Vuori vs Lululemon vs Rhone: Who Wins the Athleisure Battle for Men?

Over the past three years, I’ve tried pretty much all the major athleisure brands: Vuori, Ten Thousand, Cuts, Rhone, Mizzen+Main, Lululemon, State & Liberty…

The list goes on and on. 

The three that have really stood out to me in terms of what I wear often on a weekly basis are Vuori, Lululemon, and Rhone. 

And I think each brand hits a specific niche, which is why I haven’t gone all in on one particular brand. 

Each has their own strengths and weaknesses. And in this breakdown, I’m going to dive into each brand so you can decide which to shop with for your next haul. 

Vuori vs Lululemon vs Rhone Overview

Vuori

Vuori originally made a mark in the fitness landscape with their shorts. 

And since their founding, the brand has continued to put out lines of clothing based on lifestyles, whether it’s running, training, yoga, or traveling. 

They’re California all the way through, and you can tell by their brightly colored pastel shorts and shirts. It makes you feel like you’re bringing a ray of sunshine with you into the gym.

Of all three brands, I think Vuori does the best job with their workout lineup. 

I wear my lined Kore Shorts every Monday and Tuesday at the gym (I have two pairs). I always try to wear my favorites the first days of the week, and those are always what I end up reaching for.  

Plus, I love the fit and feel of their tank tops and muscle shirts. More often than not, if you see me working out, I’m wearing something from Vuori. 

They also make some solid casual clothes, including Ripstop Shorts, hats, and some cool jackets. 

But for me, Vuori is the deluxe workout brand of choice.

Lululemon

While Lululemon offers some great workout clothes, their strength lies much more in their casual line. I’m talking about joggers, tees, vests, and slides. 

They rock the kinds of things you’d wear if you’re going on a Saturday morning brunch date and don’t want to look like you’re trying too hard, but still want to look damn good. 

I did an extensive breakdown of Lululemon’s most popular joggers and found that their ABC Jogger is the undisputed king. I think this really epitomizes what Lululemon is great for: the ABC Jogger looks rich but casual, fits sharp and slim but feels relaxed. 

You can pair the joggers with nice dress sneakers or relaxed trainers. And while you certainly can workout in Lululemon clothes, it’s almost as if they’re made more for style than hard core workouts. 

Rhone

Rhone first made their mark with their Mako short, which is still one of the best workout shorts I’ve worn (though it loses out to the Vuori Kore for me). 

But they’ve actually grown their brand in a different direction that’s really unique and might just speak to you.

Rhone has a great selection of polos and chino style pants. They’ve become a major brand for golfers who want to look clean and professional on the course without sacrificing comfort and mobility. 

I must say though that their Delta Pique Tee is my favorite workout shirt—it’s a little thicker, has some interesting texture, and the raglan sleeves make me look jacked. 

Despite Rhone having my favorite workout shirt, I’d say that Vuori is still the go-to workout brand. But if you’re looking to fill out your professional wardrobe with some comfortable and stylish clothes, Rhone is a fantastic brand to shop with.

Athleisure Features Face to Face

Style

While all three of these brands might look the same on the surface, each are great for their own specific reasons. 

When it comes to workout clothes—and I mean you’re in the gym or running—Vuori has the best style. Their workout gear is functional, lightweight, and the slim tapered fits help accentuate your muscles, even if you’re a skinnier guy. 

I love to wear my Vuori Kore Shorts as much as possible. Sometimes I’ll even wash them mid-week to wear them later in the week if I know I have a big leg day coming up. It might sound stupid, but when my legs look jacked in the mirror, I lift heavier. It’s a psychological edge and I’m taking it. 

But you’re not always in the gym. And that’s where I’d start looking at Lululemon and Rhone. 

Depending on your style, I recommend one brand over another. 

If you like to wear a lot of joggers and super relaxed clothes, then Lululemon is the better brand for you. Their clothes look rich and refined, but are still basically pajamas or workout clothes. I don’t know how they strike that balance so well, but it works. 

If you want some more upscale clothes (but still casual) like polos and chinos, then I’d pick Rhone. The fit is great for guys with athletic builds, and I haven’t found chinos that fit as well and feel as comfortable as the Commuter Pants. 

Comfort

No brand has an edge over another in terms of comfort. These are all athleisure clothes, so you really can’t get any more comfortable.

There’s no issue with mobility across the three brands, even when you get into more “dressy” clothes like chinos. 

And one thing that I really appreciate about all three brands is that their workout clothes have substantial waist bands that keep your shorts and pants on your hips when you’re doing box jumps with a phone in your pocket. 

Not every brand has such secure waist bands. Ask me how I know. 

Fit

Vuori, Lululemon, and Rhone all have a fairly slim, tapered fit, unless they’re specifically offering a relaxed or boxy fit for a particular item. 

They all look best on guys with a trim athletic build. 

If you’re a big and tall gent, you’ll have the best luck with Lululemon. They carry the greatest variety of sizes and lengths. I know guys over 6’4” can struggle to find joggers that don’t land halfway up their shin, so if you’re a tall dude, check out the tall sizing on the ABC Jogger. 

Between the three, I’d say that Vuori fits a little on the small side, Lululemon is in the middle, and Rhone fits a little on the large side. 

I don’t recommend sizing up or down for any brand, but you can use that as a general rule depending on how much room you like (or don’t like) for your clothes. 

Variety

Lululemon wins the variety game. But honestly, there’s a lot more from Vuori that I’d rather get. And a big part of that is just because of the color palettes each brand tends toward. 

Vuori chooses generally neutral colors, but also mixes in some subdued pastels that break the standard pattern of black and navy. They have the best color selection in my opinion. 

Lululemon makes much brighter clothes with more designs—it’s not my style, but I think guys who can pull it off look cool. 

Rhone’s colors are pretty boring: navy, grey, maroon, black. But if I’m honest with myself, these are all the colors I usually pick anyway, so I can’t really blame them.

As far as different styles go, Lululemon wins—they’re a huge company and they release a lot of new styles every quarter across their workout and casual line. It’s hard to keep up with, and at a certain point, it gets difficult to tell the difference between one type of fabric and another. 

I think Vuori does the best job at communicating what their fabrics achieve and which types of clothes are best for certain activities. 

Vuori vs Lululemon vs Rhone: Which Is Best for You?

If you want a new set of workout clothes, I don’t think you can beat Vuori. Their clothes are durable, they don’t pill after being washed every week, and they’ll help you look absolutely yoked in the gym. 

But if you’re looking for more of that laid-back casual look you can get with joggers and a long-sleeve tee, then Lululemon has a greater variety and balances that fine line that says “I’m relaxed enough to wear sweats in public, but these are really nice sweats that cost a lot.” 

It might sound a little ridiculous, but you know exactly what I’m talking about. It’s a great style and chicks love it when it’s pulled off correctly. 

And then there’s Rhone. If you’re looking for athleisure wear that’s fit for the office or the golf course, then Rhone is my recommendation all day. 

Their selection of polos and chinos have a clean, professional fit, but are still just as comfortable and flexible as a pair of joggers.

Ultimately, you can’t go wrong with any of these three brands—they’re all great and I’ve had nothing but positive experiences with each. But if I had to rank them from favorite to least favorite, this is how it would go:

1. Vuori
2. Lululemon
3. Rhone

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