Before my marathon, I bought a pair of CW-X tights. I bought them on my own free will…(IE: I’m receiving no payment and this post is not sponsored).
With flying to a goal race, I wanted to keep my body as compressed as possible (like if you open a can of Pillsbury doughboy bread and the dough explodes out). That level of compression was probably a good idea we ended up traveling 14 hours. CW-X compression gear uses targeted support for the muscles and joints. Plus now, CW-X also makes sports bras!
Actual Fit of CW-X Tights:
Moving on, I am 5’8 and 130 pounds. I ordered the CWX small and it fit as it was supposed too. The CW-X tights weren’t too comfortable, but they aren’t supposed to be. I have to be honest, though, they held everything in place and made my legs look better than the standard black legging. I think I might buy a plain black pair of CWX tights for that reason. The CW-X tights fit exceptionally well.
CW-X Compression:
The compression of the CW-X tight is good. I felt like my legs received a lot more blood flow than if I wasn’t wearing them. My calves usually are extremely tight so I’m very particular with my compression. I felt as if the CWX tights gave enough to butt, hamstring, IT band without being uncomfortable.
After the race, my entire left side was tight (hip, hamstring, IT band) and I felt like it held the CW-X tights kept everything into the correct place. Mentally I felt a lot better with the compression tights on. My IT band gets pretty tight, so I felt like these compressed appropriately. I think wearing the CW-X tights after the marathon is a big reason my legs are recovering quicker than I expected.
Running in CW-X Tights:
I took the CWX tight out for a few shorter runs before my race. I could notice a difference in my runs when wearing the CW-X tights. Similar to wearing compression sleeves or socks while running, you feel less fatigued. My quads, hamstring and upper IT band felt less tired than it usually would.
I didn’t chafe or overheat in the CWX tights. A few pairs of leggings cause me to rub, or they are not comfortable to run in. This is not the case with the CW-X legging. They breathe well and they are a comfortable legging to wear around. The CW-X tights aren’t the most “fashionable” but comfort over fashion.
CWX Tight Cost:
The cost of the CW-X legging is $105 but I do think it’s worth it. I’ve spent 90 dollars on Oiselle, Nike and Lululemon leggings that have no compression. I think the CW-X leggings are worth it if you are looking for full leg compression.
Final Thoughts of the CW-X Tights:
I would highly recommend the CWX tights if you are looking for compression leggings to give these a try. I would also recommend if you are looking for a legging that also makes you look great, I will give these a shot as well. I think CW-X leggings are well worth their price and I would recommend them to any runner (injured or not). The CW-X tights now have a few fun patterns out that I am debating buying myself.
In short: I’m happy with my purchase of CWX tights, and I do believe they live up to their claim of less fatigue and faster recovery.
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Questions for you:
Have you tried compression tights before?
Have you ever had IT band issues?
Thanks for reviewing these!! I was hesitant but now think I may purchase a pair to wear while flying/ driving to and from major races. I don’t think my compression socks are enough sometimes so these should work.
I own 2 pair of CW-X, one specifically made for cold weather. The longest I have ever run in either pair is 20M. I did have some chafing issues but once I figured out where (TMI), body glide fixed it all. After my last 2 marathons I wore a pair the rest of the day after I got cleaned up. I really think this helped my recovery and my legs felt great the next day.
I love compression, but I’ve never tried anything like these. Sounds like I’d love them for recovery!
I agree with everything you said in this post. I bought these after one of my surgeries and they felt SO good on my legs. Running in them feels like a dream. It’s amazing! Plus, I have a butt in them too! HALLELUJAH!
I love compression when I’m in the thick of training. lately I’ve been adding much more volume into my lifting so my legs would love these… maybe with the new job i can swing a pair of these 🙂
I’ve been thinking about getting a pair for myself but never saw any full reviews of them and couldn’t decide if they were worth it so I’m glad you shared this! Compression socks have been my saving grace when traveling/recovering/wearing them around in general so I feel like I would have really good luck with these.
I have both the CW-X and 2xu brand each in shorts, capris, and full-length tights. It was kind of an investment, although I got all of them through some sort of sale, but very worth it IMO. They are well-made and I feel like they will last forever. I love them all. I do feel like the CW-X has more targeted compression (that comes with the seaming) while the 2xu just gives you a nice squeeze. The 2xu are thinner, and I wore them all winter as a layer under other tights. I wore the CW-X shorts for the Phoenix Marathon, and really, my butt and hips (which these covered) were the only things that didn’t hurt. 🙂 (And I am with you, Hollie….I came out of that race injured. Big PR, almost BQed, but I got hurt. So it’s bittersweet. I think that net decline was very very deceiving)
I’m sorry to hea you came out injured as well. I think you are right and while it was fast there were some parts that were unforgiving on your body!
After I ran most of my first marathon with some pretty serious IT pain, figuring out how to fix ITBS became my mission before starting to train for anything else. I figured if I don’t get this taken care of, I may as well not run – because it hurts too bad.
If you haven’t heard of strengthrunning.com, you should really check it out! Jason Fitzgerald is brilliant with injury prevention, and his ITB Rehab Routine solved my IT issues. He’s a coach too, if you’re interested in that, but if you search around his site, you can find plenty of free routines and injury prevention advice.
Check it out if you haven’t already! Here’s a link to the ITB Rehab Routine. It focuses on hip and glute strength. (http://strengthrunning.com/2011/02/the-itb-rehab-routine-video-demonstration/)
Yeah Jason is awesome and has a lot of great information on his page! Thanks for sharing and I know a lot of readers will get benefit out of reading. I actually have that page bookmarked funny enough! 🙂
So glad you shared this!! I’ve been so skeptical of compression stuff and I swear you just sold me on them. Hell, if they don’t work for my muscles, then at least my bum will look decent!
Honestly, I really enjoy compression. They key is they should be pretty tight in the beginning. If they are comfortable/easy to put in at first, then they are too loose!
Pillsbury dough boy. hahah
hmm.. I’m interested in compression things now
I’m glad someone else enjoyed my humor 🙂
Awesome, awesome–thank you! I’ve been considering these for a while.
I’ve never even heard of compression tights before, but they sound intriguing! I often feel like more than just my calves need help recovering, so socks don’t always do it for me. I will definitely have to give it some thought since $105 is pretty steep for a college student, but they seem great!
They were def a splurge for me but worth it! 🙂
Do they leave your legs with lines on them? My zensah ones I like, they come up high so they don’t slip down but the material is like… I dunno… Wavy? If that makes sense? When I take them off my legs look like I laid on a grill lol
I have a pair and they absolutely live up to their billing. I had IT band issues a couple years ago, and I feel like they were part of the recovery. Although, I think I might get an insultated pair for next winter!
I’ve never tried compression tights before but you have turned me onto them. I like feeling more in control of my appendages when I am trail running because there is so much technical trail. I also like not having a long recovery time. Do compression socks work just as well?
Thanks for the review – I always wonder if these things are worth the price. I always wear compression socks on the plane since my legs swell anyways and these are a major help. I have a pair of compression tights… eh.