Old Navy vs American Eagle: which sweatpant to buy, and when
Both land in the budget tier: the Old Navy Classic Jogger Sweatpant at $25, the American Eagle AE Fleece Jogger at $40, $15 apart. Here is how they stack up, head to head.
| Old Navy | American Eagle | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $25 | $40 |
| Material | Cotton-blend fleece, ~7oz, garment-washed soft. | Cotton/polyester fleece, ~8oz, garment-washed soft. |
| Fit | Tapered jogger fit with elastic cuffs, true to size. | Tapered jogger fit with elastic cuffs, true to size. |
| Quality | Budget — soft from new but the fleece thins and the cuffs lose stretch within a year. | Budget — soft from new; the fleece thins and the cuffs slacken within a year. |
| Best for | Everyday lounging, casual tapered looks, and cheap basics. | Soft everyday lounging, casual tapered looks, and promotion shoppers. |
| Care | Cold wash and low heat to slow the fade and keep the soft hand. | Wash cold and tumble low to slow the fade and keep the soft hand. |
The closest matchup in the mall: two garment-washed fleece joggers with the same tapered fit, elastic cuffs, true-to-size sizing, and the same thin-and-slacken-within-a-year lifespan. The only hard differences are $15 and roughly an ounce of fleece.
- The case for Old Navy
- At $25 the Old Navy delivers the same tapered cut, elastic cuffs, and soft garment-washed hand for $15 less, with the same expected lifespan.
- The case for American Eagle
- The AE Fleece Jogger runs slightly heavier (~8oz vs ~7oz) and is nearly always marked down, so the real-world gap is often smaller than list prices suggest.
VerdictThe pick
Buy the Old Navy. The facts on these two are nearly interchangeable — same fit, same cuff failure, same one-year fleece — and $15 buys roughly one extra ounce of fabric, nothing more. Step to the AE only if you catch it on one of its near-constant sales at or near $30, where the heavier fleece becomes essentially a free upgrade. At list prices this is the easiest call in the Old Navy vs American Eagle rivalry.
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