Reviewed: Activskin® A857 Thermofabric™ Ribbed Light Support Tights

I hope Hosiery For Men readers enjoyed the recent feature on Activskin®, the legwear brand of G.Lieberman and Sons, Ltd.

You can still read Part 1 and Part 2 of the interview with Steven Katz, the Managing Partner at G. Lieberman and Sons, Ltd.



Activskin® kindly provided me with a choice of styles to review and I went for the A857 Thermofabric™ Ribbed Light Support Tights. Although I have tried one style of Activskin® men's tights before, this is the first time I have had an opportunity to write up a proper review.

The styling of most men's tights are pretty conservative: sheers, opaque and semi-opaques. I have always been comfortable with that as I prefer more masculine styles, rather than tights with patterns and bright colours. So full marks to Activskin® for developing a smart, masculine ribbed style. Ribbed socks are available for men, so why not ribbed tights that also provide a whole range of further benefits?

Materials and features
The Activskin® Ribbed Light Support Tights are made from 93% nylon and and 7% Lycra spandex. They are described as 'luxurious, soft, and extremely comfortable from the moment you slide them on.'

The quality of the fabric used is indeed very soft and extremely comfortable. The ribbed pattern is quite wide - wider than than what one usually sees in women's ribbed tights.

The ribbed pattern on the tights doesn't extend to the waist as there is a regular brief, that also includes a gusset. Seams are conventional and well-constructed. The toes have some welcome reinforcement and the overall impression is that these tights are durable and hard-wearing.

The brief has plenty of room and stretched well past the hips. The waistband is 3cm wide and comfortable.

The Activskin® Ribbed Light Support Tights have a good level of opacity but are not completely opaque. Further up the leg where the material is stretched slightly more, they have a more semi-opaque appearance. At the ankle the opacity is greater; under trousers they look just like smart ribbed socks.

Overall the appearance is matt with just a slight shine when the light catches the fabric.



Fit and sizing
These tights are available in four sizes: M, L, XL, and XXL. See the size chart for further sizing information.

I tested the L size and the fit was excellent and this size would have comfortably fit someone taller than my 5'10". The sizing information provided by Activskin® is very accurate.




Colour range
The Activskin® Ribbed Light Support Tights are available in Black only.

Price and availability
These tights can be purchased direct from Activskin® at a price of $15.99.

In the UK they can be purchased from Legwear4Men for £12.49.

Conclusion
I wore the Activskin® Ribbed Light Support Tights to work for a couple of days and I was really impressed with the comfort. In a word, my legs felt great in them and they provided a moderate level of support. The Lyrca content provides a great fit and the tights didn't need to be pulled up at all. The glide is excellent under trousers and I also found that the tights 'breathed' well and didn't lead to overheating.

I really like this ribbed style. They are a great alternative to socks or conventional black opaque tights.