Tuesday 27 December 2016

Guest review: Kunert Warm Up Cotton Opaque Tights

We are always happy to publish detailed guest reviews at Hosiery For Men.

We have previously published guest reviews by one of our readers, Lei, who is based in the USA.

Lei has now shared with us his review of the Kunert Warm Up Cotton Opaque Tights, which he purchased from one of our recommended retailers UK Tights.



About me


Male, 5’10’’, ~157lb, average build.

I recently purchased a pair of Kunert Warm Up Cotton Opaque Tights 120 denier, size XL, in color smoked-grey, from UK Tights.



UK Tights describe these tights as follows:

"With these fabulous Kunert warm up cotton tights you will enjoy warm legs on the coldest of days. The combination of unique hollow fibres called Meryl Nexten, and the special production process helps to store body heat giving you a cosy warm feeling even on ice cold days. Warm Fiber Plus in the foot area helps to keep the feet extra warm. The perfect fit and pressure free waistband enhance the comfort. With a high cotton content they will also help to keep you feeling fresher for longer."


Wearing experience



Unlike my other reviews, the pictures are taken and the review is written after I’ve washed and worn these a couple of times, so my perspective will be a bit different this time.

The Kunert Warm Up Cotton Opaque Tights are made from 70% Cotton, 13% Polyamide, 11% Kapok, 2% Elastane and 1& Polyacryl.

Let’s get this out of the way first: cotton tights will never feel the same as nylon tights. They will never be as smooth and soft, and they will never be as stretchy.

That said, these cotton tights are much softer and smoother, and less rough against the skin, than the cotton tights that I’ve had previously. They are stretchy enough to fit me snugly without any issues – there is not really any extra material anywhere, despite my buying a size larger, as usual. I would be somewhat concerned about the fit if I did buy exactly my size, so I’d recommend going up a size when buying.

One nice thing about tights that are not so stretchy: they don’t sag or slide nearly as much, which is nice.

These tights are indeed very warm as they claim. On days when it is too cold to wear even 200 denier nylon tights with shorts, these cotton tights kept me warm just fine.

The waistband is very comfortable – I barely feel it – but it does its job of keeping the tights in place pretty well.

Design

There is a front center seam and gusset.



For sizes smaller than XL, there is also a center seam in the back. For sizes XL and XXL, there is a back panel, like this:



There is a tag in the back as well.



There is a footed section that has a bit of stretch to it. Upon first wearing, I remember it feeling a bit tight, but after a couple of times it loosens up and is quite comfortable.



My shoe size is US size 9 (UK size 6), and the footed section fits me perfectly fine with possibly a bit more room to go up to US size 9.5 (UK size 6.5). Keep in mind this pair of tights is size XL.



The opacity is perfect – there is no skin showing through anywhere, even if I bend my knee. The texture of the cotton knitting is very visible, as I’ve seen with any pair of cotton tights.



They’ve managed to not pick up any dust or pilling in the few times that I’ve hand-washed and worn them; given that my other cotton tights have all managed to get rather dusty or start pilling soon after I started wearing them, I’d say this is a sign of the excellent quality of these tights.

Color range, fit, and pricing


The Kunert Warm Up Cotton Opaque Tights are available in five sizes at UK Tights:

  • Small
  • Medium 
  • Large
  • X Large
  • XX Large
As I mentioned, I’m 5’10’’ and weigh around 157lb. I bought a size XL, which is one size larger than the suggested fit, but I think that was a good decision given that these tights are not very stretchy and there’s not a lot of extra material even though I bought one size up. I would recommend buying these one size larger than the suggested size.


The Kunert Warm Up cotton tights come in black, dark-brown, and smoked-grey. I bought them in smoked-grey. The grey color is significantly lighter than shown on the website, so I’d imagine that the same applies to the other colors as well.



These tights are available from UK Tights for £21.99, or around $27.27 for buyers in the States.

Verdict


These are very nice cotton tights – very soft, very comfortable, very warm as they suggest.

But, for me personally, I don’t think I’ll ever prefer cotton tights over nylon ones – sure, they are warmer, but they will never feel as nice as nylon ones, and I’m not the biggest fan of the clearly visible cotton knit texture (I usually prefer the smoother look of nylon tights as well).

For the price, I could get nylon tights that are just as warm and are more to my liking. But, if you are in the market for a pair of cotton tights and are willing to splurge, I think these are worth it.

Monday 26 December 2016

Reviewed: Falke Soft Merino Tights

Hosiery retailer Tights Tights Tights recently recommended the Falke Soft Merino Tights as warm, winter tights suitable for men as part of our feature Fight the Freeze: Recommended winter and thermal tights for men



Tights Tights Tights said:

"Luxurious Merino wool tights from premium hosiery brand Falke. These tights are the ultimate in warm winter comfort. More than half of the composition is Virgin Merino wool, while the majority of the remainder is cotton. This combination creates perfection - the soft, skin loving cotton lines the inside of the tights, while Merino wool warms from outside. A reinforced heel and toe make this an ideal pair for teaming with boots, and the comfort top provides full movement without digging in."




Packaging

The packaging for these tights is very simple. The tights are folded and held in position by a card clasp.





Material and features


Falke describe these tights as follows:

"Thanks to the innovative combination of premium, soft merino wool on the outside and pure, skin-kind cotton on the inside, these tights guarantee excellent temperature regulation and unbeatable comfort. Besides the perfect FALKE fit and the reinforced stress zones, the extra flat seams contribute to the outstanding comfort. The fine mesh structure make them perfect for business outfits, too."


The Falke Soft Merino Wool Tights are made from 55% Virgin Wool, 28% Cotton, 15% Polyamide and 2% Elastane.

On removal from the packaging, the first impressions are really positive. They feel like very soft, thick, warm tights that are prefect for winter.

Leg length looks generous with the tights shaped to be wider in the thigh and tapering towards the calf and heel.

The combination of wool and cotton works well to provide a luxurious touch. Soft cotton lines the inside of the tights, with the merino wool providing additional warmth on the outside.

The yarn is knitted in a fine mesh structure that provides even opaque coverage throughout.

The brief is deep and comfortable. In the Extra Large size there is a rear comfort panel. Seams are flat. The waistband, which is almost 7cm wide, has been designed for comfort.

The heel and tow are both reinforced and are superbly engineered.







Fit and sizing


The Falke Soft Merino Wool Tights are available in four sizes at Tights Tights Tights: 

  • Small
  • Medium 
  • Large
  • Extra Large 
I tested a pair in the Extra Large size.



On putting these tights on I got an immediate sense of the investment and care that had been put into their design.

The fit was excellent and the tights provided a great soft, warm feeling on the leg.

The brief/panty was particularly comfortable, with the soft and wide comfort waistband.

Colour range

At Tights Tight Tights, the Falke Soft Merino Wool Tights are available in Black only

Price and availability

The Falke Soft Merino Wool Tights are priced £30.00. Delivery in the UK is free.

Conclusion


The Falke Soft Merino Wool Tights are a great innovation in the way that cotton and merino wool are combined to provide an optimum wearing experience.

In fact, Falke seem to have invested significantly in their range of cotton tights, which now includes the Cotton Touch Tights and the Sensual Cotton 80 Denier Tights.

The Falke Soft Merino Wool Tights combine functionality, design and a great wearing experience.

Definitely recommended.

Saturday 10 December 2016

Just arrived: Wolford Velvet 66 Leg Support Tights

We have just received another pair of the wonderful Wolford Velvet 66 Leg Support Tights.



We purchased them from Luxury Legs via their newly-released App.




You can download the Luxury Legs App from the iTunes app store and then browse and choose from a superb range of hosiery from the world’s leading brands.

There is 15% off when you make your first order using the App, using code APP15.

The App is very easy to use and my tights arrived quickly and beautifully packaged.

You can read our review of the Wolford Velvet 66 Leg Support Tights here.

15% discount at Luxury Legs when you download their new app

One of our recommended hosiery retailers, Luxury Legs, has just launched a new App.



You can download the Luxury Legs App from the iTunes app store and then browse and choose from a superb range of hosiery from the world’s leading brands.


There is 15% off when you make your first order using the App, using code APP15.

The App is currently only available for the iPhone.








2 For 1 on Heist Tights

For a very limited time only Heist are offering 2 pairs of Heist tights for the price of 1.



You need to use the code TWOFOR1. The offer expires on Tuesday 12 December.

Wednesday 7 December 2016

Reviewed: Wolford Velvet Sensation Tights

Wolford recently sent us a great selection of tights from their new range.



We have already reviewed the new, innovative Wolford Comfort Cut 40 Tights and the Wolford Velvet 66 Leg Support tights.

We now focus on the Wolford Velvet Sensation Tights.

This style was launched for Autumn/Winter 2016. They are recommended by Wolford as a unisex style suitable for men, and are included in Wolford's selection of tights for men.

Wolford Velvet Sensation Leggings are also available.



Packaging

The packaging for these tights is standard for Wolford.

The tights are folded around a card rectangle. This is then enclosed in a light card sleeve. Everything is then housed in a cellophane envelope.





Material and features


The Wolford Velvet Sensation Tights are described by Wolford as "Thermo Tights".

They are made from 84% Polyamide and 16% Elastane.

The first impression on removing the tights from the packaging is how they don't seem at all bulky for thermal tights. In fact they don't appear much thicker at all compared to regular high denier opaques.

The outside of the tights is made from what Wolford describe as "a fine mesh structure". This provides dense, opaque coverage and a smooth feel. The appearance is matt.

The inside of the tights is made with an insulating plush fabric that is extremely soft and comfortable on the skin.

The waistband is 5cm wide. Many of the new Wolford styles appearing now have this wider, more comfortable waistband.

The brief/panty has no gusset and seams are conventional rather than flat.

Toes are reinforced.







Fit and sizing


The Wolford Velvet Sensation Tights are available in five sizes:

  • Extra-Small 
  • Small 
  • Medium 
  • Large 
  • Extra-Large 
I tested a pair in the Extra-Large size.



The Velvet Sensation Tights in XL provided a somewhat different fit and wearing experience to the completely wonderful Velvet 66 Leg Support Tights that we reviewed recently.

They have somewhat less stretchiness. I found that the XL size fitted very well but I need to carefully get the tights into position. Once on, the fit was great and I found these to be a really comfortable wearing experience.

The opacity is excellent and they look great on the leg.

The best feature is definitely the warming, thermal properties they have. They don't look or feel like most of the thermal tights on the market but they do the job exceptionally well.

Colour range


The Wolford Velvet Sensation Tights are currently available in four colours at the Wolford online store: 


  • Midnight 
  • Black 
  • Anthracite 
  • Graphit 
I trialled a pair in the Midnight shade, a dark navy blue.









Price and availability


The Wolford Velvet Sensation Tights are priced £55.00.

Conclusion


The stand out positives of the Wolford Velvet Sensation Tights are:

  • Top quality yarn and lovely smooth opaque look on the leg
  • Excellent insulating and warming qualities without bulk
  • Robust construction and reinforced toe
  • Great wearing experience in very low temperatures.
One would have to balance these positives with the £55 price tag, which is quite expensive even for Wolford. If you want insulation and great comfort without bulk then these would be be a good buy. Like all Wolford tights they will last and last if you look after them well.

Tuesday 6 December 2016

Wolford gift guide for men

Wolford have published an online gift guide to coincide with the holiday season.



And male fans and customers of Wolford are not forgotten.

The gift guide has a dedicated section for men.



Wolford say:

And don't think we forgot about the gentlemen (after all, we were one of the first brands to produce men's tights in the 90's).

For sport or for outdoor activities, we've selected the perfect products for comfort and warmth.


If you click on 'Discover More' you will also discover the recently curated selection of Wolford tights and leggings that they recommend for men.

Wolford say:

For the gentlemen: Shop high-quality unisex tights online


As one of the first hosiery brands to create tights for men, we understand a man’s unique needs when it comes to tights and leggings. Below find a selection of some of our more unisex styles - ideal for sport and outdoor activities due to their comfort and warmth. All of which are available in larger sizes.


For a wonderful Wolford gift for a man we recommend any of the styles in the men's collection. However a special mention must go to the superb Wolford Velvet 66 Leg Support Tights which we reviewed recently.

They provide solid opaque coverage, will keep your legs warm, supported and energised, and are available in seven shades.

Wolford SS2017 Press Day in London

Wolford recently kindly invited us to the London press day for the SS2017 collection.



It was a real honour to get the invitation to the event that was held at the St. Martin's Lane hotel.

It also shows Wolford's commitment to their male customers who are also buying their tights and legwear products.

Here are a selection of images from the event.

















Thank you also Wolford for the lovely gifts.