You can’t go wrong on either pair.
If you are looking for a cheaper alternative to their bestselling pants, you cannot beat the Everyday Comfort Joggers from Rugged Black.
We pride ourselves on customer service. So we offer a no-bs money-back guarantee on our gear. We also pay for the return shipping. Don’t get more risk free than that.
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