Forums >Gears and Wears>Running Pants vs Tights? (for Men)
Sporthill for top and bottom in cold weather. I got 2 different weight bottoms and 3 different weight tops about 7 years ago, still holding up well.
Waltons ThreadLord
Given the same temperature, pants for easy runs and tights for harder runs (mostly, I guess, because my pants are heavier/warmer). My 5k PR was run in 15 degrees F, wearing tights without shorts. Fortunately, it was a sunny day with no wind. Up top, I tend to overdress and get too wet from the inside out. I'm working on it and getting better, but there's room for improvement. I also wear shorts, or compression briefs, under the tights, mostly for laundry reasons.
5k 23:48.45 (3/22); 4M 31:26 (2/22); 5M 38:55 (11/23); 10k 49:24 (10/22); 10M 1:29:33 (2/24); Half 1:48:32 (10/22); Marathon 4:29:58 (11/23)Upcoming races: Clinton Country Run 15k, 4/27; Running is Back 10k, 5/12
Interval Junkie --Nobby
There's just too much truth in this post not to quote it. If you're doing a tempo workout: tights. If you're doing an easy run: pants. Shorts under tights, because LAUNDRY.
2021 Goals: 50mpw 'cause there's nothing else to do
Are there no merino wool or bamboo tights worth using? I haven't done any searching on this myself (besides that I've given up on merino wool due to carpet beetles that I can't seem to get rid of...). The merino and bamboo stuff I've got can be worn quite a bit before it needs laundering.
You guys are doing great.
Runners run
Are there no merino wool or bamboo tights worth using?
I have one pair of merino wool tights. Wore them in a snow storm. Turned into 10lbs tights. Only wear them under jeans when walking Chicago these days.
In Virginia here ... shorts to mid 30s if no wind, then 3/4 tights over compression shorts, then full tights in the low 20s. This winter I'll experiment with wool compression shorts and some Houdini wind pants.
Ah, gotcha. We don't have steady enough sub-freezing temps that I have to deal with snow a whole lot. We end up with either slush or ice on the sidewalks and trails around here after it snows (except following the 3'+ snows we get every 3-4 years).
My temp range is down to 40 for shorts, and down to 10 with just running pants. Less than 10, tights under running pants. Or 3" split shorts, on a treadmill.
60-64 age group - University of Oregon alumni - Irreverent and Annoying
I never wear tights or pants so have a naive question: is it worth? does it help improve my run like run further or faster?
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They just keep your legs warm on cold days.
Depends on how cold it is, but tights work awesome on the sub 20 days for me. I've been out on a couple sub zero days where I would have to double up at least, but having at least 1 pair of tights on under a pair of pants usually does the trick. My problem is more so about my fingers freezing off!
I've heard it said before that tights keep the leg muscles warm and loose so they perform better. From Runner's World article on Running pants and tights: "Cold muscles perform worse and fatigue quicker."
I was in a very cold, wet, windy marathon earlier this year and I distinctly remember my exposed thighs feeling really stiff and numb towards the last quarter of the race. So, in extreme cases, i believe that it's true.
Congrats on living in a warm climate.
If you had been running with me on the day that I took my profile photo, running pants would definitely have helped you. That was 11 miles at minus 10 deg F (minus 23 deg C). I had better icicles and more frost after a run at minus 20 deg F, but did not take a photo.
I have the same temperature range as Surly Bill, down to 40 deg F with shorts, and add thermal underwear under 10 degrees.