Disclaimer: I received a pair of A400 Compression Shorts from SKINS to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!
I normally try to come up with catchy titles for my reviews but nothing can really top their own hashtag. 😀
When the chance came up to test compression shorts from SKINS, I was excited. The brand I was wearing no longer made the style I owned and my pair was getting a little ragged. The weather here was staying pretty warm so shorts would be fine for a few months.
The website has a handy little size calculator which I took advantage of but I was still a little concerned when the shorts seemed really small upon arrival. Then a little more concerned when they seemed snug around my calves when pulling them on. Ummm, my thighs are bigger than my calves, how is this going to work? Surprisingly well- the material is like magic! Silky soft and stretchy but tight in the right places. How do they do that?
Ok, let’s get technical-
- Innovative ADAPTIVE Technology keeps you warm when it’s cold and cool when it’s hot
- A-Seams for comfort and durability without chafing
- 360 degree reflectivity
- Lower rise sits comfortably on the hips
- Easily accessible waistband pocket
- Wider waistband for comfort
Dynamic Gradient CompressionSKINS most advanced compression technology increases muscle oxygenation, stabilizes active muscles and reduces blood lactate build up, to enhance performance and speed up recovery time.
Now, I am a big fan of compression so what did I think of these?
They were longer than I thought they would be. They felt a little snug on the first run- maybe too snug. Either that I was just now realizing how badly my last pair had worn out. After a few miles my legs felt great. That was the only time the legs felt too tight. Every other time has been golden. I’ve worn them for short runs, almost every long run since (dang laundry issues!) and my trail race. In fact, the only parts of my body that didn’t hurt post trail race with all its’ hills were the parts covered by the shorts. Coincidence? Probably not.
I feel like the longer my run the better my legs feel in them. My upper legs have felt great on my long runs lately. I credit the shorts because the rest of me is falling apart.😛
I wash them after each run and they’ve held up great so far. I do line dry them. But I line dry 80% of my clothing so that’s no big deal.
My one gripe is the waist. If you check the data I pulled from the website up there⬆️ it says “lower rise sits… on hips”. Umm, not so much. At least not for me. The shorts go up to my rib cage. That is high people! Now I don’t know if I just have an odd shaped torso or if I need a smaller size. I honestly don’t think I could fit into a smaller size but maybe I’m wrong? Maybe I should try folding down the waist band. We’ll see.
Waist height aside, I kind of love these shorts. 🙂
Check out more opinions- some people tested the full pants-
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