The two biggest challenges to keeping up my run
streak during the long Wisconsin winter are darkness and cold. I'm an early
morning runner, and currently sunrise is after 7 a.m. which means that I am
running in the dark five days a week. Visibility is a big, big issue for me.
And since I live and run in Wisconsin, it goes without saying that cold is the
other issue.
So when I was given the opportunity to review 2XU's Hyoptik (think "high-optic") thermal compression tights, I jumped at the chance. Reflective? Sweet. Thermal? Yes! Compression? Fantastic! Three of my favorite things. I was definitely excited to try these out.
So when I was given the opportunity to review 2XU's Hyoptik (think "high-optic") thermal compression tights, I jumped at the chance. Reflective? Sweet. Thermal? Yes! Compression? Fantastic! Three of my favorite things. I was definitely excited to try these out.
Sizing
And then I got the tights in the mail and pretty much had a panic attack. Despite my careful measurement and selection of Size Medium based on their sizing chart, these looked tiny. Like, super tiny. Itty bitty. This is something that is always a struggle for me. I have super long legs and I'm...shall we say..."gifted" in the thighs and calves so I often have a really hard time finding tights that fit properly, that don't have seams that split or chafe, and that are long enough for me. And when I saw my much-anticipated Hyoptiks, I thought there was no way they would fit.
Fortunately, I've never been so happy to be wrong. They fit perfectly. In fact, I have to rave about the length: I wasn’t constantly struggling with them riding down while I ran, nor was I continually stopping to pull them down because I was getting cold ankles. Until now, I have experienced at least one of these annoyances (and often both) with nearly every pair of compression tights I’ve owned. There’s nothing more irritating than having to hike up tights that are riding down, or finishing a run only to find that your ankles are red and raw from windburn because your tights rode up too high. To be free of those issues was a huge relief.
So trust the size chart!
Running
in the Cold
I decided to test out my new Hyoptiks on a short six mile run in 30
degree (fahrenheit) temps. Because I am
totally a skeptical nonbeliever, I used the tights as a base layer with a pair
of Adidas sweatpants over them. After
all, my other thermal tights seem to work best as a base layer, so why should
these be any different?
Well, I learned my lesson.
They aren’t called “thermal” compression tights because they like lots
of words in their name. By two miles in,
I was warm. Really, really warm. Almost too warm. For someone who always suffers from cold
legs/cold butt during my winter runs, it was a new experience.
I wised up for my second foray with the Hyoptiks and wore them with nothing over them. The
temperature was about the same – 30 degrees with little wind – and I felt fine. I wasn’t uncomfortably warm, but I
wasn’t cold.
Unfortunately, those 30 degree days came to an abrupt end and
January brought on new blasts of cold.
As the temperatures dipped below 15 degrees I found that wearing the
Hyoptiks as a base layer under either yoga pants or sweat pants was perfectly
adequate, even when the wind chill brought the temperature down to about
zero.
Comparing
and Contrasting: 2XU versus Old Navy
I had a great opportunity to compare the Hyoptiks to my Old Navy “thermal”
tights that got me through last winter by doing some back to back long runs
over a cold weekend. My Saturday run with the Hyoptiks as a base
layer went quite well – the Hyoptiks under yoga pants did a wonderful job of
cutting the sharp wind, and I made my mileage with minimal complaints about the
weather. I even got snowed on! My Sunday run with the Old Navy tights as a
base layer was less stellar. The wind
cut right through them despite wearing heavier sweatpants over the top, and I
again had the ankle-rise problem, despite the tights being otherwise properly
sized for me. I feel like the Hyoptiks
have spoiled me a bit – while the ON tights seemed fine before, I now realize
just how inadequate they were.
Of course, the counter to this is that the Old Navy tights come with a much smaller price tag. In most areas of life, I don't mind pinching a penny, but when it comes to running I have no problem paying more for quality products. After all, I run every single day. Why wouldn't I want something that keeps me warm and comfortable when I'm getting those miles in? This is one of those times where paying a little more is well worth it.
Overall
The 2XU Thermal Compression Tights are a great option for those of us who live and run in cold climates. They make an incredible base layer, yet they work well alone. They are comfortable and well made (no splitting seams, no rough edges to chafe the skin) and the reflective pattern is actually rather flattering.
Of course, the counter to this is that the Old Navy tights come with a much smaller price tag. In most areas of life, I don't mind pinching a penny, but when it comes to running I have no problem paying more for quality products. After all, I run every single day. Why wouldn't I want something that keeps me warm and comfortable when I'm getting those miles in? This is one of those times where paying a little more is well worth it.
Overall
The 2XU Thermal Compression Tights are a great option for those of us who live and run in cold climates. They make an incredible base layer, yet they work well alone. They are comfortable and well made (no splitting seams, no rough edges to chafe the skin) and the reflective pattern is actually rather flattering.
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