Compression Tights... CW-X vs Opedix vs Skins

i have a pair of cw-x and under armor cold gears and can hardly tell the difference. they are both compression but cw-x has all the snazzy thing about stability..


IMO.. it's a marketing scheme and over rated. i'd just get what ever that is cheaper of the ones you've suggested.

in addition, i'd love to get some that cut off right above the knee instead of the ankle. i find the ankles ones tended to leave a mark on my legg when booted in

As someone who suffers badly from muscle soreness from doing ANYTHING new (even a few hours gardening!), Skins are essential for me. They get you through those first few days of the season with just mild muscle stiffness, rather than the agony that is standard after the first day.

Before Skins, my first day would have me with increasing stiffness and soreness the day after, and even worse the day after that. They even hurt to the touch. I love what they do.

Check out how much they'll cost you now, the Aussie dollar has fallen due to the financial crisis, making our stuff even cheaper than usual.

I've been using the CW-X Insulator Stabilix this year and they've been great. They're very warm and the super tight compression and "wrap" does give you a feeling of strength, power and stability -- sort of like being taped up for sports. I have no idea whether the claims re endurance and soreness reduction are legit, but I like that they hold everything in place and make muscles feel "ready to fire." Some people complained that they rode too low, but not on me. The waist is right where I want it and they don't slip down much at all. I'm sure that's just a matter of different people's different body shapes.

Would love to hear from some people who have compared/contrasted CW-X with Opedix and/or Skins.

As I mentioned in another thread: I wear regular tights. Over the tights I wear cheap Mueller knee stabilizers with lateral metal springs and for thigh compression I use two large size ace elastic bands originally made for knees (just slide em up higher). I Have found this setup to work very well and the total cost was about $25. Muscle fatigue and knee strain is greatly reduced.

I don't know about compression tights but I know compression socks ABSOLUTELY work. I've been running marathons for years and at my age, despite all the training and mileage I do in preparing for a November Marathon, I still always suffer toward the end of the marathon with aching calves and quads. The days after the marathons are even worse as my calves are almost always swollen.

This last November, I tried something new and wore the Zoot compression socks. Zoot offers compression tights too and competes against CW-X, 2XU and all these other brands. I debated wearing tights or just socks but I didn't want to try something I was not familiar with on race day. The Zoot socks went all the way up my lower leg and stopped short of my knees. During the race I looked a bit dorky with the white long socks but since the weather was really cold, I didn't feel so bad. More importantly, however, my calves had no pain during the entire marathon and I barely felt any effort. The next day, although my quads were dead tired and aching, my quads were ABSOLUTELY fine. Felt like I had just walked a block on them. No pain, ache, NOTHING.

So this year I will try using the full compression tights (any brand would be good) and see if my quads will benefit from them as well.

I have both the opedix and the CW-x. I think they work. In terms of muscle stability and keeping legs fresher. Opedix are much more rigerous and structured. I recommend them...if you want to spend teh money. Are they necessary...of course not. By teh way..Opedix are very tight---its a feeling yo uhave tio get used to..but I think it gives me some security,,good luck

Blitz

I love my CW-X stabilix tights, and everyone I speak to who has them loves theirs. they make me feel like my legs are spring-loaded. they are great. I dont have the insulators though, I regret not getting those.

but I run too, and they are great for running too....

Hi:

Yes you are exactly right...Opedix twice as expensive and very different overall--much more strucutred support overall; both knee and muscle. Cw-X feels like a reinforced tight. Opedix feels much more bracing and tighter, even in the right size. ..One other cosnideration...Cw-x does not make a calf length tight...so if your are medium height like me--you have to tuck the CW-x into the boot....Opedix makes a calf lenght,,,with my tight boots---I dont need an extra layer in there.

CW-X does make 3/4 length tights, just not in the "insulator" versions.

http://www2.trainingbible.com/joesbl...ou-faster.html

and, btw:

http://www.cep-sports.com/index.php?id=8631

I have insulated 3/4 length CW-X tights. Use them every day, and love them.

CW-X tights don't work for me because they don't fit. I have long femurs and my knees just don't match up with where the tights expect them to be. As for making ankle length tights calf length, just chop off the bottoms and have them hemmed by your favorite tailor for a few bucks.

I picked up some Opedix S1's and I really enjoy them. I don't have horrible knees, but I appreciate the stability it gives me while I am skiing.

-chris

What she said...

...I have the top of the line, support you all over CW-X Insulators, and they are great. Can't speak to the other brands. I used to use just plain tights, like Asics, tights I use for biking, etc., and the CW-Xs are far superior...

Haven't compared to the other brands, but I have been enjoying using my CW-X shirt and tights for both skiing and cold-weather cycling. I have the opposite problem Voltron had, though, where my femurs are apparently freakishly short and my calves freakishly long; the knee would always drop down too low and the hem is a little high on my ankle. I solve it by rolling the waist hem over once and wearing socks that cover the exposed area, but I'd like to experiment with getting a different size or with different brands. Even with the occasional knee slippage, though, I felt great after biking and skiing with them. The micro fleece on the Insulators works extremely well, and wicked everything away quickly and comfortably.

You may be right, I should have said that they don't offer the Stabilyx Insulator in 3/4. I checked the CW-X site again and they do not show any Insulator being offered in 3/4. They may have discontinued those items or they are too new to make the site.

Q - How do the CW-X and Opedix compare in length/fit? Any shorter guys wearing these? Fit issues? I am 5'6" and my waist puts me in a small CW-X and a medium Opedix.

Fit is an issue for me, too.

I have two pairs of CW-X tights, one pair of non insulated Pro tights, and one pair of insulated Expert. A note on sizing for anyone who's planning on ordering and hasn't tried them on, the pro pair without the insulation is significantly larger than the insulated expert pair. I think the difference is in the insulation, not the taping.

The pair without the insulation runs big and long on me, enough that I wondered if they accidentally send me the men's version when I ordered the women's. If I were to try these again, I'd go down a size. The taping at the knee doesn't stay lined up during activity. The fact that they're big on me negates the compression and makes the taping not feel effective anyway, so I just wear these like a normal pair of tights at the gym, etc.

The insulated pair fits properly and gives good compression. Still, the knee taping doesn't line up properly, and I think that's at least in part due to my thighs being significantly larger than my calves, so my body is not in the proportion the tights were designed for. I have to pull and readjust a ton to get the knees in place, and if they're out of place I feel the taping holds me the wrong way, and it's actually negative for me to wear them during activity. When I tried to, I ended up aching wonkily in the knee afterwards. Now I just wear them as a warm layer under my pants when I'm just walking/day to day.

I'd love to try Skins, as lining up taping isn't an issue with them. I'm also interested in Opedix, if they fit well, as I had an acl reconstruction and could use the extra knee stabilization.

Can't comment on the others, but have been using Skins for 4 years.  To work properly in reducing lactic acid build up they must be graduated compression tights and not just tights, which is why the real thing is more expensive.  Skins and pretty thin with flat taped seams and I've never had a problem with them inside my boots (socks over the top).

I did have problems with my Skins bunching up and aggravating my shins ups against my boot tongue...or it was the seams digging in.  Either way they allowed me to exchange them for the 3/4 length version and I haven't looked back since.  Highly recommended!

So, if we wanted a DIY hands-on demo of the effectiveness of these things, could we could use a vibration-plate exerciser machine and expect to find the Opedix leg to be considerably fresher afterwards?

i tried opedix and for almost $200 the quality is very poor and they were uncomfortable/much too tight.  i bought the cw-x insulator 3/4 and love em for skiing and then bought a pair of long ones for running with a lighter fabric (coolmax?). IMO it's no contest.  good luck

good luck with getting an unbiased opinion from the opedix comapny..................................

I wear full length Skins for skiing and another pair for recovery after skiing.  They certainly help with muscle fatigue and cramping in the first few days of a ski trip.  Three points:

 

1. full length Skins do leave marks on your leg under the boot, but they're just marks - I don't get any "bunching up" and I don't feel the seams while I'm skiing;
2. both pair of Skins seem to be built for someone with a waist up near their sternum (what's up with that?) - I roll the tops over my pants to prevent them 'creeping' down my legs, which lessens their effectiveness and leaves them baggy under the crutch (don't want a baggy crutch - I'm not a snowboarder ); and
3. they feel great.

 

When I replace the skins I'll also be looking at the CWX / Opedix stuff.  Since my knees are fine, I suspect I'll end up buying whichever pair fixes the 'long waist' problem.  Failing that, I'll buy whichever set I can get a great deal on.

I use full length CWX but wear short socks (thin wool biking socks) when skiing.  Works great and doesn't leave a mark. 

 

 

Thanks all for the discussion. I thought they were a gimmick, but two weeks ago I pulled both my hamstring and calf (I skied into some "powder" that turned out to be 4 inches of fluff on top of dirt, and both skis came to a dead stop). Now the muscles feel OK, but my leg is purple and the calf swells when I walk on it. I'm shopping tomorrow for a pair, mainly for the compression -- my knees have so far survived 67 years of activity.

I too thought they were a gimmick until I tried Skins for my first few days of the season about 5 years ago.  I thought they were good, but just to check, I then did my fourth day without them - wow what a difference in leg pain the following day!  Since then I rarely ski without them and whenever I do I regret it.

 

A few tips. Look carefully at the sizing chart when buying, if in doubt about size, always select the smaller size - they need to be tight to work, Too big a size might be the reason some people have experienced bunching or a waist set too high.  Wear them all day while you ski then keep them on for as long as possible afterwards, at least an hour as a minimum.  If it's early season or I've had a really big day I'll shower and get into a clean pair and sleep in them overnight.  I use Skins because they were the first (and the only ones around when I started wearing them) and because the seams lie flat on your leg and don't irritate under the boot.  Replace them as you find they don't provide that really snug fit any more, mine last a few years before replacement but it'll depend how often you ski and how often you wash them.