In the past, sporty cotton sports suits were worn for the sport. In the 1980s, in addition to the suits made from balloon silk, they were neon-colored leggingsmade of nylon or polyester. And today, so-called tights were often worn. The English word tights actually means a pantyhose, literally means only „tight“ and is generally used for snug sports pants. The well-known brands for sportswear such as Under Armor, Jako, Erima, Asics, B’Twin and others have very different tights for men in the range.

Running pants on triumphal march

For many years contributed in particular the Men’s Tights only for running. Knee-length and ankle-length tight-fitting trousers are increasingly being worn by other athletes too: from ball sports to fitness, so many areas have been enthusiastic about functional trousers so far. Tights take a while to get used to, and most men have slight inhibitions about wearing body-contoured pants. But in sports they have clear advantages. Tights are usually made of polyamide or polyester, in the manner of functional underwear. The materials are breathable, sweat is quickly removed from the skin and can evaporate before the pants feel wet. In addition, there is almost no air resistance due to the close-fitting shape. This is not completely unimportant in sports such as cycling or running. The tight fit also brings benefits in other ways: In sweeping movements, the pants are easy with, does not bother, does not get tangled, does not stretch too much. Like a second skin, tights sit, they just do not stand up during sports. In the cold season, the pants are worn instead of long underwear under the normal sports pants, they air-condition. Due to the tight fit, no wrinkles form during the movement, and the trousers sit comfortably, especially on the inside of the thigh. At this point, athletes often clear about friction: not with tights.

Tights with compression function

There are different tights. In fact, some manufacturers simply specialize in tight, air-conditioning sports pants. Others have these pants with more features in the program: they are cut and sewn so that they exert a slight pressure on the muscles, called compression. With the compression stockings known from the hospital that does not have so much to do, the compression of the sports pants pursues other goals. Some athletes are convinced that the slight compression is performance enhancing. In conclusion, this has not yet been proven, but it is indeed true that a slight back pressure on strained muscles is not only pleasant, but has a positive effect on body awareness and motor function. Tights with compression must fit well and fit exactly, otherwise they will not fulfill their task. For the good fit, the pants are provided with a high proportion of elastane.

Onion principle for outdoor athletes

If you are out and about, whether you are snowboarding, rock climbing or running in all weather conditions, you often rely on multi-layered clothing. Tights in this case play the role of functional underwear, they are worn directly above the underwear or even in lieu of underwear and form the inner, air-conditioning (and possibly compressive) layer of clothing. Short or long pants can be worn over it, waterproof and windproof layers provide weather protection, and especially warm fleece clothing keeps warmth. It all depends on the weather conditions, the sport and the personal preferences, how exactly the tights are combined. It is important to know that these onion layers only work really well if all layers are made of functional clothing.

Care instructions for functional clothing

Tights are part of the functional clothing and should be washed separately with the cleaning agent recommended by the manufacturer. Machine wash is basically no problem, but the pants should not come into contact with zips, sharp hooks or buckles. Fabric softener should not be used because it interferes with the air conditioning function of the pants. The materials are quick-drying, so tights can dry well on a leash.