Oiselle Running Apparel Review

I love how much Oiselle has grown since they entered the women’s running apparel market in 2007. Their garments remain multifunctional, high-performing, and a pleasure to wear. I still have and regularly wear the first two T-shirts I purchased from them in 2008, as well as a pair of Roga Shorts from 2010, and have been pleased with each piece I’ve added to my collection.

Oiselle has remained committed to premium quality athletic wear and has been a positive innovator within the sport of women’s running and community as well. Oiselle is a force behind women getting a seat at the proverbial table of running power players and decision makers.

Fellow female gear tester Annie Behrend and I have enjoyed testing several items from Oiselle’s current offerings that facilitate hard efforts but also flow through to the rest of my day. Our weather has offered all four seasons the past few months, so we can attest to the high-performing qualities of the following pieces:

• Oiselle Super Seamless Bra ($44) sports bra
• Oiselle Benjamina Button Short Sleeve ($68) technical short sleeve shirt
• Oiselle Flyout Wool Half Zip ($112) lightweight half-zip long sleeve shirt
• Oiselle Pocket Jogger Tights ($98) full-length tights
• Oiselle Roga Shorts ($58) classic shorts
• Oiselle Long Power Pocket Shorts ($64) spandex shorts

Oiselle Super Seamless Bra

I was really psyched when I saw this bra on the website, because it hearkens back to my favorite style — the simple smasher bras of yesteryear. My two all-time favorite bras from several years back are now relegated to races only to make them last as long as possible because they just don’t make them like they used to. The Oiselle Super Seamless Bra ($44) is almost it.

There are so many things that I love about this bra. First and foremost, there are no removable cups for me to spend ages rearranging after washing. The straight straps are a perfect width, non-restrictive, and don’t stress my neck with their wide placement. The arm openings are large and chafe-free whether I run with a pack or not.

The double-layer Super Seamless fabric made of polyester, polyamide, and elastane wicks moisture, resists odor well, and is comfortably smooth while providing strong support and compression for A to C cups. As one might come to appreciate, given the women-owned nature of the company, the interior is subtly ruched to accommodate cup size changes, making all the days of the month comfortable for running.

The bra comes in three colors with peppy contrast edges and three sizes — small, medium, and large — which correspond with Oiselle’s numerical sizes 4 to 12 or bra sizes 30 to 40.

So, why is it only almost perfect? There is a lot of material making up this bra. I wasn’t familiar with the term “longline” describing bras until now, but this is a notable example of the style.

Similar to a higher cut crop top, this bra comes most of the way down my rib cage in a way that makes deep breathing feel restrictive. If you’re used to wearing high, long, and tight crop tops, then you may not notice such things.

The material is designed to respond to heat and movement by molding to the body, but you really have to appreciate feeling hugged all the way down your ribs to appreciate this bra. Additionally, though most of the bra is seamless, there are two seams attaching each strap to the front and back of the body of the bra.

Due to the double-layer fabric construction, these seams are fairly obtrusive and required some strategic pack loading at times to avoid placing too much pressure over them. There is so much good in this bra, I’d just love to reduce the chest band by a couple of inches and trim the rest up by 25% or so. If that were the case, I’d have every color.

Last thing to note: If you love this fabric but prefer the racerback style, you’ll find this exact option in the Oiselle Super Seamless Racerback Bra ($44 to $56) with the more traditional styling — and it’s truly seamless.

For more of our current favorite sports bras, take a look at our best sports bras for running guide.

A front view of the Oiselle Super Seamless Bra. Kristin is also wearing the Oiselle Pocket Jogger Tights, described later in this article. All photos iRunFar/Kristin Zosel unless otherwise noted.

A back view of the Oiselle Super Seamless Bra.

Oiselle Benjamina Button Short Sleeve

This piece was the surprise of the bunch. The Oiselle Benjamina Button Short Sleeve ($68) is a classic collared shirt with fancy buttons, two drop-in chest pockets, cropped short sleeves, and lightweight, flowy fabric that presents as a “business casual” option that easily pairs with a smart skirt or city pants. It fits in perfectly at the local pizza joint or backyard barbecue.

But to the keen ourdoorswoman’s eye, the Breeze Woven polyester and spandex material is subtly gridded and exceptionally suited to high output activities as well. The cut and length is a bit shorter and boxier than I prefer, but still covers my midsection decently during a trail run. It does have a tendency to creep up a bit under my pack.

Other than that, this button-up is an absolute joy to wear. I especially love it for warm weather paddleboarding — some sun protection for my shoulders and silky comfort under my lifejacket.

The shirt comes in five different wild prints that make me crave a warm beach. Sizes range from 2 to 12, but are very generous. I’d prefer at least one size smaller than my usual Oiselle shirt size.

The fabulous fabric can also be found in the Oiselle Benjamina Jumpsuit ($112), Oiselle Benjamina Joggers ($98), Oiselle Benjamina Pop-Over ($68), and Oiselle Benjamina Button Sleeveless ($62).

A front view of the Oiselle Benjamina Button Short Sleeve.

A back view of the Oiselle Benjamina Button Short Sleeve.

Oiselle Flyout Wool Half Zip

I have loved half-zip layers for a long time, and am particularly fond of garments with some combination of soft fleece and itch-free wool, including the Oiselle Flyout Wool Half Zip ($112). It’s the best of both worlds with exceptional wicking power, breathability, odor resistance, and warmth even when wet. It’s so thin that it dries incredibly fast, and it doesn’t allow any build up of moisture beneath a pack even during my longer runs.

Flyout Wool is the lightest weight wool and polyester combination fabric I’ve worn, which gives it a greater range toward the warm end of the temperature spectrum, while functioning really well as a lighter midlayer on cold days. The deeper half zip allows for quick ventilation, and the top of the zipper tucks inside a low-profile garage, keeping my chin free from abrasion. I appreciate that the neck isn’t too snug, yet provides enough coverage to keep the breeze out.

I absolutely love the long arms with thumb holes and watch windows integrated into the extended cuff. The whole garment is stretchy such that if I’ve forgotten gloves, I can pull my hands inside until I warm up. Oiselle definitely perfected the watch window, and I love that there’s one on both sides so you have freedom to wear your watch as you do.

A detailed sleeve view of the Oiselle Flyout Wool Half Zip.

The Flyout Wool Half Zip is cut pretty generously, and comes in three colors. Sizes range from 2 to 14. It’s not overly long on my body, which means higher waisted bottoms or a bit of tucking in is helpful on the colder, breezier days. Again, sizing can be a bit tricky, but it perhaps matters a bit less on this due to the forgiving nature of the shirt.

This piece is perfect for weather conditions that oscillate on either side of the “one layer or two” line, and it disappears easily into your pack or around your waist if the sun decides to overachieve. I appreciate it greatly during a post-run lift as well to keep me from cooling down too quickly.

Oiselle has this piece dialed in perfectly, and if you don’t live where cold weather routinely hurts your face, it’s an item you’ll reach for every day.

A front view of the Oiselle Flyout Wool Half Zip.

A back view of the Oiselle Flyout Wool Half Zip.

Oiselle Pocket Jogger Tights

If you live where cold weather demands warmer gear, the Oiselle Pocket Jogger Tights ($98) are really comfortable full-length tights with a wide and high waistband and complete ankle coverage — at least for me, at 5 feet, 5 inches tall. By wide and high waistband, I mean, this band can almost touch the lower end of the Super Seamless Bra and some ribs.

This is much higher than I prefer, but it is somehow not restrictive at all to the belly, so I focused on the fact that no wind would ever come close to touching my midriff.

I’ve enjoyed wearing these thicker tights over bike shorts for chilly fat bike rides, and on their own for runs, hikes, Pilates, and lounging around the house. The Nyelle Compression fabric is nylon and spandex, and has a dense feel that provides some wind-blocking capabilities without compromising breathability.

The interior is soft against the skin, wicks moisture well, and is wonderfully stretchy, making climbing steep hills or pre- and post-run mobility exercises a breeze.

A detailed view of the Oiselle Pocket Jogger Tights, showing a place to put your keys.

Oiselle upped its pocket game with seven pockets for your storage pleasure. The horizontal pocket at the back of the waistband is secured with a zipper and easily swallows a large phone and more. A large drop-in pocket on each lateral thigh also holds a phone easily but lacks a flap or other securing element.

That said, I’ve tested phones, keys, cards, change, fuel, and a variety of other things here and have had no issue with anything escaping. Pintuck detailing on the bottom of these two pockets adds a sort of “moto” street style, which adds fashion points if you engage in post-run activities.

Finally, two subtle mesh pockets lie flat on each hip and are sized for smaller items like a gel, chapstick, or something similar.

Sizing for all four colors of the Pocket Jogger Tights is 2 to 26.

The Oiselle Pocket Jogger Tights showcasing one of the side pockets.

A view of the large back pocket on the Oiselle Pocket Jogger Tights.

Oiselle Roga Shorts

[For our current favorite running shorts, take a look at our best running shorts for women guide.]

The Osielle Roga Shorts ($58) have been around since Oiselle’s beginning, and they scream, “tried and true!” The flat waistband, large back zip pocket, and semi-fitted style have kept the Roga Shorts crowd-pleasers.

What impressed me before I even put this pair on was the print. The botanical design is so creative, if I ever got the wild idea to tattoo something up my arm, it might have some semblance of the print on these shorts.

These shorts are relatively low-waisted, settling right below my hip bone and well below my belly button. An internal drawcord provides an opportunity for any additional necessary adjustments.

I have a tendency of routinely emphasizing my love of zippered pockets, so in an effort to abbreviate that here, I’ll just say that I’m so happy Oiselle had the prudence to make the one rear pocket on the Roga Shorts a zippered one!

Roga Stretch Woven fabric provides four-way stretch that drapes well and feels fluid, allowing for all kinds of motion without riding up, covering a built-in technical liner. The Roga Shorts are everything you’d want in a pair of simple day-to-day running shorts with enough colors and prints to keep them from being anything but boring.

A front view of the Oiselle Roga Shorts. Photo: Annie Behrend

A back view of the Oiselle Roga Shorts. Photo: Annie Behrend

Oiselle Long Power Pocket Shorts

For years, I’ve defaulted to a trusty pair of long spandex-blend shorts for racing and extra-long hauls. This style has proven to be chafe-resistant during long-distance and sweaty runs that make chafing almost inevitable. I was pleased to see that the Oiselle Long Power Pocket Shorts ($64) checked all the important boxes when it came to finding an adequate replacement for my previous pair.

These shorts are comprised of Plya Compression fabric, a blend of polyester and spandex that provides adequate support without feeling too heavy or restrictive. The high and wide waistband paired with an 8.75-inch inseam provides notable coverage.

The top of the waistband settles right around my belly button and the bottom of the short lands approximately three or four inches above my knee. An interior drawcord ensures a snug fit.

A zip pocket on the left hip provides a reliable place to stow a key or credit card. You could fit your whole fist in the right hip pocket, a great spot for a snack, trash, and more. Each pocket ends where the bottom of the wide waistband wraps around.

While pocket capacity doesn’t extend down the length of the short as it has in some of my past favorites, it also means that the majority of the fabric on your legs is light. Notably more lightweight than my previous pair, I suspect that when summer returns, I will continue to enjoy all the comforts of this style without sweating beneath them.

A front view of the Oiselle Long Power Pocket Shorts. Photo: Annie Behrend

A back view of the Oiselle Long Power Pocket Shorts. Photo: Annie Behrend

Oiselle Women’s Apparel Overall Impressions

Since creating the first Roga Shorts in 2007, Oiselle has thoughtfully and strategically grown its product lines with careful consideration of performance goals and feedback from its team and customers. That attention to detail is evident in the design and function of the garments reviewed here.

If I could offer any suggestion at all, it would be to dial in the sizing with the same expert focus to make it consistent across all product lines, especially given that online shopping is how most of us will discover the products for ourselves.

These are truly by women and for women, and if the styles and cuts of each item in this diverse group align with your preferences, you’ll no doubt have them for years of adventures and so many miles to come.

Call for Comments

• What is your favorite piece of gear from Oiselle?
• Do you feel like running apparel companies are successfully making lifestyle clothing as well?

[Editor’s Note: If you’re affiliated (i.e., an employee, ambassador, etc.) with a brand, please share your relation in each of your comments on this article. Thanks!]