CW-X Endurance Generator
http://www.runningfree.com/products/CWX-715/Mens-728/CWX-Endurance-Generator-p36066/?pstart=1
I have been competing in Adventure Racing and Triathlons for approximately four years now, and to be honest the most I had paid for a pair of ‘tights’ was about $20 on clearance at Target/Zellers… They just never seemed to be something I would invest a great deal of money into and in my mind they were basically intended to keep the thick brush from scratching up my shins when navigating for that elusive check point.
I had suffered from cramping at various points in my races, especially shortly after transitioning from bike to run and just figured it was something I had to learn to live with. A friend of mine suggested I try a pair of calf compression sleeves and see if that helped with calf cramping. It cured the cramping completely and I decided maybe there was something to this compression gear after all.
I’ve only had the CW-X Endurance Generator for a limited time currently, so consider this a lite review, with a more detailed review to come next year post-race(s). My initial impressions were that the material was significantly thicker and heavier than what I had been used to and the fit much tighter. These specific tights are designed to support the entire leg with emphasis on stabilizing the knee joint. The built in k-tape style support structure encircles the knee joint and gives it a very tight feeling of support, whilst there is a noticeable increase in the ease of the pull phase of the running motion. To date I have tested the tights on the treadmill and also playing indoor soccer, which is a more representative scenario than you imagine it would be. The very hard gym floor can be tough on your joints and a solid two hours of essentially wind sprints with a ball at your feet can leave you feeling beaten up, your muscles and joints very sore. Having used the tights there was a huge improvement in post-game recovery, my legs felt significantly fresher and my right knee (always my first sign of trouble) had no issues whatsoever.
One area of concern given the thicker and heavier feel to the tights was, would they vent enough to be able to use in hot weather. Well, again I can tell you the gym we play in can get very muggy and warm even in the dead of winter and I didn’t notice any heat build up in my legs, or higher than normal sweating levels. The material soaks up the sweat and evaporates it adequately.
I am really looking forward to putting these tights to the test in an 8+ hour AR next spring and updating this report with the findings. So far my impression of the tights is very positive. I think I’m going to enjoy being relatively cramp free, and feel it will be well worth the investment.
