I had a small issue with my SKINS A400 tights. They had ripped in the crotch area after an unreasonably short period of time. Given the cost of these (~£100) I was pretty miffed.. especially given that I am a SKINS fanboy.
They were sadly unsalvageable (I can not sew), and I couldn't risk my genitalia popping out at mile 15 (but lets be realistic if that had happened I would have still finished the run).
I got in touch with SKINS via their website/social media, and after a little effort (I didn't have the original receipt as I never expected them to rip), they sent me a replacement pair.
The reason that I wanted a replacement is because I wear these tights when I run (as opposed to displaying them on my wall). I like them. They are a part of my 'staple' running kit. If I didn't have these tights on then the lower half of my body would be naked, and that is arguably worse than the original problem.
On the product page the product description outlines how dynamic compression and temperature control are the main selling points of the product.
I will address temperature control first as this is the most obvious benefit (to me). These tights do temperature control really well. They have ADAPTIVE Technology.. but the 'hows' are somewhat irrelevant to me. All I know is that when it is cold (I've run through British winters in these) I never have an issue with the temperature of my legs. Likewise when (every so often) it is hot, they keep you cool. I would say they are better at keeping you warm in the cold than they are at keeping you cold in the hot.. but maybe I simply appreciate that more as it is more commonly cold where I live.
As regards compression.. There is a lot of discussion on the web as to whether compression actually has any benefits. When people question me about my kit they often ask "But does it really do anything". This is a question which to be honest I cannot really answer as I don't really have any comparative data (maybe I'll do some running without them to compare.. but shit.. then I'd be cold). I have found though that generally I recover quite well, and I have been running good (and slowly improving) times. Even if it is simply a placebo effect, I do find that they keep everything tight, and they feel like they work. It is certainly the case that when I (occasionally) just wear shorts my legs feel different.. ergo they do something.
One thing that I have noticed every time I have gotten a new pair is as to how tight the new pair feels. Obviously over time the material is going to loosen up etc but I wonder to what extent this 'loosening' effects the compression benefits. Perhaps this 'loosening' is already considered/expected by design?
Another great thing about them is that they are comfortable. Wearing a skin tight product which wicks away moisture means that I never have any issues with chaffing. I must have saved between £3 and £5 from not having to buy talcum powder or vaseline. Win !
They also have reflective material on them so if you are running in the dark you can be seen. As of the time of publication I have only been run over once whilst running (and that was during the day, and not related to clothing). As such I can safely say that the reflective material works.
All in all, whilst I wish they had used the 215D Memory MX fabric rather than the 210D Memory MX fabric (I jest) these are an awesome pair of running tights. I will continue to buy and replace them as part of my staple running kit until such a time as I have unlimited finances so as to test alternatives. They are quite expensive but.. sadly all gear seems to be expensive nowadays.
